YESSS! I think we're getting nationals!!!

[breathesgelatin]

forced bids ARE no fun... how exciting for you to get nationals, though! my school has only had sororities since 1989, so there was never a problem with women hazing each other. however, our fraternity system is seriously bogus... i dated a fraternity pledge all last year, and the torment he went through was ridiculous.... let us know how it goes!!

[sigmagrrl]

Carnation,
When do you at least find out what Nationals are coming to present on campus?

[carnation]

I wish I knew! They've contacted NPC and now NPC has to notify all the member groups.

I'm wondering if one reason for not cutting is to have the 2 existing groups at a premium size to look good for NPC groups. (Siggh.) At least we don't have many strange-looking or -acting people to turn off nationals. The huge majority are what you would call very wholesome-looking.

Hey sigmagrrl, a good family friend just pledged Tri-Sig at Winthrop!

[Crescent]

I'm pretty new to GC and don't know the name of the school at which you teach. Maybe our sorority, also at both JCU and VU, would be a good candidate for one of your locals. We do have strong alum chapters in Atlanta, right GPhiBLtColonel?

[carnation]

arg. those little suckers are hazing again.

A new member in one of my classes said that they have a curfew of 11 PM to be in their rooms and the pledgemaster yelled at her and she cried for an hour. Guess who's about to call the Student Activities director?

The only other things they're forcing them to do --wear hose all week (maybe it's supposed to make them look good? ) and wear their pledge ribbons. Still, that's hazing too.

The good news is that each group took a class of 34 and the ones I know are wonderful women. I wish Pi Phi would come here but they're occupied with their western colonizations!

[Tom Earp]

Carnation, that is silly to consider that hazing! I know!

Damn, if they wear hose, then they must be wearing skirts!

Why should they not be wearing ribbons?

We have a Hard Time getting New Associate Pins and our Actives and New Associates want to get them so they can wear them!

Are they not Proud of the Group that they joined?

About making a new cry, that is a problem! There is no sense in that! If I was the young Lady, I would have told the asstive to kiss off or on which ever you prefer!

[PenguinTrax]

From the school paper (I have removed the school name out of deference to Carnation):

Sororities and fraternities to go national

XXXX sororities and fraternities to go national
By KW, PR Intern

While on-campus sororities and fraternities have been a large part of student life at XXXX for years, the administration recently decided to move toward making them national organizations.

“I am starting the process by inviting other Greek organizations to come and look at us, but am unsure where that will go,” said E.S. , director of student activities. “The administration wants to begin moving toward national fraternities and sororities, but I do not know exactly when we will become national.”

Greek life begins each fall with rush week, an opportunity for pledges to get to know all the organizations and find out where they fit in. If a pledge is not picked by his or her choice organization, he or she can either try again next fall or accept the invitation of another group.

“There is a mutual selection process going on where men and women of each organization will rank order the people going through rush,” S. said. “The administration has a process of dividing them down the middle.”

In the past, rush week has also involved silly antics by pledges. According to S., this will change, due to a stronger enforcement of the hazing policy in order to adhere to the eventual tie with national terms.

“Retreats are good, as well as team-building activities, but wearing silly outfits to calss is against the hazing policy,” she said. “In the past, displaying the new members has been more important than allowing them to get to know members of the organization.”

S. said there are two purposes to pledge – letting the pledges get to know the history of the organizations, such as past members, and allowing them to get to know members joining with them and older members in the fraternity or sorority. “Anything that does not fall under these two rules is not permitted,” she said.

