Greek life image

[onekeythatbindsus]

First - Thanks DZAmanda!
Second...seeing as I was the person who started this thread, I feel like I should reply to the last couple posts.
I don't understand why you think it's important to know which chapter it was...I mean really, I don't see what purpose it would serve, and we've already had a VERY long discussion about this infamous picture on another topic, and I am tired of arguing about it.

Casey

[zetagirly]

I think it is a good question to ask. You must look within yourself and spend time self evaluating before you can make postive change.

PLUS, I find it ironic that a KKG would start this thread considering how secretive the KKG organization has become after the infamous topless bid day picture.

Haven't we learned anything from Gary Condit and Bill Clinton? (Though I am NOT comparing the severity of those two men to a harmless prank done by some sorority girls.) But I think if KKG came clean with what school/chapter the picture came from, what the members thought process was (or lack of thought process was) the entire panhellenic association could benefit from their mistake.

With pictures like that it fuels discussion which in my opinion is a good thing!

Originally posted by onekeythatbindsus:
Celestial Blues,
I feel like perhaps this isn't the best place to post your question. This post was meant as a place to gather ideas for a campaign to shed a better light on glo's - not answer such questions or start a heated debate on whether glo's are good or bad - there are plenty of those debates here and on other forums and chat websites.

Casey Myers
Kappa Kappa Gamma
On the heart of each sister lies on key that binds us.

[zetagirly]

First, let me applaud you on starting this thread. I am a 30 year old past greek member and only have positive things to say about my college experience, more specifically my sorority life. It was INVALUABLE to me and I wouldn't have changed a thing. I wish people thought more highly of the greek system as a whole and it disturbs me when I hear "you paid for your friends" "do they circle your fat?" etc.

Unfortunately, hazing HAS occured, PR mistakes HAVE happened and I disagree with making a blanket statement that all greek organizations on all campuses should be abolished etc.

My niece is about to start her freshman year at a large university with a very strong greek system. We were talking about my experiences, and we came across this site and others who spoke about the topless picture.

I feel that KKG hiding which school and simply "not discussing it anymore" is doing more harm than good. I was searching for the school for the first reason of wondering if it was the school my niece was going to. I saw two versions of the pic and by the look of the girls, it seems like it is a strong chapter. I wanted to explain how the internet (which wasn't around when I was in school) has changed things dramatically and you really need to be careful. (Of course internet or not, you need to be careful.) Anyway, I also wanted to tell her that even strong chapters, smart beautiful successful young women can make huge mistakes that result in losing charters, etc.

So, you know what? Now with all the secrecy, I am MORE curious than ever before and have done A LOT of investigating as to where this picture orginated from. I have e-mailed countless people (without sending the pic) and now have MORE people interested. If KKG came clean IN THE FIRST PLACE, I wouldn't have been interested in even SEEING the picture, I would have simply relyed the info to my niece, told her what happened and then that be it.

I think when you obviously have things to hide, when coming clean would not be as harmful as you think, you really make things worse. I am sure Gary Condit agrees.

Plus, for the record, I passed the radio station urlthat had the pic posted to national so I am not all that bad.

Originally posted by onekeythatbindsus:
First - Thanks DZAmanda!
Second...seeing as I was the person who started this thread, I feel like I should reply to the last couple posts.
I don't understand why you think it's important to know which chapter it was...I mean really, I don't see what purpose it would serve, and we've already had a VERY long discussion about this infamous picture on another topic, and I am tired of arguing about it.

Casey

[KSig RC]

Originally posted by celestial_blues:
why is it that some members of greek letter organizations in one breath complain about how the media and "outsiders" have a negative image of glo's but in another breath so blatantly undermine your own organizations images by acting in an uncouth manner...provoked or unprovoked???
is it really the media that has given glo's a bad rap...or glo members??? is it really prospectives with "negative" attitudes...or glo members responses to prospectives that have "negative" attitudes that gives glo's a bad rap??? is it glo members...or the process that creates the glo member that gives glo's a bad rap??? do glo's get a bad rap...or is it simply the truth in some instances...that there is work that needs to be done??? perhaps a little house cleaning...

OK - jumping in here a little late (thanks for the post in the kapsig forum), but I think everyone can agree that this is worthy, and past due - now, Celestial Blues . . .

Please, take my experience for what you will, and you tell me if outside influences and opinions factor into the image of greek life.

I attend Boston University, a large school with a small-ish greek population. My chapter is the largest on campus, has won many national and local IFC awards, and generally ends up reflecting upon itself as a 'solid chapter.' Now - come rush time up here in boston, what happens? I go to rush guys, and they give me stock responses like (I appologize for the language; simply trying to make a point):

"Do I have to get naked and get paddled?"
"You guys will make me drink, right?"
"You frat guys get laid all the time, huh?"
"I heard you're all rich white guys - why would I join?"
"Frats are for homos and pussies."
"Frats are for guys who can't make friends on their own."
"It's not my thing."
"I wouldn't fit in."
"Frats aren't big in the Northeast."

