NALFO/NPC

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Would co-membership have been fine with your sorority if this was collegiate and not AI?

The only "official" stipulation seems to be that a PNM can't have been initiated into another NPC group. PNMs pledge this when they register for recruitment. Since it would have been approved at the highest level for a Convention initiation, my guess is that there isn't a policy expressly prohibiting this at the collegiate level, but see below....

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

With all due respect.... and I really mean that.... that is a bad policy which sets a bad precedent. At some point, social fraternities and sororities need to see each other as equals. NALFO, NMGC, NPHC, and NPC may all be different types of sororities, but they are all still general sororities. What is it about non-NPC "otherness" which makes dual membership okay?

It honestly says to me, as a person of color, that NPC orgs which allow this don't take the other orgs or councils seriously. Either that, or don't take themselves seriously. But I doubt it's the latter.

At the time, my reaction was, "I didn't know you could do that." My guess is that this is an issue that probably hasn't been addressed between the governing bodies (NPC, NALFO). Aside from the official NPC-wide agreement that once a woman is initiated into a NPC sorority, she can't ever join another, I honestly don't know how "official" any of the agreements or policies are about dual membership or second initiation into another GLO. From discussions I've read, people have referred to rules that may be GLO-specific official policies, campus-specific policies, "unwritten policies," or "this is our official policy"...but is it really, or is the poster just under that assumption? Any decisions about this would be above my policy-making pay-grade, but I think these are questions that are ripe for addressing within and between GLOs and the umbrella organizing bodies. These instances may have been rare previously, but they will likely become more common as diversity in the various groups increases.

For example, I know a Gamma Phi who is an advisor at a university in California with a heavily Latina/Latino student population, and she shared that the NPC sororities on this campus were at a disadvantage because they were bound by the NPC pre-recruitment no-contact rule each year. The NALFO groups got a head start and begin recruiting new members before the NPC groups start formal recruitment. She wants to see a fair and cooperative agreement between the councils on that campus, but I don't know what incentive there would be for the NALFO groups to do that.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

This thread is reminiscent of previous threads in which certain councils and conferences need to be told they are not THE definition of sorority and fraternity.

?

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

With all due respect.... and I really mean that.... that is a bad policy which sets a bad precedent. At some point, social fraternities and sororities need to see each other as equals. NALFO, NMGC, NPHC, and NPC may all be different types of sororities, but they are all still general sororities. What is it about non-NPC "otherness" which makes dual membership okay?

It honestly says to me, as a person of color, that NPC orgs which allow this don't take the other orgs or councils seriously. Either that, or don't take themselves seriously. But I doubt it's the latter.

Do NALFO, NMGC, and/or NPHC organizations restrict a person from joining if they were in a fraternity/sorority in a different council? I think I've read on this site that at least some NPHC organizations restrict it, but I can't be sure...

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

?

There have been a few discussions. The more recent started when a username was explaining the different councils and conferences and said "NPC...the sororities" and "NPHC...historically Black sororities and fraternities."

The NPC website uses the general description of "The National Panhellenic Conference is the premier advocacy and support organization for the advancement of the sorority experience." This presents the NPC as being the go to for the sorority experience before the reader is directed to see which sororities are members of NPC.

It brought back memories for some of us who have heard that throughout our (non-Greek and) Greek Life.

****
My sorority is one of the NPHC sororities that prohibits dual NPHC and NPC membership. They were probably making rules based on what they saw occurring at the time. This needs to be updated to include other councils and conferences to reflect what has happened at some schools and alumnae chapters where people are being denied membership if they are already a member of a general sorority that boasts lifetime commitment.

[Jinxy13]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

My sorority is one of the NPHC sororities that prohibits dual NPHC and NPC membership. They were probably making rules based on what they saw occurring at the time. This needs to be updated to include other councils and conferences to reflect what has happened at some schools and alumnae chapters where people are being denied membership if they are already a member of a general sorority that boasts lifetime commitment.

