Quote:
Originally Posted by sigmadiva
"Paper members" is meant to be an insult to those who were initiated post-MIP ( Membership Intake Process) in a NPHC org.
Historically, the pledging process in NPHC orgs was 6 weeks - a full semester. Unfortunately during that time some of the members ("actives") would mistreat the pledges. Mistreatment would come from graduate and undergraduate members. To put an end to the abuse, MIP was adopted by all NPHC orgs. NPHC member organizations restructured their potential new member process, and part of the restructuring was to shorten the potential new member time period. Some orgs decided on having a 3 day new member period, some chose 4 - 5 weeks.
To say someone is a "paper member" is to say they were not really pledged into the organization because they were not "on line" for any extended time period. "Paper members" were said to be those who started the PNM period on a Friday, had more training about the org on Saturday and were initiated on that Sunday. Essentially saying that all they did was sign a paper to get in.
The current MIP has been around at least 20 years now, so no one really uses the term "paper members" anymore. If you ask any recent inductees about the term "paper members" they will probably just look at you like this:  Its a term that really no longer has any weight of insult to it today.
So, in other words, its just Kevin talking out of his @$$ about something he read on GC years ago and has no first hand personal experience.  |
My experience as staff representative to the Alpha Phi Omega chapter at Howard U was in the mid 1990s, so that was ground zero of the term, I think.
Alpha Phi Omega at the HBCUs adopts a *lot* of the NPHC culture, but unless the school requires all non-honoraries to be a shorter time period, they go with the national requirement of 6-10 weeks.
At Howard, Alpha Phi Omega, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma and probably 2 or 3 more all did Probate.
Not sure if any of the NPHC F/S are led by those who joined under the MIP, but if not now, soon.
Anyone know if any of the NALFO groups did a similar shortening?
