The Machine at Alabama

SouthernDG · #1 02-19-2003, 06:32 PM

Hi there - I have a question for everyone about something I have been hearing about for a long time. I have an idea of what the Machine is at Alabama - it is a tight knit cluster of fraternities and sororities that vote together for things like student body offices, homecoming, etc - they kind of do things in waves.

Now my question is - who all is involved with the machine - what fraternities and what sororities?

Also - are these all the old row groups - and if not what are the old row groups? Please enlighten. Thanks!

aufocus1 · #2 02-19-2003, 07:35 PM

alabama has a very sharp line between greek and non greek, if there is any such split in campus election i imagine it would just be greek vs. independent.

Bama_Alumna · #3 02-19-2003, 09:30 PM

Quote:

if there is any such split in campus election i imagine it would just be greek vs. independent

That is true, the line between greek & independent is the major split. However, there is also a split between machine-affiliated houses and non-machine-affiliated houses. I'm not really at liberty to say which houses are or are not machine-affiliated as it is an underground organization.

Tom Earp · #4 02-19-2003, 09:40 PM

Guess this just furthers the Idea of Elitism of Greeks!

Granted it is an Old Southern School Steeped in E- litism, but maybe it is carried a bit to far?

Hell maybe they are right as it seems the that the % is higher Greek in the South than any other part of the Country!

Just a Question and only a question

RUgreek · #5 02-20-2003, 03:24 AM

The Machine was an alias to the underground society Theta Nu Epsilon. TNE has been active on and off in many universities, rumor has it they are still around but nobody has ever seen this. The reason why you could have heard it's a collection of fraternities is because members of the society are also members of social fraternities, i.e. dual membership. Some nationals has restrictions in their by-laws and constitution from allowing members to join another fraternity, some even go far as to state membership in TNE is forbidden.

Or maybe i'm off, there could be another type of organization in alabama claiming to be The Machine, but this is what it is from what I know.

RUgreek

SouthernDG · #6 02-20-2003, 08:52 AM

What then are the "old row" fraternities and sororities?

Bama_Alumna · #7 02-20-2003, 10:30 AM

"Old Row" and "New Row" distinctions have nothing to do with the machine.

GPhiBLtColonel · #8 02-20-2003, 10:40 AM

...what does? I am immensely intrigued by this machine thing -- never heard of it before...why is it so secretive? If no one will state the groups that make up the machine, is there anyone out there with a fairly educated guess????

JerzeeBoy26 · #9 02-20-2003, 10:49 AM

http://www.cw.ua.edu/vnews/display.v...d?in_archive=1

GPhiBLtColonel · #10 02-20-2003, 10:55 AM

But the article still does not reveal the GLOs that comprise this so-called Machine -- c'mon someone...tell us!!!!!

Angels&Arrows · #11 02-20-2003, 12:10 PM

It is not the whole GLO, rather members of several GLOs'.

Bama_Alumna · #12 02-20-2003, 06:18 PM

Quote:

But the article still does not reveal the GLOs that comprise this so-called Machine -- c'mon someone...tell us!!!!!

I sincerely doubt that anyone will come to this board and post a list of organizations who are involved with the Machine.

Sorry.

Betarulz! · #13 02-20-2003, 06:36 PM

TNE is part of the University of Nebraska greek culture. However not in the same sense as it is at Alabama. They basically seem to be more geared towards the party attitude of greek life than anything else.

They also print off a newsletter each semester that makes fun of all the houses. It's fun to read but it basically plays on stereotypes of the houses, although it is interesting to see who they single out in each house...but other than that it's mindless gossip and tabloid like sensationalism.

It was a major coup for us b/c we caught two of them trying to break into our house last semester. They tried to put their newsletter into our chapter room, however our chapter room has locks and a door code so it makes it impossible to get in unless you belong there.

TNE competes with Secret Scrollers Society (SSS) which is a similar group. There is also a group called Rho Delta that is all female but they haven't made their appearence this year.

However none of the groups are very important.

RUgreek · #14 02-20-2003, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GPhiBLtColonel
...what does? I am immensely intrigued by this machine thing -- never heard of it before...why is it so secretive? If no one will state the groups that make up the machine, is there anyone out there with a fairly educated guess????

Membership in TNE is available to anyone in any GLO. There really is no secret to becoming a member.

More info in the TNE Thread.

Optimist Prime · #15 02-20-2003, 10:53 PM

I think that all of the GLOs had members who were part of it.