Your thoughts on AI: discussion goes here.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

The problem is that it becomes the burden of the GLO to prove the false statements wrong. When you have an initiated member, who represents the GLO, then the statements that the initiated member makes can be viewed as GLO policy, if the person receiving the information does not know any different.

btw, it has happend. Just go over to the Risk Management forum.

I don't want to research the forum. If a case exists then someone should post the details.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by valkyrie

I think that most college-educated women can figure out how to behave without a "code of online behavior" from their sororities. Those who can't can be dealt with, but there's no reason to treat the others like children.

Oh, I'm not saying treat them like children. I'm just stating that if internet discussion of certain topics is a "hot button" for certain GLO's, then they should have a policy on it.

My entire point is that I feel that certain folks have greatly exaggerated how some GLO's feel about AI being discussed on the internet. Are they speaking for the GLO or just for themselves?

If it was that important, the sorority would have a policy.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Plus, I think it would be a real burden for the national HQs to reinforce it.

It's not their job to make sure it's enforced, it's the job of the members to report sisters who are in violation. From what I have read on Greek Chat, I see alot of talk about sisters getting reported for this, that, and the other, so why would AI discussion be any different IF the sorority had a policy on it?

[PinkandGreenJ]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

It could be something along the lines of, "when representing your sorority" don't act like a jackass.

I don't know about you, but I am sure Drolefile agrees as well, aren't we always representing ourselves and our sorority?

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

I don't want to research the forum. If a case exists then someone should post the details.

I'm not going to do your work for you. If you really want to know that bad, look it up yourself.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

I do think it's nice to have a forum for AI women to describe how the were able to become members. I don't mean of the "I shopped around and this one took me" variety. I mean the stories of the women that the GLOs sought out or the stories of the women who were pledges but had to drop and then were finally initiated through AI. These stories are inspirational and remind some of us who aren't super-involved as alums that our service to the organization is still important, important enough that some people join simply to serve as alumnae.

I agree that some of the stories are inspirational, and that they also make us more aware of our own involvement (or lack thereof) once we're alumnae. However, I don't know that there needs to be a separate forum for ladies who are AIs to share their story. GC doesn't have a COB forum, or a snap-bid forum, or a "I transferred to another school, leaving AB chapter for XY chapter" forum. I simply don't see a need for a separate AI forum solely for this purpose. If someone wants to share her story once she's an AI, why does she have to have a special forum to share it in? I think she'd be most interested in sharing that story with her new sisters, in which case, it would be most fitting for her to post her story in her specific sorority's forum.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

First, It's SigmaDiva.....



Then call your IHQ and ask. Attend meetings and conferences and ask. If you are unsure about the current policy of your sorority, then don't sit in the dark, ask someone who should know.

In my org, it is expected that every initiated member attend local meetings, regional meetings and national meetings to stay current on the changes and updates that go on in the org. It is your responsibility as an initiated member of AGD to stay current by inquiring about policy changes. It's when GLO members don't stay current that confusion happens.



But if you (the general you) don't know what should be or not be discussed online, then maybe you are giving away information that your IHQ does not want you to give out.

Granted, some questions may be able to be addressed online, but I think it is better to at least do it in that particular GLO's forum. Those members would know best on how to address the PNAI's concerns.



I think you are missing the point that there is a difference between undergrad rush and AI process. Heck, I'm in a D9 and I see the difference. Many, many, many, many NPC members have stated over, and over and over again that while there is an agreement for conducting undergrad rush, the process is different on the AI level. I feel that you are not understanding that difference. The AI procedures for CD may be very different than XYZ. It makes no sense for someone who is a member of DEF to try to answer AI questions for either group.




Then maybe at your next convention you can push for a policy for your org to clearly define what is public info and what is not. Be part of the solution, not the problem.

What really suprises me, is why do those on Greek Chat that are members of a sorority say over, and over again that formal recruitment and the AI process is different? I haven't seen anyone post that they are the same, not even close.

In college, you visit the houses of all the sororities, you are assigned a Rho Chi (or other recruitment counselor), you go pick up invitations, you go to parties, then finally you have pref night and a bid day, a pledge period, then initiation if you met all of your requirements for your pledge period. All in the course of a few days or few weeks, depending on how your college does it.

I fail to see how ANYONE could get confused when members for potential AI are generally not enrolled at a college at all, don't sign up for formal recruitment, there are no parties, there is no pref night, there is no bid day, and the process takes several months. I haven't seen anyone post anything stating otherwise.

In AI, a sorority is contacted by the PNAIM or an Alumnae member gets the process started for them. They go to a few events, the AA has a discussion and a decision is made and they generally get initiated with alot of strangers that they have never met before. Not women that they went through a pledge period with.

I have never thought it was the same thing, and haven't seen anyone else come even close to getting the two confused.

I just think it's odd that every other post seems to start with "AI and Formal recruitment are different"...that falls under the "DUH" catagory.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

I'm not going to do your work for you. If you really want to know that bad, look it up yourself.

If it existed, you would be able to post it. I appreciate your attempt at maintaining the urban myth.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

My entire point is that I feel that certain folks have greatly exaggerated how some GLO's feel about AI being discussed on the internet. Are they speaking for the GLO or just for themselves?

If it was that important, the sorority would have a policy.