This includes: actions that recklessly or intentionally endanger the physical and mental health or safety of students; encouraging the consumption of any food, drink, drug or any other substance; exposure to weather; sleep deprivation; assignment of activities that would be illegal or unlawful, or might be morally offensive to the individual; physical brutality, including paddling, striking with fists, open hands or objects and branding; kidnapping, transportation or stranding of individuals; verbal abuse, including line-ups and berating of individuals; conduct that could adversely affect the dignity of the individual, including wearing of apparel that is conspicuous or extraordinary, carrying items such as paddles and canes and the performance of public stunts and activities; tasks of servitude, including errands and clean-up activities for active members, alumni or any other XXXX student; the denial of sufficient time to study; nudity or lewd behavior; late or early activities which interfere with academic activities or requirements; or any activity not consistent with the policies and mission of XXXX College.

S. , who is in charge of enforcing the hazing policy, said hazing in general has been a state law for many years, but the policy, which was adopted in 2001, is just now being enforced.

“The reality is – why would you want to be mean or abusive to women or men joining your organization? It can either A. make them not want to join or B. make them turn around and do the same thing to future members,” said S. . “Older members see what happened to them and say, ‘Why can’t it happen to other members?’ which is why it should be stopped now.”

Anyone breaking the hazing policy will be investigated, and consequences can range up to no social events or intramurals for one semester to one year for the entire organization, according to S. .

One gradual change that will come about with the move to national fraternities and sororities involves technology. S. said computers are used by national organizations, and XXXX will eventually use them as well.

“But this year computers will not be used,” she said.

[carnation]

Thanks, Barb! I called ole E.S. and told her that they were already hazing--and that it came straight from the horse's mouth (well, my students' mouths). I hope to heaven that she followed up on it.

[texas*princess]

carnation,
i hope they followed up on it too! hazing is just wrong

[ValpoKD]

Hello!! I am a KD at Valparaiso University. I am also currently the Panhellenic President and Eastern Area Vice President for the Mid-American Greek Council Association. I decided to join GreekChat specifically for this topic as my Greek community has been discussed as well as John Carroll.

There are currently 7 national sororities on campus at Valpo. One local was lost during the nationalization process. This chapter was the colony of Alpha Sigma Tau. The local had been struggling for quite some time before this happened. The remaining 7 are wonderful organizations. Each has worked very hard to come to this point, and our community is stronger than ever.

Last year, NPC awarded us the Overall Excellence Award for Panhellenics with 6-10 chapters. To be named the best in country for our size remains one of my proudest moments as we changed from a system with hazing and no risk management to a community where hazing is not tolerated and our risk management is among the most progressive. Hazing did occurr in the locals, but now our sororities stand behind our national policies. The change was not overnight and there were difficult moments, but the support from our University, our fabulous Greek Life Advisor, and the national made all the difference. If anyone would like to know more, let me know. I can also get people in contact with our Greek Life Advisor who has been present for the entire process and gave advice to the JCU Greek Advisor. Best of luck!!

ValpoKD

PS- Most of the JCU chapters also are at Valpo. Kappa Delta is also colonizing another local in the South, so don't feel alone. There are others with experience who love to share.

[AGDLynn]

Greeks will move toward using computers? Gee, they have to use pen, pencils, and paper now?? No PDAs?

Best of luck!

[carnation]

Good news again! The bigger sorority has decided that they do indeed want to nationalize and one girl in particular is making sure that all their ducks are in a row. They are carefully avoiding any hazing.

The smaller sorority, I am told, doesn't much care whether they nationalize or not. Their "spearheader" apparently transferred to West Georgia and went KD.

And...a third sorority is forming! They're working on the paperwork now. Remember I told you that bids from one group or the other were guaranteed? Several of these girls got bids but didn't like the one they got so they're doing their own thing.

[MSKKG]

Congratulations! This is an exciting time for your university. I'm sure the perfect match will be made for each group. Where do you teach?

[GPhiBLtColonel]

Carnation -- any news to report???

[Tom Earp]

ValPo, in reading this post, what is wrong, does it suck or the Orgs that suck?

Do the Orgs Suck? myabe the population does not umderstand?

If The Population does not understand, whose fault is that?

Do what You Do Best Presemt yourself in a light of Good!