West Coast

[MIDWESTDIVA]

I have read on several Greek message boards about the problems chapters face on the West Coast. Apparently there is less interest in GLOs there. Why is this? Are people less community minded there? Is it because of the racial make up of the popluation? Someone, please enlighten me.

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We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction.

Aesop c550 BC

[Shelacious]

I don't know if there's less GLO interest, but in the case of BGLO's, there are no HBCUs on the West coast (referencing California, Washington, Nevada and Arizona in particular). With most PWI campuses running 3-10% African American, our chapters are ususally much smaller than at HBCU's. Most BGLO chapters on my college campus had between three and fifteen members, for example. We are just as selective on the west coast as those in other areas of the country, but just have fewer quality prospects from which to chose--that's why our chapters are smaller as a result.

Hope this helps,
Shela



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Finer Womanhood: the "Cat's Meow" Since 1920

Originally posted by MIDWESTDIVA:
Apparently there is less interest in GLOs there. Why is this? Are people less community minded there? Is it because of the racial make up of the popluation? Someone, please enlighten me.

It could be that that the East Coast and Midwest are more conservattive and perhaps more "tradition" minded when it comes to traditional institutions like GLO's. Just a thought.

Originally posted by Shelacious:
PWI campuses

Shelacious, would you please tell me what PWI stands for? I honestly don't know. Many thanks, kuu_kuu.

[prospectiverushee]

Originally posted by kuu_kuu:

Shelacious, would you please tell me what PWI stands for? I honestly don't know. Many thanks, kuu_kuu.

PWI= Predomately(sp) White Insistution

[DELTABRAT]

I think Shelacious verbalized the issue with BGLOs on the Left Coast very well.

I'd like to add that often times the deal with having smaller lines is not necessarily viewed as a problem by people on in this area. I know that at my informationals and ruches there tended to be a large number of women showing interest, then of course not all are eligible for membership. But not having a line of 90 and having a line of 9 is not viewed as much of a problem. Perhaps we are just used to it, fortunately or unfortunately.

Also, because these schools tend to be PWIs (as seen on many of the previous threads on this board) many Black women and men have other choices of what to pledge or not to pledge. You cannot pledge Tri-Delt at Spelman...you just can't. In other areas of the US, Black greek affiliation is deeply woven into the fabric of everyday life. You can't drive down the street for two seconds without seeing a license plate/sticker/someone wearing'nalia, etc. High schools, etc., have greek-like organizations so by the time young adults get to college they are READY!!!

My boyfriend was astounded (he's from Memphis, went to Morehouse, is an Alpha) at how many African Americans he meets out here who are NOT in BGLOs. That is simply unheard of where he is from. It is commonplace to me because I am from here and attended school out here.