While they are organizations that are a lifetime commitment, would that still bar someone from joining two GLOs from two different councils?

For example, my roommate is in a chemistry-focused (coed) fraternity and while I'm not sure whether they're officially classified as social or not, they do A LOT of social activities almost on the same level as an IFC fraternity. She's mentioned before how girls have pledged and initiated who were also in NPC, and it's allowed, but not too encouraged. This is not to say that there are ill feelings towards it, but rather that the fraternity would prefer take members who can devote a lot of time to their fraternity.

My roommate often talks about how people will go through the process and become initiated and then almost drop off the face of the earth after that. She says a lot of people do this so they can put their affiliation on their resume since they're members for life after initiation.

I've seen on many threads on GC about how it's almost completely acceptable to be in both NPC and a professional GLO (such as the chemistry fraternity mentioned above). The chemistry fraternity is clearly also a lifetime commitment organization, so I don't see why that aspect would make a difference when it comes to other GLOs that aren't NPC.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Jinxy13

While they are organizations that are a lifetime commitment, would that still bar someone from joining two GLOs from two different councils?

If the people doing the membership selection decides it does.

Originally Posted by Jinxy13

For example, my roommate is in a chemistry-focused (coed) fraternity and while I'm not sure whether they're officially classified as social or not...

No, a chemistry-focused co-educational fraternity does not qualify for what we are discussing.

No disrespect but I think it is a good idea for you to silently read this discussion.

[Missouri Ivy]

An honors/professional fraternity, like Beta Beta Beta is
different from a social sorority for certain majors, like Sigma Alpha.

[Missouri Ivy]

.

[Sen's Revenge]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

The only "official" stipulation seems to be that a PNM can't have been initiated into another NPC group. PNMs pledge this when they register for recruitment. Since it would have been approved at the highest level for a Convention initiation, my guess is that there isn't a policy expressly prohibiting this at the collegiate level, but see below....



At the time, my reaction was, "I didn't know you could do that." My guess is that this is an issue that probably hasn't been addressed between the governing bodies (NPC, NALFO). Aside from the official NPC-wide agreement that once a woman is initiated into a NPC sorority, she can't ever join another, I honestly don't know how "official" any of the agreements or policies are about dual membership or second initiation into another GLO. From discussions I've read, people have referred to rules that may be GLO-specific official policies, campus-specific policies, "unwritten policies," or "this is our official policy"...but is it really, or is the poster just under that assumption? Any decisions about this would be above my policy-making pay-grade, but I think these are questions that are ripe for addressing within and between GLOs and the umbrella organizing bodies. These instances may have been rare previously, but they will likely become more common as diversity in the various groups increases.

For example, I know a Gamma Phi who is an advisor at a university in California with a heavily Latina/Latino student population, and she shared that the NPC sororities on this campus were at a disadvantage because they were bound by the NPC pre-recruitment no-contact rule each year. The NALFO groups got a head start and begin recruiting new members before the NPC groups start formal recruitment. She wants to see a fair and cooperative agreement between the councils on that campus, but I don't know what incentive there would be for the NALFO groups to do that.

Head start as in pre-freshman recruitment? That's not common among NALFO orgs.

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

?



Do NALFO, NMGC, and/or NPHC organizations restrict a person from joining if they were in a fraternity/sorority in a different council? I think I've read on this site that at least some NPHC organizations restrict it, but I can't be sure...

My fraternity's policy says something about social or general fraternities (not council-specific) but I think leaves room for a local fraternity.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

For example, I know a Gamma Phi who is an advisor at a university in California with a heavily Latina/Latino student population, and she shared that the NPC sororities on this campus were at a disadvantage because they were bound by the NPC pre-recruitment no-contact rule each year. The NALFO groups got a head start and begin recruiting new members before the NPC groups start formal recruitment. She wants to see a fair and cooperative agreement between the councils on that campus, but I don't know what incentive there would be for the NALFO groups to do that.

