NPHC Secretiveness, Insularity, Etc.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

ChildOftheHorn, you need to slow your roll. For real.

You were just initiated this past semester, right? You can't possibly know all there is to know about even your own organization, much less others to say that they MUST be smaller for a reason.

You're throwing about the word "hazing" an awful lot -- have you reported it? Or do you just like perpetuating gossip about cultural Greeks at Northwestern?

I got the impression that what she is saying is that due to other people's (not her own) ignorance of how MGC & NPHC orgs work, they have these ideas about the size of the chapters and other things, and that's why she is pushing for greater communication and awareness between councils on her campus. Perhaps I misinterpreted?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

I got the impression that what she is saying is that due to other people's (not her own) ignorance of how MGC & NPHC orgs work, they have these ideas about the size of the chapters and other things, and that's why she is pushing for greater communication and awareness between councils on her campus. Perhaps I misinterpreted?

You may be right. I won't take that aspect of what she's saying away from her. If she could perhaps be half as eloquent as you are, maybe I'd understand her point. Otherwise it just sounds like she's a neo running off at the mouth about a lot of things she doesn't know about.

[brownsugar952]

Originally Posted by L.O.C.K.

Also, another reason for small numbers is the proportion of Black, Latino, Asian students on campuses across the country. Except for HBCUs, HSIs, and some California schools, all are major minorities at most institutions...hence numbers will be smaller.

Thank you so much for pointing this out. I hear this all the time. If an organization is meant to serve a particular segment of the population, they are probably going to attract mostly people who belong to that segment of the population. I'm pretty sure on most campuses if you look at the statistics, white students join greek organizations just as often as non-white students.

If there are only 2,000 minorities on your campus, I doubt that there will be chapter sizes of 50-60 for each organization.

[Senusret I]

And just so people understand where I'm coming from, CHildofthehorn said this:

Some of the Multi-cultural orgs. are extremely cliquish(w/hazing) and by doing so harm the others who are not. Since the NPC and IFC orgs are larger numbers per group, there is a more heavily enforced regulation.


Without any sort of preface that this was the "prevailing notion" as opposed to her personal opinion. If she clarifies herself, I would be appreciative. Otherwise, I really don't like the accusations of cliquishness and hazing, even if she's saying not all the cultural orgs do it.

You might think an NPHC org is cliquish because they are small and only like being around each other, but when you understand the history of NPHC organizations, that's sorta the point...especially on a white campus.

When you understand the WORK that goes into keep an active chapter of an NPHC organization going -- again, especially on a white campus -- maybe you will understand why NPHC orgs aren't taking the lead on all Greek events.

Child of the horn, didn't your sorority recolonize with like 120 people? Isn't the average NPHC org at your school one tenth of that size? Yet the NPHC orgs have the same responsibilities that you do, at least to the university. They can't be everywhere at all times, you know.

And this is for anybody who is having those feelings that they just wish the NPHC orgs would "come out and play" sometimes.

[brownsugar952]

Is it just me or does NPC/IFC seem really cliquish also?

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

I got the impression that what she is saying is that due to other people's (not her own) ignorance of how MGC & NPHC orgs work, they have these ideas about the size of the chapters and other things, and that's why she is pushing for greater communication and awareness between councils on her campus. Perhaps I misinterpreted?

That's how I took it, too.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by brownsugar952

It is just me or does NPC/IFC seem really cliquish also?

Not at my school. It seems that they only stick to thier own sorority or fraternity. At my school ALL of the NPHC stick together and I love that! If one of my Sorors is not present at something I can have no qualms by sitting with any of the other D9 versus sitting alone. The NPC at my school is VERY LARGE (probably smaller than other SEC schools nearby) at least when I compare how many of them it is to us.

[Infamous12]

Originally Posted by brownsugar952

Is it just me or does NPC/IFC seem really cliquish also?

To be honest, all orgs, greek, athletic, social or what have you...may seem cliquish by nature. We have a tendency to stick to what we know. I'm an NPHC Greek and feel 'at home' comfortable sitting next to my Sands or a Que, Iota or Zeta! BUT I also felt fine sitting with A-Psi, a lady of Kappa Alpha Theta or my guys in Sig Ep!

At my alma mater We'd have Greek Week with teams consisting of members of NPHC, MGC, IFC & PHA, etc. Also...my chapter hosted several joint programs with Alpha Psi Lambda, Latino Fraternity. We also had several Open Houses (my chapter created the official one for NPHC at O-State. OO-OOP! ) and Meet the Greeks talks, so everyone has the opp to learn of the other orgs.

Let's remember...We're all people first, there was a time when we weren't Greek and we were all just measly little freshmen searching to find our niche. The PHA Pres and NPHC Pres might have started off as grand roommates freshmen year.

to my TWIN and Sensuret I, I second your comments.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by Infamous12

To be honest, all orgs, greek, athletic, social or what have you...may seem cliquish by nature. We have a tendency to stick to what we know. I'm an NPHC Greek and feel 'at home' comfortable sitting next to my Sands or a Que, Iota or Zeta! BUT I also felt fine sitting with A-Psi, a lady of Kappa Alpha Theta or my guys in Sig Ep!

