Do You Consider Yourself Greek?

[WCUgirl]

This question is for TBS members, too.

My undergraduate chapter was very adamant that Kappa Kappa Psi is NOT Greek. Even though they wore letters and had a ritual, they were not Greek.

I think it's just that they didn't want to be associated with what they perceived as "Greek life." Well, I don't really know why, but that's the only thing I can come up with.

What about your chapters?

[blkwebman1919]

I consider myself Greek, as do the Brothers I do know. Just try to tell us otherwise!!!

Not to speak for the ladies, but I would imagine that most think the same way...

We used to have this dispute with some (not all) Divine 9 members (back in the day) about our "Greekness" (or "Greekdom" if you will) and it usually stemmed from a "narrow-minded" view of what Greekdom actually encompasses. Suffice it to say, we won...

In this case, AXiD670, I think you hit the proverbial "nail on the head". The frats and sorors drawing the line between the "191946 fam" and the rest of the campus Greeks are very likely trying to distance themselves from the negative perceptions of Greek life (on their campus).

I think it depends on the "Greek culture" of the campus you were made in...

It's as simple as this. We are a Greek-Lettered Organization, therefore, we are Greek (as much as any other Greek-Lettered Organization).

[Measi]

I consider both organizations Greek. I also consider them as an alternative viewpoint to the traditional Greek Council organizations.

[Empress0105]

Yup I sure do!

[LIL'JUICEY]

mos definitely!

[AmatoryMusic]

every chapter is different. we consider ourselves greek compared within ourselves, but outside of KKPsi, we aren't greek, but no other organization seems to hold the fact that we aren't "truly" greek against us.

but up the road about ten minutes is Grambling, and they are about as "greek" as they come.

[PrettyBoy]

At my chapter social greeks consider KK Psi and TBS greek just not social greeks.

[SIGMAtivity]

If you have letters, a ritual, a charter, a pledge class, etc. .... there is simply no other way around the fact that you are Greek.

Nevertheless, there are different classifications of Greeks that people like to place KK Psi and TBS in but I still say that they are definitely Greek.

Social Fraternities and Sororities say that we are not greek because we are selected by other standards... like 1. exceptional service rendered to the band and it's program. 2. consistently excellent musicianship 3. outstanding band leadership and the like. These qualities being the basis of membership give the socials the impetus to place us in the "honorary" category.

On the campus where I marticulated, KK Psi and TBS were a phenomenon and a force to be reckoned with. People had to recognize and repect us. All of the leaders on the campus passed through the hallowed corridors of the Music Department to take place in Band Practice. After practice was over and the business of the band was handled, you could not find an organization who could socialize on the level of KKPsi and TBS.

Personally, I think that the designation of "social" versus "honorary" amounts to little when you observe the behavior of the organizations out in the "world" of the college campus in which they exist.

[CentennialRoc]

I think it depends on the chapter from my experience black members are more apted to be considered Truly greek due to thier initiation process where as their white counter parts dont care to much. I personally dont think they are greek they are the equavilent of Beta Beta Beta the biology club thet are there to serve band and band alone.Most dont do any service outside of that and thier membership is supposed to be honorary from my understanding.

[blkwebman1919]

Originally Posted by CentennialRoc

I think it depends on the chapter from my experience black members are more apted to be considered Truly greek due to thier initiation process where as their white counter parts dont care to much. I personally dont think they are greek they are the equavilent of Beta Beta Beta the biology club thet are there to serve band and band alone.Most dont do any service outside of that and thier membership is supposed to be honorary from my understanding.

Don't get caught up in semantics. "Honorary" in the context of my org denotes the fact that it is an HONOR to serve. This isn't honorary as in a "honorary doctorate", or as in a honor society. Don't get it twisted. No one walks into my org. And as for our white chapters, there are many who would disagree with your statement that they are not greek or "don't care too much".

