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I have to agree that OOS pushes at some Universities are making the tiers at some greek systems a little less firm than years past. But I also agree, that traditions die hard....if they even die at all.
At UT, most everyone knows the Big 6 is alive and well. The issue I have with the Big 6 is that one or two of these Chapters, IMO have been on the decline over the last 5 years while one or two of the others (also Big 6) have solidified their position by doing brilliant recruiting and looking past "what always had been". This is it where it gets really interesting. The chapters that again IMO are "slipping" have no idea internally that they are loosing their status inside the Greek Community because they are inside. It is the people that advise, mentor and aid these chapters that see the writing on the wall. But their mommas think they are number one, they tell their friends who tell their daughters....blah blah blah. That is simply how old money works.
All the while right down the street, chapters that are considered "mid-tier" at UT are making strides to not care what anyone else thinks. Yes, they pledge legacies, and they honor that tie, but at the same time, they honor diversity and understand that 95% of learning at UT comes from learning from each other. As I observed these chapters, and as a person that has seen the backlash on the entitlement generation, you would think someone, somewhere would celebrate the fact that there are some young women in leadership roles (and let me be more specific and say evaluation committees) and write an article on the good they are doing to embrace the trend toward diversity at UT and their willingness to smash stereotypes of what a typical sorority women is.
The Big 6 six started with an article written over 30 years ago and frankly I would be embarrassed that my biggest claim to fame was a gold bangle and a car in the parking lot that daddy bought.(A focus point of that article) Women at UT celebrate so many other accomplishments from being in top honors programs, to being Presidents of other student organizations, to being valedictorians, and raising money for charity. Shouldn't Panhellenic women seek out these strong, motivated and diverse women to take their chapter by Bevo's horns and move it in a direction that is more in keeping with current trends in our societies? I am not at all saying that there is not a place for your "typical blonde cheerleader education major" (Forgive the stereotype....but I am drawing on this exact stereotype for this example), what I am saying is that UT stopped recruiting that exact type of person a long time ago and started believing in, highly intelligent, STEM, honors program and business women to come to its University, so shouldn't the Greek System embrace this change in who is who at UT?
I also ran across a picture of a group of women that was taken at bid day from one chapter. These women are team members of the Texas 4000. (I think what really amazed me is that 5 women from one house are on this team. From what I know around 80-90 members ride each year...that is a pretty large percentage from one sorority. So does this house seek these women, or are their recruiting practices such that women like these are attracted to this chapter??...just some food for thought) This team rides their bikes from Austin to Anchorage Alaska each year to raise money for cancer research. Talk about strong women. Strong Greek Women. Beautiful, physically in amazing shape and yet, not in a Big 6 House. These women exemplify what type of sorority women anyone with Panhellenic ties should be looking for.
That is simply an example of what I observe and see at UT. Will it ever go away. Doubtful. Will there be groups of women who seek out other women who will blaze paths of greatness? Of course. And the truth is these movers and shakers will come from Mid-Tier, Big 6 and any other house at UT. For a strong women will define her chapter, not the other way around.
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