Minorities in 'white' frats/sororities

[starang21]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
I know you probably can't answer this publicly, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

Is it common practice to distribute applications for membership at a rush meeting, or would there be several other information sessions held before the chapter held a proper rush meeting?

are you interested???

[Sistermadly]

Originally posted by starang21
are you interested???

Of course I'm not interested - I'm already in a sorority. Are you implying that the only people allowed to ask this are potential members? Just curious.

[Rho_Rho]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
On the one hand, I understand that attitude. On the other, and I'm just speaking purely from my personal perception here, how could I possibly say I knew everything there was to know about all of the NPHC sororities without attending each of their interest meetings? Sure, the websites are informative, and there are books and magazine articles available, but these materials can only tell you so much.

It seems that the mental model for the NPC is "get to know the women, then get to know your organization". The model for the NPHC seems to be the exact opposite: "get to know the organization, and then get to know your sisters." Would that be a correct assumption, or am I way off base?

What about attending the meetings just to get a "feel" for the women in the different chapters? Yeah, I know -- you're joining "the whole organization", but for the four years a woman is in college (and the umpteen years after that), she's going to have to put up with the sisters on a chapter/local level. From what I've read/gathered, it's almost like a few folks are saying that even if they hated every member on their campus, the fact that they're an XYZ carries more weight than the interpersonal relationships they might build. If that's true, that's just.... I don't get it.

But that's the great thing about GC - we can learn so much from each other.

I personally don't like that stigma myself. I think its dumb that people assume that just because you go to all the NPHC sorority's informational meetings then you just wanted letters. Because the girls in the chapter play a large role in whether or not someone joins. If the girls in the chapter do not uplift the image and ideals that their sorority was founded on then that would lead me to look somewhere else despite what i thought i wanted to do. If i did my reasearch and wanted to be ABC then i went to campus and saw that the ABC's had a low GPA and didn't do anything on campus and had bad reps why would i want to associate myself with them? I would just look into something else, and i don't see the problem with that because ultimatly you're the one who has to live with your decision not anybody else. I know one of my line sisters went to the informational of XYZ sorority as well as SGRHO and it only solidified her choice. So I agree I don't see the big deal when it comes to that. But outside of informationals and rushes there are plenty of oppertunities to get to know the memebers of the chapter. NPHC orgs have all kinds of different programs that people (perspectives and non perspectives) can attend where they can get a look at the girls and see what they're about and see how they interact with each other, and with others. As far as doing research goes I think what people mean is that when you are deciding what org you want to join you should know the basics about the org but i think also you should know why you want to join this org to begin with. Thats something i think people should do reguardless of what council or what org you decide to join. Figure out why you want to go there and i think that's where the do more reasearch part comes in because in that reasearch you might find the answer. Sorry for the lengthy reply guys.

[Rho_Rho]

Originally posted by carol9a
Then how do you know where you belong?
Starang, you said you knew you wanted to pursue Iota, how did you know right off the bat?


//THANK YOU to everyone who answered my question. The reason for the curiousity is because one sister of a LGLO sorority knew that I planned on rushing them next semester and just telling me about future events. One of her friends is a guy who wants to join a NPHC fraternity and he made a big deal about how they cant even hint about what fraternity they are interested in or they get into BIG trouble. So it started this whole discussion about differences in all the recruitments of all the sororities and fraternities. Hmm..good conversation.

UGH!! I think it's silly that people can get into BIG TROUBLE about telling a sorority whether or not you're interested. I think it depends on how an interested person approaches you. If they're bold and they come up to you (this really happened to one of my prophytes) and gives you a b-day card that was signed "from your future sigma soRHORs," or if someone comes up to you (this really happened to me) and tells you "I have decided that i think i want to be a sigma how much will it cost" then I could see how that could cause some trouble. But if you just come to all the programs and you have your stuff together and you let someone know respectfully that you're interested then i don't see the problem. The only thing is when you tell a member that you're interested that's like telling the whole campus because if after that you decide to do something else please believe that everyone will know that you wanted to do something else first. That's just the way it is. The greek world is a VERY small one.

