New Member Education: What do you think?

[emb021]

Originally posted by exlurker
The topic of whether new members or pledges are allowed to wear letters comes up from time to time. My view is that it's a question for each organization to decide -- not an issue of better or worse, or right or wrong. It might not be a bad idea to remember that there are NIC and NPC groups whose official new member / pledge / associate member pins proudly display the fraternity's or sorority's Greek letters. For example (forgive me if I've forgotten some):

I hope we can all appreciate the different traditions and policies in the Greek world.

Well, APO's pledge pin has our 3 greek letters. Typically, our policy is that if the letters are used in a 'decorative' manor, they may have the item, but if the item would indicate membership, they can't. Letter shirts indicate membership (as do most jewelry items, unless its a sweetheart pin), so they can't have them. Event shirts don't indicate membership, but attendence at the event, so its not an issue. One chapter I know gives their pledges paddles to gather signatures on. At the top it has the greek letters for Alpha and Omege, but instead of the greek letter Phi, they spell it out "P H I", to avoid the issue. (however, we have some Brothers who don't understand this and think pledges can't have ANY for of the letters).

[Ch2tf]

Originally posted by Rudey
Just remember to emphasize your letters and the fact that you are in a Latino/Latina fraternity/sorority while "hazing" and it's what only you guys do. Heck emphasize that others don't if you can too.

Y'all keep on doing what you're doing and I'm sure others will feel insulated enough not to comment.

-Rudey

I am late to this thread but I am going to speak my mind anyway.

I don't understand why you singled out Latino/a GLO's and wrussel here. Did you actually read his entire post before you jumped down his throat?

And lets not be naive here, many orgs national governing body has anti-hazing rules, as well as the college or university it is located at, but that does not mean that every chapter of the organization follows those rules. While hazing may have been against the rules/law for a while, orgs have only recently (re)implented the laws and created or revised their intake process. And while I do not know any of your orgs personally (as no outsider would) you cannot speak for every chapter of your organization. Hazing has been around for a long time and it is going to take a lot more than a new intake process and a few years before it is entirely eradicated (if that is even possible).