Is This Legal?

[Phi_Mu_Belle]

Recently the PHC Public Relations chair on our campus has set certain "guidelines" for the things we can and can't have on our personal Facebook pages. This includes things such as no alcohol anywhere in the picture if you're under 21, no profanity or belonging to "questionable" groups. She is going through and checking two pages per chapter each week to check for these things. While I can understand (to an extent) where she is coming from, I do not agree with this. I do not have any of the above on my Facebook so I have nothing to worry about, but I do not think we should be "misrepresenting" ourselves. Her argument is that she wants to break the stereotype of sororities, but I don’t really see how this accomplishes things. What I am wondering is if what she is asking us to do “legal” in the sorority world? If so, I guess we’ll have to adhere to her rules but I just have this feeling that she’s getting more personal satisfaction out of this than using it to “better Greek recruitment.” Anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

[UGAalum94]

Could you all just make your profiles private?

[Phi_Mu_Belle]

No, something about if we don't add her as a friend, she'll get on someone else's page and look us up. I don't really know what she's planning on doing to us if we don't change it, but it just irratates me that she is telling us to change the things we want to say and the groups we want to belong to. Like I said before, I don't have anything on my page that would get me in "trouble," but I just don't like being told what I can and can't say, ya know?

[jay'em26]

[KSUViolet06]

Alot of PHC's make the Facebook issue entirely too complicated. My PHC just requested that we all make our profiles private during recruitment which solves the problem entirely.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

I think all of our sororities attempt to do this with their members on their own. I don't see that it's that big of a deal...when you join a sorority, you give up some of your privacy and independence. I think that it should follow that when you become Greek you give up some privacy for independence. It will help the Greek community in the long run. It isn't being "fake", it's being smart. Having underage drinkers, for instance, on facebook is a liability both to the individual group and to that particular Greek community.

I mean, during rush you don't sit at the table and talk about how many shots you did last night, right? How is this different?

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Aww My darling sister, I feel for you because I know you think these people are out of their flutterbudgetting minds, however, I have learned that when you join a sorority, a lot of time is spent telling you what to do and how to act and what to and not to say.
It is the "job" of my chapter's Membership Director to look for bad things and they will send us to discipline for anything and everything. So be thankful that it's just your PR of Panhel because I highly doubt that she'll have the time to search every member of all your campuses' sororities' public pages everyday all year long. (I'm on Panhel and the most we're planning on keeping track of is the Rho Gammas for affiliation). She really does sound very anal and she will give up after 5 hours of endless myspace pages anyways. Panhel after all, is a free job.

Give me three!
-Sis

[Phi_Mu_Belle]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

She really does sound very anal and she will give up after 5 hours of endless myspace pages anyways.

Unfortunately, she's skipping classes to check pages. I guess we'll just have to tough it out. Thanks, sis!

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by Phi_Mu_Belle

Recently the PHC Public Relations chair on our campus has set certain "guidelines" for the things we can and can't have on our personal Facebook pages. This includes things such as no alcohol anywhere in the picture if you're under 21, no profanity or belonging to "questionable" groups. She is going through and checking two pages per chapter each week to check for these things. While I can understand (to an extent) where she is coming from, I do not agree with this. I do not have any of the above on my Facebook so I have nothing to worry about, but I do not think we should be "misrepresenting" ourselves. Her argument is that she wants to break the stereotype of sororities, but I don’t really see how this accomplishes things. What I am wondering is if what she is asking us to do “legal” in the sorority world? If so, I guess we’ll have to adhere to her rules but I just have this feeling that she’s getting more personal satisfaction out of this than using it to “better Greek recruitment.” Anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

I don't know about legal, but seriously, she's got your best interests at heart It was my (paid, 9-to-5, serious) job for a while to essentially stalk people on the Internet (I was in the recruiting dept. of a large consulting firm). I used Facebook a lot. If people have stuff like that on their profiles, it looks bad - no one wants to hire someone (for a job, internship, whatever) who posts inappropriate photos of themselves or otherwise makes themselves look trashy, etc. online. It shows a lack of responsibility, foresight, and general good sense. People like that wound up printed off and passed around the office to be laughed at, NOT passed up the hiring chain.

[daydreamer1112]

My sorority has that same rule. Everything you do is a reflection of your organization, so it makes sense that they'd want to ensure you represent them well. Plus, it's just good form to keep your profile clean and classy.

[UGAalum94]

I think you should follow your own GLOs rules regarding Facebook. You should also find out if your groups have given your local panhellenic group the "right" to do this.

I think it's dumb and wrong to have underage drinking or drug pictures or references, which some people do, especially if you also have your GLO's letters on your page.

However, the restrictions about groups may be taking it too far. And if she's skipping class to do this, she may not have good judgment. Make your profile completely private and wait, or follow the directions that you've been given by your GLO. (Did you hear from your officers at chapter about following her rules? What is your campus like? Are you a private or religious school?)

[FSUZeta]

daydreamer,

this is NOT her sorority doing the check-this is a panhellenic officer checking ALL sorority members facebook pages. i think it is tacky for people to post party harty/inappropriate photos on line, but unless it is a rule written in the panhellenic bylaws, this woman has no right to be policing individual facebook accounts.

many sororities have rules that they ask their members to comply with concerning facebook,etc. most panhellenics leave the policing of members facebook sites to their respective sororities-the exception being the no-contacting the pnms rule.

no matter how good ones intentions are, she cannot operate outside the written guidelines of the organzation. if this duty has been written into the panhellenic bylaws, then it is a moot point, and all sorority members should cooperate with the panhellenic officer.

[jwright25]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

no matter how good ones intentions are, she cannot operate outside the written guidelines of the organzation. if this duty has been written into the panhellenic bylaws, then it is a moot point, and all sorority members should cooperate with the panhellenic officer.

YES YES YES. I admire her intentions - to ensure that the image that Greeks put forth is a positive one. But unless your constitution and bylaws give her authority over you, she has none. And she cannot enforce any sort of punishment or fine over you or your chapter unless it is written down and voted upon and passed by the members of Panhellenic.

In fact, this it has disaster written all over it with sorority women putting up inflammatory stuff just to see what she would do about it. I agree with others, don't be her friend, set it to private, and wait. In the meantime, make sure you have told your sorority's Chapter Advisor and/or Panhellenic Advisor (I don't mean campus Greek advisor, I mean the alumna of your sorority that works with Panhellenic officers). Then go to the Panhellenic Inter/National officer in your sorority. Surely you have someone on a level between chapters and actual NPC Delegates. Not necessarily to fight it, but to at least make her aware of the situation should something come up in the future - like this person filing an NPC infraction on your chapter and trying to levy consequences without being permitted to do so by constitution and bylaws.

I hate when people get on power trips. Especially when they try and impose their personal issues on my business. Ugh. I feel for you!