[33girl]

Originally posted by msn4med1975
Attending a meet the greeks is different

Would this kind of be for freshmen and other people who have not clue one about what they're doing, i.e. the whole NPHC rush process in general? Are first semester freshmen even allowed to attend these events?

Sorry if I'm being nebby but you & Jubilance are doing such a GREAT job explaining things I want to strike while the iron is hot!

[WenD08]

for Sistermadly, it depends on the organization. we do things slightly different.
at Univ. of Cincinnati, the Meet the Greeks is an annual event put on by the NPHC greeks. all students are encouraged to attend. it gives those students a chance to meet the members on campus and ask questions of them and their advisors.
anyone looking to become a member of an NPHC organization SHOULD plan on attending. this is just for UC, can't speak for other campuses.

[NinjaPoodle]

I agree with what my fellow NPHCers have already stated.

Ok, this is generally speaking how it goes.

Interestee makes a decision to be in a NPHC sorority. She must research which organization is to her best interest. Official org websites, speak to family or friends who are members, and very importantly she needs to contact and speak with members of her local chapter.

After making her decision, she must attend our community service events (and that's in plural as in not singular) and not be a bystander but a hands on helper. We want people who are interested in the betterment of community and willing to do the work.

She must get to know the members of the organization. We do not take members we don't know.

She must show us, by attending our functions (not including parties) how well she gets along with other people and that her interest in our org is not a passing fancy and that she supports our causes.

And, she will attend our rush. NOT to be confused with an "info night", rush is the final step before submitting an application to our org. By Invitation only (usually)

Again, this is generally speaking. I can not speak for the specifics of my NPHC sorors DST, Zeta or AKA, but as a whole, this is how it is done. Period. I hope this helps.

Originally posted by Sistermadly
Maybe I missed it higher up in the thread, but I'd still like to know why this is considered such a faux pas on some campuses. I have NPHC members in my family who feel the same way, but when pressed, they can't really give me a good answer.

Maybe it's just my family members, though.

Because it's considered flip-flopping. We want people who are absolutely sure. Once you become a member, there are no second chances.

Originally posted by Sistermadly
It seems that the mental model for the NPC is "get to know the women, then get to know your organization". The model for the NPHC seems to be the exact opposite: "get to know the organization, and then get to know your sisters." Would that be a correct assumption, or am I way off base?

That is correct.
ETAOur Sorors ARE the organization so getting to know the org is getting to know us

Originally posted by carol9a
Then how do you know where you belong?

The things you believe, what and how you feel, should match up with the organizations mission statement and goals. You should not pursue membership in something you don’t believe in.

[Taualumna]

Pardon me for repeating what's already been said, but if the NPHC websites provide all the info, how do potential members know if they fit in with the members of the particular chapter at their school? What if they like everything about ABC, but somehow don't seem to "fit" with the members of the chapter?

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by Taualumna
Pardon me for repeating what's already been said, but if the NPHC websites provide all the info, how do potential members know if they fit in with the members of the particular chapter at their school? What if they like everything about ABC, but somehow don't seem to "fit" with the members of the chapter?

They will probably wait and join an alumni/graduate chapter.

SOME pick a second choice and find a home there.

It depends on what the aspirant finds most important.

[NinjaPoodle]

Originally posted by Taualumna
Pardon me for repeating what's already been said, but if the NPHC websites provide all the info, how do potential members know if they fit in with the members of the particular chapter at their school? What if they like everything about ABC, but somehow don't seem to "fit" with the members of the chapter?

THe websites provide official information, not all information. Anything else that needs to be known will be provided AFTER the membership process begins.

ETA:

Originally posted by Senusret I
They will probably wait and join an alumni/graduate chapter.

SOME pick a second choice and find a home there.

It depends on what the aspirant finds most important.

