Service Greek Orgnizations

[ESAjonquil]

I wanted to know if there are any members of service Greek groups around here? I'm a collegiate member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha and our chapter is trying to bring up our prescence on campus and I wanted to know if there are any similar organizations in our positions. I can imagine locals might have similar issues. Also, anyone in services groups have t-shirt ideas?

[ladygreek]

better define service groups. For example my sorority was founded for the purpose of public/community service, but we are not classified as a service group such as A Phi Omega, or GSS.

And in fact it is my understanding that all GLOs have a philanthropy thrust, so we need better clarification of what you mean.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by ESAjonquil

I wanted to know if there are any members of service Greek groups around here? I'm a collegiate member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha and our chapter is trying to bring up our prescence on campus and I wanted to know if there are any similar organizations in our positions. I can imagine locals might have similar issues. Also, anyone in services groups have t-shirt ideas?

I'm in Alpha Phi Omega. Do lots of service publicly (blood drives, dessiminating information on campus) and always invite your friends to projects.

[Scandia]

Another Alpha Phi Omega brother here.

[erica812]

I am also an Alpha Phi Omega, and I'm a member of Beta Sigma Phi. BSP is technically a social organization, but in recent years, service has become a huge aspect of membership.

[OrigamiTulip]

I am a member of both Alpha Phi Omega and Gamma Sigma Sigma.

[jitterbug13]

A member of both Omega Phi Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta.

[DSTRen13]

So tell us about ESA? What kinds of issues are you having on your campus, exactly? If you're trying to get more visibility, I'd go with doing service projects with other groups, getting involved in big campus initiatives, and always wearing your letters while you're doing those things. Personally, I think a nice chapter website is pretty good to have too.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by ESAjonquil

I wanted to know if there are any members of service Greek groups around here? I'm a collegiate member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha and our chapter is trying to bring up our prescence on campus and I wanted to know if there are any similar organizations in our positions. I can imagine locals might have similar issues. Also, anyone in services groups have t-shirt ideas?

Set up a booth in the student center and "quad". Invite people to service projects. Hell, invite yourselves to other people's projects also. Have someone write an article about your organization and what you all do.

[RedRover]

Correct me if I am wrong, emb021, but a dozen or so APO chapters do not admit women as members

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by RedRover

Correct me if I am wrong, emb021, but a dozen or so APO chapters do not admit women as members

That is changing, per action of the 2006 National Convention.

[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

That is changing, per action of the 2006 National Convention.

Fortunately or unfortunately.

[emb021]

Originally Posted by RedRover

Correct me if I am wrong, emb021, but a dozen or so APO chapters do not admit women as members

Be quite happy to.

When APO went co-ed in 1976, we left this up to each chapter to decide if they wanted to go co-ed. New chapter, however, had to be co-ed. Over time, we now have about a dozen or so chapter that are still all male. While at many schools we faced the very real threat of loosing chapters if we did not go co-ed, at several schools the administration were quite happy to allow our chapters to stay all-male. That's kind of the thing with Title IX. Somethings things are only an issue when people make them an issue. I've also been told that some groups had issues working with us because while we are co-ed nationaly, we still had those dozen or so all-male chapters.

HOWEVER, around 2004/2005, the National Board took a look a things, and felt that legally, we were not in compliance with our own governing documents, and that the remaining all-male chapters had to go co-ed. They worked to create a transition effort to help these chapter achieve this.

A lot of people were not happy about this. This was a big issue at our 2006 National Convention, the results were that YES, all the all-male chapters must go co-ed by our 2008 National Convention.

[Senusret I]

Just wanted to throw in the "good faith effort" part that was stressed among the people I spoke with.

It will not be enough (nor will it be acceptable) to just send in paperwork for women but not actually recruit, pledge, or initiate them.

Certainly it will be a struggle to change the culture on these campuses, but it can be done. If there is not at least an attempt, there will be consequences.

[RedRover]

I heard this story third or fourth hand, so I don't how much of the story is true but I will tell it any way.

A woman joined APO in her freshman year. Due to financial reasons, she was forced to transfer to a college closer to home (in fact, my alma mater). The APO chapter at her second college didn't admit women. She contacted the regional director to see if she could affiliate with another APO chapter at any of the nearby colleges. She was told she couldn't. She was told that she was still a member of APO in good standing, but she wasn't a member any college chapter. Needless to say, she now has negative feelings towards APO.