. . . and on and on and on. Now, the first few would be what could be referred to as "writing our own ticket" - ie, these could be reasonably construed as having to do with internal problems becoming larger issues. The final ones though - those are different issues. Why does this image persist, and why in such high doses in the northeast? Why does fraternity culture thrive in the south and midwest (where i'm from)? And, more importantly - from where do these negative images come from?

I won't try to tell you this is a result of the media's handling of greek life, just as I won't accept that this is entirely due to the problems in the greek system. There are people working in child-care facilities that have committed sex crimes, with national scope, and people don't fear dropping their child off at daycare. The combination of exposure of the downfalls of the greek system, combined with the lack of acceptance for the positives of greek life, create the negative image held by guys that tell me to "F-- off" when I hand them a rush flyer, etc. Now, extensive measures are already being taken to combat the problems of alcohol abuse, hazing, and organizational disarray that face our respective GLOs - but without this sort of active attempt to turn the tide of greek image, they will go for naught. CB, I'll give you the fact that we have created much of the problem for ourselves - but increasing greek image will only help to create greeks who don't fit the mold of yesteryear, where behavior that is unacceptable was commonplace. You have to fight the battle on both fronts.

Ladies - I applaud you for getting the ball rolling, and let me know if you need a pointman for our organization; I'd be more than happy to help.

[sigtau305]

greetings, fellow greeks,

I just looked at the posting about the "greek life image" in the sigma tau gamma postings. I'm more than happy to assist in anyway possible. Please feel free to get in contact with me when you can. thank you.

------------------
Garth J. Lampkin
Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity,Inc.
Beta Upsilon Chapter
Cleveland State University
Cleveland,Ohio

[onekeythatbindsus]

KapSig RC - YAY Boston!! I go to Babson College! Talk about a small greek system!
Thank you for your post! I'm really excited about this, and I hope something good will come of this.
As for the other posts. I don't know what others on this board feel, so I won't speak for anyone else, but I really don't want to get started on the picture anymore. No matter what you tell me, I still don't see how telling the world which school it was would help fix things. I'm sorry you're so curious - or that people are so curious - As a member of the sorority, I am not even that curious, I don't know much about the situation because I don't feel the need to meddle in it, nor continually bring it up...hoping to get more information. Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not directing this at anyone, I'm just glad I have more important things to occupy my time with than a picture that was taken a long time ago. I just hope that sometime soon, people will stop digging this issue up.

Thanks for everyone who is still volunteering. This is wonderful!

Greek Love,
Casey Myers
ZA - Babson College
Kappa Kappa Gamma
On the Heart of each sister lies one key that binds us

Hey -

I'm a DO alum, but I saw the thread in the greeklife forum and thought I'd bump this up. I've been trying to figure out how to work something like this out for quite a while, and I have more free time than I know what to do with, so I'd be glad to do anything I can to help!

[senatorjeffhill]

I got the invitation to come here from a post in Delta Chi. Thanks, by the way. I get to the end here and I'm really enthused with what I see but then I realize the dates...Ginger posted here 2 months ago and the last post before that was a whole year. Did the ideas die, or are y'all just not using this forum any more? My school appreciates the greeks and all the work they do for spirit, philanthropy, and other extra curricular activities. So, they're building a big greek housing complex with 500 beds. This is partly to encourage more people to go greek--the system is kinda small here since we have so many commuters. So, what's the current status of everything? Let me know.

Jeff

P.S. You can email me personally if you like at speaker_sga@hotmail.com

[MS_Alpha_PhiPsi]

Sorry to get to your post so late, it has been a busy semester and summer for me. I must agree with you that the comments outside of Greek life are becoming more and more negative. I had it set in my mind when I got to Ole Miss last semester for my freshman year that I WAS going to rush. Many people told me it was just "paying for my friends". If that be the case, then I can never have enough friends. It pisses me off (pardon my language ladies) that a GDI can say stuff like that when they aren't even involved. I don't think many of them know what a Philanthropy is and I don't think the meaning is spread to the whole campus. Perhaps if it were known that Greeks don't just party, but instead do a wide variety of community service for their area, the bad talk will slowly come to an end or ease up a little bit. In addition to this, we won't only be getting a point across that is misunderstood, but we would be doing them a favor as well.

[sailorpiphi]

sorry to intrude on the kappa board but i think you guys have a great idea!!!!!
I just posted a thing on the general board about how frusterated i am with greeks having a bad image when all we do is raise upwards of 10 grand every eyar for charity and we are all there for each other!
Count me in!- gregor65@msu.edu