Yeah, what he said.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally posted by WenD08
for Sistermadly, it depends on the organization. we do things slightly different.
at Univ. of Cincinnati, the Meet the Greeks is an annual event put on by the NPHC greeks. all students are encouraged to attend. it gives those students a chance to meet the members on campus and ask questions of them and their advisors.
anyone looking to become a member of an NPHC organization SHOULD plan on attending. this is just for UC, can't speak for other campuses.

WenD08,

My campus does a similiar event during orientation weekend. There is an ALL Greek night with NPC,IFC, and NPHC. Then a few weeks into the semester, there's an NPC rush info night, an IFC night, and an NPHC Q & A session. Though I'm already Greek, I work on the Orientation staff and made it a point to attend the IFC and NPHC sessions to show my support and learn something.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by Senusret I
They will probably wait and join an alumni/graduate chapter.

SOME pick a second choice and find a home there.

It depends on what the aspirant finds most important.

As alum, can they speak with several different GLOs the way you can wth NPC? I just find the NPHC method much more "rigid" than NPC. I really don't understand how you can make a decision based on what's on the website/printed info because you aren't actually interacting with the members. What the website says can be different from the members on one's particular campus.

[jwoods9]

I have noticed that there is an emphasis for those interested in NPC/IFC to pledge their freshman year...sophomore the latest....

Although there are some NPHC/NALFO/NMGC members who pledge their freshman year, most seem to take their time to get familiar with their university and the GLOs themselves.

I didn't attend my first information session until my junior year, which is also the same year that I pledged. By that time I was familiar with the GLOs on my campus and even those at other schools.

The internet wasn't as prevalent when I was in school. Most GLOs did not have websites at that time, but we learned about GLOs by word of mouth of family, friends, Meet the Greeks, etc.

I had friends that were NPC/IFC, Deltas, Zetas, AKA, Sigmas, Ques, SGRho, OPC, CUS, LTA, LTP, LUL, LSU, MSU, PSP, etc. etc. etc. and continued being friends with them even after I chose the organization that was right for me.

Omega Phi Chi was actually the only GLO I looked into further because it was the right one for me. All the other GLOs are excellent, but the one I chose was the right one for me.

[msn4med1975]

Originally posted by Taualumna
As alum, can they speak with several different GLOs the way you can wth NPC? I just find the NPHC method much more "rigid" than NPC. I really don't understand how you can make a decision based on what's on the website/printed info because you aren't actually interacting with the members. What the website says can be different from the members on one's particular campus.

I think folks are interpreting this as hard and fast rules. People can do whatever they like. If they attend all the informationals some folks will see them as having tried to become well informed, however a vast majority will say they couldn't make up their mind. Because going into the NPHC process we know that we are expected to be active until health or death prevents us from doing so then the folks on a particular campus become less important than the national organization does. AGAIN because we do not live together in OFFICIAL sorority/fraternity houses and most NPHC orgs require you to be sophomores to join, there isn't as much time on campus together to begin with. On top of which we don't necessarily hold rush yearly so someone may really only get a chance to join in their soph or senior year if that is how the chapter is alternating.

As an alumnae initiate, I could have looked at the other NPHC sororities again but as another member already mentioned my personal ideals and goals matched up to Delta so there was no point in that really. And as I've mentioned before, while anyone is welcome to apply most folks leave the rush process without being extending an offer of membership because it is a HIGHLY selective process.

ETA: We don't do alumnae initiation the same way as NPC/IFC do either (big surprise lol) so there is no direct contact with HQ before a chapter has decided to have rush. As alumnae/alumni members we are initiated through alumnae/alumni chapters.

[TheEpitome1920]

Do you go into an interview without having done some research on the company you want to work for??

Would you get married without knowing anything about your future mate's background?

Do you buy shoes without trying them on first?

Because of the complexity and requirements that GLOs put on their members I would strongly urge that anyone whether they are seeking NPHC, NPC, NIC, MGC, NALFO membership to do research.