Reducing barriers to GLO membership

[andthen]

I know many of us have seen changes within GLOs to make membership more inclusive and reducing barriers to potential membership, some of those general changes to some groups included removing legacy policies, and opening up the pool of membership to others who might have been previously excluded because of sexual orientation, gender identity, race/ethnicity etc...

Now I know there are differing opinions on these matters but I've been hearing talk in my circles that now GPA is a barrier to membership and perhaps there is a shift towards eliminating a GPA requirement?

I'm all for making Greek life more representative of the general population but honestly I just feel like throwing out a GPA requirement just seems a bit much, I'd be curious to see if others have been seeing anything similar or what thoughts the chorus might have.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by andthen

I know many of us have seen changes within GLOs to make membership more inclusive and reducing barriers to potential membership, some of those general changes to some groups included removing legacy policies, and opening up the pool of membership to others who might have been previously excluded because of sexual orientation, gender identity, race/ethnicity etc...

Now I know there are differing opinions on these matters but I've been hearing talk in my circles that now GPA is a barrier to membership and perhaps there is a shift towards eliminating a GPA requirement?

I'm all for making Greek life more representative of the general population but honestly I just feel like throwing out a GPA requirement just seems a bit much, I'd be curious to see if others have been seeing anything similar or what thoughts the chorus might have.

Dropping the GPA requirement makes me throw up. Why are the kids in college anyway? Why have all the GLOs had GPA requirements through the years and they're suddenly dropping them? Who's fired up about having members who can barely stay in school because their grades suck because they live at the bar?

Seems like some people think Greeks should have quotas of various subgroups and that is revolting too...forced association, anyone?

[andthen]

Yeah I agree, with the whole GPA thing, I just sort of feel like its going to backfire for a variety of reasons 1. potential risk mgmt issues especially if the person is partying vs. going to class 2. even if you eliminate the GPA barrier as you mentioned Carnation lets say that person gets booted from school, you're still losing a member and 3. I just feel like removing the GPA requirement is a bit extreme. I'm not in agreement even within the discussions I've been hearing, I just don't understand why some might think this is a good idea.

[AZTheta]

Our founders, collectively, are rolling in their graves. andthen I'm going to withhold further judgement because you're reporting talk in your circles and nothing official - yet - correct? If not, *gulp*.

For the love of Mike, PNMs KNOW going into NPC recruitment what the "stakes" are in terms of joining. I daresay it's true for NPHC groups, from what my NPHC friends have shared with me in terms of their values. My own organization was founded on scholarship principles back in 1870. I took pride in my chapter having the highest GPA on my campus.

Big barrier to membership that I see is the financial cost, especially now. Let's discuss that, people in decision-making positions.

OPINION: I predict the demise of the Greek system (as I knew it) in my lifetime. Have had this discussion privately with a variety of NPC women who concur. You can't be all things to all people. Life doesn't work like that.

PS "judgment" is also acceptable spelling. I checked.

[33girl]

The national Greek system nationwide is probably going to end up like a house system or like at that one Pentecostal school where everyone is in a group.

Meanwhile, there will probably be locals running underground everywhere.

[carnation]

What I would really hate to see is forced pledging, as some of you might recall from a certain college I worked at. One year, there was a place for everyone who rushed and I don't care what the college spouted about recruiting the cream of the crop...they most certainly did not in several cases. Let's just say that many things did not get out to the media about students who were quietly removed from campus.

I've said it before...removal of recs is causing sororities to draw inwards and rely more on recruiting women they know because who wants to take a chance on an unknown woman? Yeah, she might have fabulous grades and activities but she might also be a vicious drama queen, flaming racist, major ho, or um...a fighter. Those of us who have been in Greek life for a long time have a ton of horror stories, and mostly because groups took girls they didn't check out first.

[*winter*]

Horrible idea. I swear, every year we just get further and further away from the idea that college exists to provide an education.

[carnation]

Another thing: financial barriers.

The only way I see to make this fair is to cut costs across the board. We are a very large middle class family and most of our children went Greek. I have seen people "demand" that Greeks give out full fraternity and sorority scholarships so that anyone can join. Are you kidding? Do these people even comprehend the sacrifices that families like ours made so that our children could join Greek life and other activities?

I can see this going down this road: in the past 20 years or so, local elementary schools majorly jacked up the price of field trips so that people who could supposedly afford it were paying for kids who couldn't afford it to go. Here's how it ended up--with the jacked up prices, few kids signed up. There were also a lot of parents who claimed their kids should go free when we all knew they were living pretty good lives.

The end result was that few if any field trips were happening.

[Cheerio]

Regarding GLO membership requirements:

Removing GPA requirements is lowering a standard toward membership. Removing barriers should not involve lowering standards.

Carefully and slowly cutting some costs is removing barriers without necessarily lowering a standard.

Another thought on elimination of barriers: Might the complete elimination of housing, by greek groups least able to afford it, become a standard that strengthens or weakens interest in said groups?

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by 33girl

The national Greek system nationwide is probably going to end up like a house system or like at that one Pentecostal school where everyone is in a group.

Meanwhile, there will probably be locals running underground everywhere.

Each current NPC group began over 100 years ago. Perhaps allegedly disenfranchised students, desiring but not receiving 'important' GLO membership and privileges, might build and create their own GLOs and attempt to grow them and successfully persevere over the next century, as our own GLO founders achieved.

[NoID]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Each current NPC group began over 100 years ago. Perhaps allegedly disenfranchised students, desiring but not receiving 'important' GLO membership and privileges, might build and create their own GLOs and attempt to grow them and successfully persevere over the next century, as our own GLO founders achieved.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding. Are you advocating something like "separate but equal"?

Excellence - in scholarship, in conduct, in integrity - must be the bare minimum, but "go build your own"???

What am I missing?

[*winter*]

Suggesting people start new sororities doesn’t have to be a bad thing? Who says they wouldn’t be equal? Are NPC sororities the standard that all sororities should aspire to? Not necessarily. NPHC sororities got started after a lot of NPC, and look at where they are now. My own sorority started 60 years ago because the women wanted a different experience and wanted to run their group by their own rules. I think that is similar to a lot of women now. If you don’t want exactly what NPC has to offer, start your own group as opposed to joining an organization that’s over 100 years old and trying to change how it operates.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by *winter*

If you don’t want exactly what NPC has to offer, start your own group as opposed to joining an organization that’s over 100 years old and trying to change how it operates.

Hear, hear!

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by carnation

Those of us who have been in Greek life for a long time have a ton of horror stories, and mostly because groups took girls they didn't check out first.

AMEN.
If the Greek system dies, another system will take its place by another name: Study group, book club, friendship circle, prayer caucus, whatever.
It's just human nature.

[LouisaMay]

A few of the chapters I work with directly have said that IF our organization removed nationally defined GPA minimums (hasn't happened yet), they would simply keep a GPA minimum that is comparable to the other sororities at their universities. Even now, many of those GPA requirements are higher than what ASA has set.

Obviously, I can't speak for everyone, but I see my collegiate sisters striving for excellence. I was just reviewing end-of-year reports today for one of my chapters, and I see far more success than failure! They aren't going to suddenly stop caring because a number provided by a national office was removed. Many of them aren't using that number anyway!