Is IFC the answer?

[NebraskaDelt]

Is IFC the answer to the problems that occur between chapters on campus? To me it seems like those in power go on a power trip and just tick everyone else off. If there was an organization that only certain members could be in that discussed issues openly without anyone getting upset, then things might change.
For instance, you could go and say, "The Delts have been really arrogant lately and you guys need to start shaping up, you are making us all look bad." The Delts would take this into consideration and try to change. No hard feelings or anything. It seems like a lot of chapters have hard feelings toward another group but don't try to rectify it and just let it fester new member class after another. We didn't like the Pikes when I was in school, I went back recently, and they still don't like the Pikes. Everyone needs to get over it. And only then will we be a community that really accomplishes our goals.

[Kevin]

Part of what makes Greek Life fun is competition. I think IFC can help it be a spirited competition rather than a violent one. That's often the difference.

Unfortunately, oftentimes, IFC is just a vehicle for the more 'elite' chapters to maintain their status and really nothing more. If a chapter is being arrogant, why let it bother you? You still know that their arrogance is misplaced. Rather than getting bent out of shape about it, laugh it off and move on with your lives.

There are similar issues on my alma mater's campus. For example, one particular fraternity has a reputation of playing pretty rough in flag football -- and I don't mean just bumps and pushes, I mean they throw punches and kicks when refs aren't looking. Not only were our guys able to avoid an altercation this weekend, we also blanked 'em 17-0 after which we just packed up and went back to the house before they could start anything. Heck, they'd just been owned. What could they possibly say?

I only mention that because I think my chapter is a pretty good example of how to best deal with other chapters that have misplaced arrogance. Be honorable, be gentlemanly about it, be the bigger men. The men of your chapter know that you have the best thing going on campus, so what else matters?

Your proposition of a solution to this by committee is interesting on paper, but when you start to involve the egos of 18-20 year olds that are in organizations that promote thuggishness and arrogance, all a committee will do for you is make the problem worse.

[slickwilly95991]

We have a chapter of Tau Mu Sigma on our campus which is an honor society for fraternity men and it has done wonders at our campus. Chapters seem to be getting along more because some of the older members have stepped up and tried to change things that IFC hasn't been able or hasn't wanted to do.

You can check them out at www.geocities.com/taumusigmasociety

They havent been around long, but I think its' growing fast.

[gogoaphi]

I have an alternate twist for the question. Let's say you have a very small system (3 chapters). One of the "chapters" lost its charter a handful of years ago due to their conduct. The University does not recognize the greek system. THe womens groups have organized themselves into a fully functioning Panhellenic and have seen remarkable growth (even ADDING a chapter). The men's groups have no governing body and their chapter sizes are getting gradually smaller. The behavior of the mens groups is getting more audacious and risky. Consumption of alcohol is beyond good natured fun. The relationship to the university for the entire greek system is shaky. The women bend over backwards to keep under the radar of the university. The men want to thumb their noses at the administration. The men don't want to honor the risk management policies that the women's groups are bound to by their national organizations and pressure the women to hold "unoffical" events. The men refuse to talk about organizing themselves under the IFC umbrella (or any other umbrella) and put strategies in place to a) get a charter for their unchartered group, b) grow the overall size of their system (no doubt, they should have a lot more men involved). The men are killing their own system but no one seems to have a long-term enough view to care. The "advisors" to the mens groups are young and just as much a part of the problem. The national organizations are not even relevant in the situation.

What can be done? SHOULD anything be done?

[hoosier]

Originally posted by NebraskaDelt
Is IFC the answer to the problems that occur between chapters on campus? To me it seems like those in power go on a power trip and just tick everyone else off. If there was an organization that only certain members could be in that discussed issues openly without anyone getting upset, then things might change.
For instance, you could go and say, "The Delts have been really arrogant lately and you guys need to start shaping up, you are making us all look bad." The Delts would take this into consideration and try to change. No hard feelings or anything. It seems like a lot of chapters have hard feelings toward another group but don't try to rectify it and just let it fester new member class after another. We didn't like the Pikes when I was in school, I went back recently, and they still don't like the Pikes. Everyone needs to get over it. And only then will we be a community that really accomplishes our goals.

There is no student on your campus who can go to the Delts and say something which will "shape them up."

There is nothing that will make your guys like the Pikes.

Especially someone from the IFC.

Perhaps some friendly competition (like poker/hearts/euchre, not tackle football) would produce more interaction and respect.

Knowledge will help heal rifts and disputes. Get to know them. Invite 10 of them to eat at your house.

At the Olympics, fierce competitors live together peacefully, but at the UN the talkers can't stand each other. Hopefully your IFC can avoid the UN complex.