As for your personal opinion, you are entitled to it. Just remember that your "understanding" of my org derives from your limited experience of it (I assume the chapter on your campus?). Generalization is never a good thing; we are a national organization and no one chapter defines us.

We are a Greek-Lettered Organization. That makes us Greek. No one wrote the book or holds the U.S. patent on what defines Greekdom.

That's my $19.19.

[AChiOhSnap]

Originally Posted by AXiD670

I don't understand...the black and white members are going through the same initiation process. Are you saying the white members value initiation less than the black members do? Please elaborate.

Sorry to crash but I noticed a definite difference between my alma mater's mostly-white chapter of KKPsi and a mostly-black chapter of KKPsi at a neighboring college.

My school's chapter functioned more as an honor society for band (e.g. no real "pledge" process in the way you think of a social fraternity pledge process, no calls or hand signs, the only social events were generally fundraisers, no jackets/bags/paraphernalia -- the only KKPsi stuff I ever saw was a hoodie and a car sticker) while the other college's chapter seemed far more "cohesive" in the way you might think of an NPHC or NIC fraternity... they had pledge classes/lines, calls, hand signs, handshakes, they threw social parties, etc. Now whether or not you want to differentiate between the two being "Greek" is a whole separate issue, but I think those differences are what Centennial was getting at.

[ISUKiteFlyer]

Originally Posted by AChiOhSnap

My school's chapter functioned more as an honor society for band (e.g. no real "pledge" process in the way you think of a social fraternity pledge process, no calls or hand signs, the only social events were generally fundraisers, no jackets/bags/paraphernalia -- the only KKPsi stuff I ever saw was a hoodie and a car sticker) while the other college's chapter seemed far more "cohesive" in the way you might think of an NPHC or NIC fraternity... they had pledge classes/lines, calls, hand signs, handshakes, they threw social parties, etc. Now whether or not you want to differentiate between the two being "Greek" is a whole separate issue, but I think those differences are what Centennial was getting at.

It totally depends on the campus, and what the members want to make of the group. We had socials, "unofficial" functions, and there were more than a few conversations figuring out how to "secure a house" for our chapter. (I don't think HQ officially does this.) We have lineages, I got to see many lines branch as we went from 20-some to 60-some members in two years, which was cool. (That put us as larger than maybe 50% the social fraternities on campus.) We have shirts, bumper stickers, lavalieres, and other paraphernalia. Everyone wore their KKY or TBS bar on their MB uniform. Each NM class does a service project, which each class picks for themselves, which needs to be completed before initiation. Were were more cohesive than once-a-week meetings plus service functions... maybe something to do with the majority of members being from the marching band? I wouldn't know how it would compare to NPHC or NIC, but it was tighter than other groups on campus I had been a part of.

And as far as whether or not the chapter thinks of themselves as Greek I saw they got shirts after I graduated that had:
..........r
Band G^eek
(pardon the ....s needed for spacing...)

[ISUKiteFlyer]

I think you could use a similar argument with /any/ GLO member, as to whether they are a "real" greek... that is, how has becoming a member impacted their daily life? We have ideals set before us, and membership qualifications, but overall, aren't we all reaching to better ourselves through the whole thing? I know I'm preaching to the choir, here but saying a service greek is lesser than a social greek misses the crux - it depends on how the individual is or isn't growing. I've seen both extremes on both sides of the fence.

[Handskillz]

From an outsider's perspective, Kappa Kappa Psi is a Greek Lettered Organization (apparently) and they are a band fraternity. Who has the right to tell them that they aren't Greek? =\

[Lynx 4_12_06]

I am actually a female in Kappa Kappa Psi because our school doesn't have TBS. But i went to a Psi probate at another school and I was thrown back by how much the school seems to care about Psi. We have Delta Omnicron and Sinfonia at our school as well and it's a fight to try to stay ahead because we are such a new chapter, but I will never allow anyone to try to tell us we are not Greek. Just because we are a SERVICE fraternity and not a SOCIAL fraternity doens't mean anything. We are and forever will be Greek. Amen