The Future of Greek Life

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

If they forge their own path independently in Greek life, they can start their own chapter, they can set their own standards, make their own rules, and pledge whomever they please-similar to the independent record companies/small collectives.
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Not to mention, several organizations exist such as mine (GSS) that don’t do MS. Why join one that does, and then ten months later you all of a sudden have a big problem with it? Don’t expect the whole organization to change. I researched before I joined and I joined the one that I felt best aligned with my values.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Perhaps I missed something (if there's a thread somewhere, happy to go look at it) but are outsiders calling the shots?

Yes. DEI consultants are making recommendations and policies are being changed outside of the GLO’s voting body (aka convention). Even if it is something that technically doesn’t require a membership wide vote, to present the membership with a fait accompli really isn’t the best way to get them to buy into whatever it is. The biggest example is the scuttling of legacy policies.

And incidentally, this has been going on in a lot of different arenas for a long time (like pledge programs written by an outside source).

[33girl]

As far as creating a local Greek group, I’d be all for that, if it wasn’t for the fact that many colleges refuse to recognize them and compel them to seek national affiliation.

It also depends how far outside the “traditional” spectrum you want to be. If you want to start a completely alcohol free group, where no events include alcohol and all the members have taken a pledge not to drink ever, that’s one thing. But if you’re creating a group that has a less full event calendar to accommodate commuter students, that might not hold up.

As far as groups that don’t do membership selection, yes, everyone can pursue membership. Everyone is not always successful in that pursuit. That is my experience in such a group, anyway.

[*winter*]

In my sorority, if you wanted to be a sister, we took you on as a pledge. Pledges had to do their pledge assignments and pass quizzes- the pledge period was work, and not everyone was up for it. Nowadays things like pledge interviews would be considered hazing like, but nothing we did posed a true mental or physical risk to us, and we enjoyed the pledge process. It was rare for us to have pledges drop out, and usually only happened because of extenuating circumstances in that person’s life.

I’ve heard not all GSS chapters work this way, but it’s pretty strongly written into the rules of the organization that this is how it should work.

It just annoys me that these college students nowadays are acting like they’ve come up with some great new “woke” idea that there should be organizations that anyone can join- when my organization has existed for almost 70 years.

One of the things that bothers me about all of this is that...in some of the accounts I’ve read from women who have disaffiliated...they joined and were quite happy in the organization for many months or even years. It’s not until they experience their own “ding” that they suddenly decide the whole thing is not for them (often involving standards, or no longer being a part of the “in” crowd). Then- and only then- all of a sudden, they are the most woke people in the planet and have a problem with THE WHOLE SYSTEM and it needs to GO AWAY ASAP.

Just seems sort of hypocritical, that’s all. It’s like they don’t really care about being woke, or anything D&I and they are jumping on a bandwagon to throw dirt at organizations they have problems with for other reasons.

It’s like, the whole thing is okay, as long as it’s benefitting then. When it stops, it’s evil and needs to be destroyed.

[carnation]

*winter*, that was fantastic!

[honeychile]

Piling onto the *winter* bandwagon!

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Yes. DEI consultants are making recommendations and policies are being changed outside of the GLO’s voting body (aka convention). Even if it is something that technically doesn’t require a membership wide vote, to present the membership with a fait accompli really isn’t the best way to get them to buy into whatever it is. The biggest example is the scuttling of legacy policies.

And incidentally, this has been going on in a lot of different arenas for a long time (like pledge programs written by an outside source).

Ahh. This is different than what I thought this thread was referencing. I thought it was "GDI tries to remove ABC Fraternity of campus" rather than "XYZ HQ hires consultant to make decisions without consulting entire organization." That may be where my wires were crossing.

[carnation]

This is causing a lot of NPC groups to lose a buttload of money from disgruntled alums.