Sad situation at Alabama Recruitment

[33girl]

It still blows my mind that alumnae and advisors have any say AT ALL beyond the rec process as to who should or should not be in chapters. It's infantilization, plain and simple. Fwap fwap fwap.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Football Fan

Only one side of the story is being reported here. Who are these unidentified women who were interviewed?

Tri Delta has women of all races in their chapters.

I know that you only speak of all things Tri Delta on this site, but all of the NPC sororities accept women of all races. But there is obviously a culture at Alabama which tends to cause the NPC chapters to turn women away based on the color of their skin.

Let's not pretend that any organization (NPC or otherwise) doesn't have at least one member who is racist.

[summer_gphib]

Originally Posted by Low D Flat

I don't know if there is one currently. There have been at least two African-American members of one chapter. As for the other chapters, no, as far as we know. The previous black new members were major national news, so I doubt that there are presently any others, unless they are passing.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...NEWS/308190343

Here's an article about when that happened.

[Low D Flat]

Thanks for the link, summer. It confirms the earlier member who may not have been identified as black.

[WCsweet<3]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It still blows my mind that alumnae and advisors have any say AT ALL beyond the rec process as to who should or should not be in chapters. It's infantilization, plain and simple. Fwap fwap fwap.

This. It would not have flown at my chapter and I hope that it doesn't anywhere in the nation.

[cinder1965]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It still blows my mind that alumnae and advisors have any say AT ALL beyond the rec process as to who should or should not be in chapters. It's infantilization, plain and simple. Fwap fwap fwap.

AGREE. This is an Alabama alum problem, who are meddling where they shouldn't be. Good for those collegiate sisters who are speaking out. The nationals need to step in and investigate. These alums , if this is true, is an embarrassment to the NPC system.

[DTD Alum]

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

This. It would not have flown at my chapter and I hope that it doesn't anywhere in the nation.

Of course it does. I went to a competitive West Coast school, and I had many friends in one of the "top tier" chapters there. The girls would verbally, and constantly, voice their frustrations that a very prominent adviser would bring a "list" to rush of her picks...and it was a large number, maybe 10 in a chapter that took 60-70 girl pledge classes. These PNMs were daughters of friends and such, and they would be sent past the chapter and even Exec straight to the bid list, no questions or discussion allowed.

What is cool about this story (silver lining) is that these women who are coming forward are from chapters that are typically defined as "top tier" and historically strong at Bama. Which shows that even the "born and bred Southern Belles" who can get into these chapters are ready for a change. It is ludicrous that advisers and alumnae can stop this, but I'm glad it's exposed. Greek Chat tends to take a utopian view of sorority rush that at times seems blatantly out of line with what current collegians and recent alumnae are actually seeing happen on their campus (ie, stressing grades and involvement as most important when everybody can see that the top tier chapters are full of primarily gorgeous girls). So here the reality is coming out...can we admit that there are many flawed processes, and here alumnae involvement seems to be to the detriment of what the chapters actually want, which in this case seemed to be in line with what GC says recruitment should be about (well rounded girls with grades and involvement)?

Lastly, the difference, to me anyway, of disclosing the sorority membership process in the NPC vs NPHC is that the NPHC requires you pick one organization and prove your dedication to it, which mandates doing your research to prove you "want it". NPC, on the other hand, advocates a level playing field and giving everybody a chance. So if there are ways that people are not given a chance at a specific school (because this seems to be a localized problem, as nationals obviously abhor the thought of cutting based on race and there are Greek systems in many parts of the country where being a minority means absolutely nothing and you see them throughout the tiers, this was my experience up and down the West Coast), like alumnae stepping in and cutting certain girls and also giving "you cannot cut her" lists, that should be disclosed and is worthy of discussion.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It still blows my mind that alumnae and advisors have any say AT ALL beyond the rec process as to who should or should not be in chapters. It's infantilization, plain and simple. Fwap fwap fwap.

While I can appreciate the insight, knowledge, and benefits of hindsight from alumnae and advisors, I was shocked to read this and find out that at Alabama (and possibly elsewhere) they have enough power in the membership selection process to keep a PNM off the invite/bid list, against the wishes of nearly the entire chapter.

Aside from the racism issue, I think the national organizations need to evaluate the membership selection process at some of these schools and ensure that ultimately it's the active sisters who are making the membership decisions.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by thetalady

We have ALL had members of many races in our chapters in the past and currently... just not at UA

I think that is true for every NPC sorority or fraternity. Alabama is a problem.

The NPC really should step in and investigate. It's BS and it's past time for it to stop.

[FSUZeta]

The NPC will not get involved in membership selection of NPC member groups. That is for each groups (inter)national officers to deal with.

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by carnation

But...a lot of times, someone who wants to pledge an NPHC group will come here and start asking questions and people hush her up and tell her she's being grossly indiscreet. Some have expressed major frustration because they feel blocked out because they're not "in the know" from families or friends.

A good portion of NPHC interests (most) are not "in the know."
The reason people tell interests to get off of the net and go to the source, is because for the most part, our information isn't that hard to find. Our national (and local) websites tell you what you need in order to qualify for membership, and that even if you do qualify, you still need a majority vote from the chapter. That's not secret. Any further information that one needs to know involves them going to an informational/rush where it is presented to them. While some are invite only, many of those are open to the public.
If one is interested, they will go to the local chapters functions and meet members (UG or Alum). Sitting on a computer will not help an interest get where they want to be. I cannot answer questions about a chapter in the middle of Hawaii beyond what is already on our national website. They need to research. (As a VERY recent initiate, that is what I did in order to get what I wanted. )

Sorry for the HIJACK...I need to finish reading the rest of this thread before I speak my mind about this foolishness...

[sigmadiva]

This is where the international officers of each of these NPC orgs need to step in and correct their alumnae.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

A good portion of NPHC interests (most) are not "in the know."
The reason people tell interests to get off of the net and go to the source, is because for the most part, our information isn't that hard to find. Our national (and local) websites tell you what you need in order to qualify for membership, and that even if you do qualify, you still need a majority vote from the chapter. That's not secret. Any further information that one needs to know involves them going to an informational/rush where it is presented to them. While some are invite only, many of those are open to the public.
If one is interested, they will go to the local chapters functions and meet members (UG or Alum). Sitting on a computer will not help an interest get where they want to be. I cannot answer questions about a chapter in the middle of Hawaii beyond what is already on our national website. They need to research. (As a VERY recent initiate, that is what I did in order to get what I wanted. )

Sorry for the HIJACK...I need to finish reading the rest of this thread before I speak my mind about this foolishness...

You're fine, but you are getting sucked into a distraction technique. Members of the NPC need to clean up our own mess before we start talking about what other people should do.

If the NPC won't get involved, here's what other alums could do. We could each send an email to our Nationals with a link to this story, and the message "I hope our chapter at Alabama wasn't involved in this type of behavior, and I hope that you are going to make sure that we aren't acting like this."

[cinder1965]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

This is where the international officers of each of these NPC orgs need to step in and correct their alumnae.

Yep and pronto.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by cinder1965

Yep and pronto.

Email your national VP membership and tell her to tell the alums to knock it off!