Is this a campus with deferred rush? If so, the campus panhel is doing it wrong and defeating the whole purpose if they disallow NPC sorority members from talking to possible rushees for a whole semester.

If it's not deferred and this is all happening before classes start, the NPC groups must not be putting on a very good rush.

In other words, it the fault of NPC not NALFO and if I was NALFO I think I'd tell NPC to bite me.

[SoCalGirl]

I'm reading Sciencewoman's post as, similar to schools in San Diego, that "silence" is in place from the beginning of the year but recruitment doesn't begin until a week or two into the semester/quarter. During that time other student organizations, including non NPC sororities are actively recruiting membership.


To the original question, since the NPC rule is an agreement among NPC groups only I don't see why it would be grounds for immediate disqualification from membership. It doesn't mean that individual women, either the ones selecting the colony or the chosen members, would not have a huge issue with it. So, yes, it could hurt your chances at membership and yes it could cause you trouble even if you do get selected to receive a bid.


As for the idea that NPC should apply the no dual membership rule to all groups outside of NPC, I think that would require a new NPC UA. The current one, to the best of my understanding, was created to stop member organizations from cannibalizing each other. If NPHC wants to enter into some UAs with NPC then I think that could work. Since NPHC itself has no, or few, UAs I don't see that happening any time soon.



**Post written before I finished my morning coffee. I apologize if anything doesn't make sense.

[Sciencewoman]

It's a mid-October recruitment, and there is apparently a NPC no-contact rule once class starts. My take-away was that NALFO groups are getting a month or so head start recruiting members at the beginning of the school year, because they are not bound to the no-contact rule. I'm not sure when actual invitations to join are offered by the NALFO groups (before, during, or after NPC format recruitment).

ETA: Yes, SoCalGirl, your first paragraph is what I'm describing. In this case, I think the gap is actually more like a month.

[SoCalGirl]

I think during the no contact period the CPC is supposed to be publicizing recruitment and getting women to sign up. A chapter is not supposed to promote their individual chapter but instead encourage everyone to go greek.

If a school has a greek system where the IFC and NPC work together to promote going greek but the MCGLOs are separate and able to give bids during that time, I think the school needs to either 1) move up recruitment or 2) get all the councils on campus to work together. In a perfect world all greeks would promote greekdom in general while educating PNMs about the different groups so the PNM can chose to pursue what's best for him/her.

[knight_shadow]

Are these NPC groups REALLY at a disadvantage? I doubt the extra week or so of NPHC/LGLO/MCGLO activities are cannibalizing NPC/IFC recruitment efforts.

I'm wondering if anyone has actually looked at the numbers to see if there's any negative impact to NPC rush (at Sciencewoman's school) or if it's just a "THEY GET TO DO IT IT'S NOT FAIR" thing that's happening.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

As for the idea that NPC should apply the no dual membership rule to all groups outside of NPC, I think that would require a new NPC UA. The current one, to the best of my understanding, was created to stop member organizations from cannibalizing each other. If NPHC wants to enter into some UAs with NPC then I think that could work. Since NPHC itself has no, or few, UAs I don't see that happening any time soon.

Lane swerve for outsider question.

Would it have to be an NPC-NPHC UA? Could there just a be an NPC UA that no NPC sorority will initiate a member of an NPC, NPHC or NALFO sorority? Or could individual NPC sororities adopt their own rules on the matter, just as they do with rules about AI or initiating grad students, and just as some of the NPHC sororities have done?

/lane swerve

[33girl]

The hard part is defining "general interest sorority. " If there's the possibility for any rule in history to get super twisted, it's there.

And as far as a chemistry fraternity having a "process" I can't even with that. Don't make it social when it's not unless you want to eventually kill off the group. There's a difference between having enjoyable times with the members of an organization and acting like a social GLO when you're not one.