At my alma mater We'd have Greek Week with teams consisting of members of NPHC, MGC, IFC & PHA, etc. Also...my chapter hosted several joint programs with Alpha Psi Lambda, Latino Fraternity. We also had several Open Houses (my chapter created the official one for NPHC at O-State. OO-OOP! ) and Meet the Greeks talks, so everyone has the opp to learn of the other orgs.

Let's remember...We're all people first, there was a time when we weren't Greek and we were all just measly little freshmen searching to find our niche. The PHA Pres and NPHC Pres might have started off as grand roommates freshmen year.

to my TWIN and Sensuret I, I second your comments.

Touche TWIN!!

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

[/I]Without any sort of preface that this was the "prevailing notion" as opposed to her personal opinion. If she clarifies herself, I would be appreciative. Otherwise, I really don't like the accusations of cliquishness and hazing, even if she's saying not all the cultural orgs do it.

As I was so bluntly told, why does she have to preface it?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

As I was so bluntly told, why does she have to preface it?

LOL..... well all she really has to do is stay ChildOftheHorn and die, lol

[ChildoftheHorn]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Or do you just like perpetuating gossip about cultural Greeks at Northwestern?

People spread rumors of hazing and then people start to say stuff like that (that is what the i.e. was for )

BTW: I never made a statement about all the orgs in the cultural greek sys. hazing. People hear of one or two incidents that may or not have happened and they make assumptions. (People do that a lot!)

Honestly, a lot of people do not know their options. There is a lot of a LACK OF KNOWLEDGE about the greek system in general to NON-GREEKS. When you are consider the less exposure that the cutural greek orgs. get, it is resonable that a person would not know as much.

Even though I was only initiated in spring quarter, I have completed as of now two years there. I think that does give me the ability to comment on the campus climate.

For those of you hearing me selectively and not in context, understand that my intentions are for unity and change.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Yeah, a similar thing happened in Omega. To address this issue,they kept whittling down the length of the pledge period and tweaking the program until 1990 when the big change were adopted in the NPHC. The problem is not as acute in the sororities as the fraternities but across the board, we face the same issues, organizationally speaking. And, unfortunately, we get tarred with the same brush when things go awry in some big, high profile cases.

We actually started piloting in the 80s and tried two different processes. We went with the most effective of the two. As you probably remember the HBCUs were really on our cases.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

You might think an NPHC org is cliquish because they are small and only like being around each other, but when you understand the history of NPHC organizations, that's sorta the point...especially on a white campus.

When you understand the WORK that goes into keep an active chapter of an NPHC organization going -- again, especially on a white campus -- maybe you will understand why NPHC orgs aren't taking the lead on all Greek events.

First, I am responding as a former Grad Ad and I do know how hard it is for undergraduates who join on these campuses, especially when their graduate members came in at time when there was segregation or civil rights protests... Times are NOT the same anymore no matter how much we like to reminsce.

These young people clique up because after they are initiated the actually ARE encountering mental HAZING and abuse by the faculty and staff who are clueless and HATE greeks--ALL GREEKS--including Greeks from Greece. If the letters are Greek, they HATE them...

I have NEVER seen such anger, resentment and hatred before until on of my UG sorors requested funds for a programmatic event. Then the student government association who charges ALL tuition paying student for these funds said they will not release the funds to ANY GREEK organization.

I circumvented by speaking to the city Council... Few of the members of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Kappa Alpha were highly concerned... Like Mission Beach, CA in the $20 million household running some companies in University City, CA... Let's just say alienation of any GLO was ended at that school...

So this is about leveraging more than anything else. But our UG's DO NOT leverage at these schools. You had better believe we leveraged at Spelman... And my sorors at Clark in Alpha Pi did too...

Originally Posted by ChildoftheHorn

Honestly, a lot of people do not know their options. There is a lot of a LACK OF KNOWLEDGE about the greek system in general to NON-GREEKS. When you are consider the less exposure that the cutural greek orgs. get, it is resonable that a person would not know as much.

And, what I am saying that your ALUMNI are here to HELP you! Why must we be here to clean up messes usually causing due increase...

Young people NEVER listen to adults. It's been that way since the beginning of time. When we speak to young folks, we are often not joking, but trying to assist.

Yes, non-greeks who NEVER had a parent in the greek system will NEVER understand "Greek Life". We have over 70% immigrants starting to attend colleges. Their home countries do not have these kinds of things... Even if we explain the historical significance, it is still outside their purview or consciousness. Then the ethnically identified may (or may not) choose to identify with cultural GLO's...

But, in the end-game, somehow we all have to come together to make a difference. Because when we suffer due to unfortunate circumstances, it will not matter if we hold a "greek title".

[nwu43]

Hi childofthehorn! I had no idea you go to northwestern.. are there other GC'ers who go to NU?

Originally Posted by ChildoftheHorn

Annual step show is SOLD OUT+ every year. You will see a lot of the MGC groups there, some people from the PNC, and very few IFC.

We were invited and were supposed to perform the previous year but we had our Midwest Brotherhood Rally at the same day unfortunately You will see us next year for sure