Biggest Rush Mistakes at any institution

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

It's just what I (and the rest of my chapter) have always known. Same goes for guys in other chapters on my campus (and other campuses). I honestly didn't know chapters followed what nationals said so closely (or at all) till I found this site.

Well, following national membership guidelines is only part of it from my point of view. There's also not feeling the historic tie nationally. If you're a local at heart, which it seems like you are, I'd want the full local autonomy. No chapter reports, no national dues, no national rules about parties, little sister groups, etc.

On the other hand, if you felt like, say you were a KA, and you were all about Robert E Lee as a spiritual founder and the earlier principles of the group, but you just weren't feeling the brotherhood with some of the other chapters, then I could see why not giving up the letters, history and symbols would be important.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Agreed. The restrictions Nationals puts on GLOs are just that - restricting. If I didn't value AST, I would NOT want to follow them.

I understand why they are needed, but the bureaucratic aspects of the sisterhood are the least attractive to me.

Of course, I'm not talking about membership policies in my case.

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Well, following national membership guidelines is only part of it from my point of view. There's also not feeling the historic tie nationally. If you're a local at heart, which it seems like you are, I'd want the full local autonomy. No chapter reports, no national dues, no national rules about parties, little sister groups, etc.

On the other hand, if you felt like, say you were a KA, and you were all about Robert E Lee as a spiritual founder and the earlier principles of the group, but you just weren't feeling the brotherhood with some of the other chapters, then I could see why not giving up the letters, history and symbols would be important.

Again, I feel that if every chapter who felt compelled to do so followed this advice...well national GLO's would become pretty scarce. It is not abnormal (from what I have seen) to feel the way my chapter does. It's just the way it is.

ETA: It's not that we hate nationals or even really dislike them. It's just that we will always do what benefits our chapter, regardless of nationals' policy. It's not something we actively think about or anything.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

I don't know what our founders core values where. We learned it during pledge ed, but I've long since forgotten it.

Yikes.

[sasquatch]

I think if we got some guys on here responding, I might get some backup.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

I think if we got some guys on here responding, I might get some backup.

I'm pretty sure you would. I think it's a common feeling in a lot of the more elitist, for lack of a better word, chapters.

But it's something that I've always wondered about when it's come up.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

Again, I feel that if every chapter who felt compelled to do so followed this advice...well national GLO's would become pretty scarce. It is not abnormal (from what I have seen) to feel the way my chapter does. It's just the way it is.

ETA: It's not that we hate nationals or even really dislike them. It's just that we will always do what benefits our chapter, regardless of nationals' policy. It's not something we actively think about or anything.

So you're basically (insert fraternity affiliation) chapter of (insert chapter designation) sorority. Almost like your chapter is bigger than the sorority.

Bad idea. But I see it a lot with GLOs and BGLOs. Often from people who have not had any activity with the organization since they graduated. Their idea of organizational dues are when they give back to, and visit, their home chapter.

For BLGOs, this is frowned upon in particular because that is not what a lifetime commitment is about and it goes against our Founding principles and respect for the National entity. Giving back to, and visiting, your home chapter is expected for most of us but organizational dues are paid to the national body--and only through the chapter of current affiliation/member-at-large.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

So you're basically (insert fraternity affiliation) chapter of (insert chapter designation) sorority. Almost like your chapter is bigger than the sorority.

Bad idea. But I see it a lot with GLOs and BGLOs. Often from people who have not had any activity with the organization since they graduated. Their idea of organizational dues are when they give back to, and visit, their home chapter.

For BLGOs, this is frowned upon in particular because that is not what a lifetime commitment is about and it goes against our Founding principles and respect for the National entity. Giving back to, and visiting, your home chapter is expected for most of us but organizational dues are paid to the national body--and only through the chapter of current affiliation/member-at-large.

I think he's an active fraternity member right now, so it seems a little bit more reasonable to be wrapped around the specific chapter, especially if you aren't NPHC.

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

So you're basically (insert fraternity affiliation) chapter of (insert chapter designation) sorority. Almost like your chapter is bigger than the sorority.
.

I'm a guy, just to set that straight.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I think he's an active fraternity member right now, so it seems a little bit more reasonable to be wrapped around the specific chapter, especially if you aren't NPHC.

I know he's an active.

It isn't more reasonable to be wrapped around the specific chapter if that means you don't consider nonchapter members your brothers.

It isn't just frowned upon in the NPHC--that's a fact. I just typed from the standpoint of an NPHC member to illustrate why it is frowned upon for us.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by sasquatch

I'm a guy, just to set that straight.

Yeah I had edited the fraternity part and forget I had typed "sorority" two other times.

Sorority...fraternity...same point.

[pbear19]

To sasquatch or anyone else who thinks similarly about chapter vs. National: If your chapter goes through a big change over say a 5 year period, and the group of members 5 years after you are very much unlike your current brothers, would you not consider them brothers then, because they aren't like you and you don't know them? Or does the chapter itself lend enough importance to the brotherhood that internal chapter shifts are inconsequential?

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by pbear19

To sasquatch or anyone else who thinks similarly about chapter vs. National: If your chapter goes through a big change over say a 5 year period, and the group of members 5 years after you are very much unlike your current brothers, would you not consider them brothers then, because they aren't like you and you don't know them? Or does the chapter itself lend enough importance to the brotherhood that internal chapter shifts are inconsequential?

Well, I'm not quite sure what you mean by "big change", but if you mean in personality of brothers...I just can't see that happening. I know that's pretty vague, but we're over 100 years old so I doubt any major changes are gonna come around within 5 years, or even 20 years.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

It isn't more reasonable to be wrapped around the specific chapter if that means you don't consider nonchapter members your brothers.

It isn't just frowned upon in the NPHC--that's a fact. I just typed from the standpoint of an NPHC member to illustrate why it is frowned upon for us.

I agree with your first point at the level of not considering other members from different chapters your brothers, but I think that valuing your own chapter as a special thing and being a little more devoted to it, particularly when you are an undergraduate member of an undergraduate chapter, is pretty normal for NPC or IFC groups. For a lot of us, the chapter IS the group for all practical purposes when you're an undergrad.

Sure, most of us love the national or international group as well and love meeting members of other chapters, but as an undergrad, your chapter is your home. ETA: it's when you're an alum that I think most of us start thinking about the international organization as a whole more than a particular chapter, I think.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I agree with your first point at the level of not considering other members from different chapters your brothers, but I think that valuing your own chapter as a special thing and being a little more devoted to it, particularly when you are an undergraduate member of an undergraduate chapter, is pretty normal for NPC or IFC groups. For a lot of us, the chapter IS the group for all practical purposes when you're an undergrad.

Good. Our chapters are special to us, too, but Delta did not begin and does not end with my chapter.

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Sure, most of us love the national or international group as well and love meeting members of other chapters, but as an undergrad, your chapter is your home.

That's obvious and I already said that.

Are you just trying to "defend" sasquatch or something? You were typing to sasquatch about this stuff and all of a sudden you're acting like feeling your chapter is the end-all and be-all is the norm.