And that's the problem. Not every member of a GLO will be current on the org's latest policy. So, when you have situations like GC where anyone can post anything it leads to confusion.

I mean look at me. I'm not even in a NPC org, but I'm here discussing NPC business. This would never happen on one of the D9 forums because the mod would come in and either delete the non-member's post, or close / delete the thread all together.

The worst part in all of this is not so much that people cannot agree, it is that members of the same org can not agree or understand the policy of their org.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

If it existed, you would be able to post it. I appreciate your attempt at maintaining the urban myth.

I'm not going to post the dirty laundry of other orgs. I know some, I'm just being respectful of that org. I've got some dirty laundry in mine, so I'm not going to 'out' another org. It's called respect.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

I can't stand Michael Jackson...he's a child molester. Therefore, I don't watch his interviews, don't listen to his songs, and if he comes on TV, I change the channel. If he is on the cover of a magazine, I don't buy it, because if I do, I am supporting him.

Those that don't like the AI forum have a very easy way of getting rid of it, IGNORE IT.

If I remember correctly, you have previously indicated that you are not in a sorority. So, I can kinda see why you think there's a connection between your dislike of Michael Jackson and a sorority member's dislike of AI being discussed. It also makes sense (sorta) that you think that ignoring the forum is a valid solution. The problem with this option is that, for some sororities, the AI process is confidential. So, having information posted about it is the same thing as having ritual posted.

If I knew that someone had posted the meaning of AOT in a thread, you can bet your bottom dollar that I wouldn't just ignore it because it bothers me. I would speak up to try to have it removed. No one wants their ritual information shared publicly. Period. And, to insinuate that it won't be a problem if we just ignore the fact that it's being shared in a public place, well, you're just wrong.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

And that's the problem. Not every member of a GLO will be current on the org's latest policy. So, when you have situations like GC where anyone can post anything it leads to confusion.

I mean look at me. I'm not even in a NPC org, but I'm here discussing NPC business. This would never happen on one of the D9 forums because the mod would come in and either delete the non-member's post, or close / delete the thread all together.

The worst part in all of this is not so much that people cannot agree, it is that members of the same org can not agree or understand the policy of their org.

I agree with you 100%, however, how does this differ from anything else you find on the internet? It doesn't. If someone wants 100% accurate information, then they need to contact the sorority at their national or find a member who knows.

If someone starts the AI process and doesn't do their homework and doesn't go about the process correctly, then that's just tough noogies. That is what you get for trying to get all of your info from a website.

I don't feel sorry for anyone that uses GC as their only source for sorority or fraternity information about AI or anything else regarding the organizations.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

If I remember correctly, you have previously indicated that you are not in a sorority. So, I can kinda see why you think there's a connection between your dislike of Michael Jackson and a sorority member's dislike of AI being discussed. It also makes sense (sorta) that you think that ignoring the forum is a valid solution. The problem with this option is that, for some sororities, the AI process is confidential. So, having information posted about it is the same thing as having ritual posted.

If I knew that someone had posted the meaning of AOT in a thread, you can bet your bottom dollar that I wouldn't just ignore it because it bothers me. I would speak up to try to have it removed. No one wants their ritual information shared publicly. Period. And, to insinuate that it won't be a problem if we just ignore the fact that it's being shared in a public place, well, you're just wrong.

But see, that is where part of the disagreement is, is the discussion of AI in essence, a discussion of ritual because a half-dozen people on Greek Chat says it is?

I don't think it's a violation, b/c it's so silly and common it would be hard to imagine it would be, if someone asked, "Does XYZ have AI?" or "If I am interested in XYZ, should I contact the local AA or the National first".

However, I would totally back up any sorority member on not discussing certain aspects of AI if the statements got very, very specific, like (and I'm making these up)...

"Yeah...we do AI, however, in our organization we only initiate adult women who have performed volunteer work with our organization for a minmum of 2 years"

or

"While we will be willing to meet those that are interested, we would only initiate those who are members or leaders of other community organizations for mutual benefit"

Now to me, THAT would be discussing membership selection...the EXACT qualities that you would want to see in an AI candidate before you would agree to AI. On that issue, I would totally support any thread or discussion of this type being shut down.

But it all boils down to this: It starts with the members of the sororities. If they don't provide the information when asked for it, then no one else can get it. If you think a sister is violating ritual, then you need to address it with that sister....it's not John's fault or PenguinTrax if you have a 'bad seed' that doesn't take her initiation seriously.

[adpiucf]

Simply put, sorority HQ's don't care about Greek Chat or these petty conversations. They're busy with real life collegiate programming and they're not going to police anonymous screen names with crimes against society for name calling or unsportsmanlike behavior against other anonymous screen names.

AI policies are unique to each sorority and are published for the members of those sororities. Anything read on GC isn't an official statement of sorority policy and the reason for the displeasure in the AI forum is that a new stereotype is being perpetuated: that AI is recruitment. We just don't want to waste the time of our organizations fielding requests from PNAI's when the true intent of AI (as of this moment in time) is for the sorority to make the initial approach. Having AI as recruitment is not a place that we are prepared to be at this time.

[carnation]

And now since I've had a nonworking phone line and thus no computer for the last day or so--and returned to behold several adults acting juvenile, reporting this thread right and left and otherwise being BURDENS--this thread is closed, I hope temporarily, while folks cool off.