Use of the word "Paper"? (Non NPHC)

[naraht]

I'm asking because Kevin used the term "Paper members" and he isn't in an NPHC organization...

Other than in the NPHCs...
How common is the term "Paper member" to describe someone who became a member of an organization while going through a process that National requires at that point as opposed to one with Hazing or other activities(ex. alcohol) that a chapter does in violation of the current National rules.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by naraht

I'm asking because Kevin used the term "Paper members" and he isn't in an NPHC organization...

Other than in the NPHCs...
How common is the term "Paper member" to describe someone who became a member of an organization while going through a process that National requires at that point as opposed to one with Hazing or other activities(ex. alcohol) that a chapter does in violation of the current National rules.

"Paper members" is meant to be an insult to those who were initiated post-MIP (Membership Intake Process) in a NPHC org.

Historically, the pledging process in NPHC orgs was 6 weeks - a full semester. Unfortunately during that time some of the members ("actives") would mistreat the pledges. Mistreatment would come from graduate and undergraduate members. To put an end to the abuse, MIP was adopted by all NPHC orgs. NPHC member organizations restructured their potential new member process, and part of the restructuring was to shorten the potential new member time period. Some orgs decided on having a 3 day new member period, some chose 4 - 5 weeks.

To say someone is a "paper member" is to say they were not really pledged into the organization because they were not "on line" for any extended time period. "Paper members" were said to be those who started the PNM period on a Friday, had more training about the org on Saturday and were initiated on that Sunday. Essentially saying that all they did was sign a paper to get in.

The current MIP has been around at least 20 years now, so no one really uses the term "paper members" anymore. If you ask any recent inductees about the term "paper members" they will probably just look at you like this: Its a term that really no longer has any weight of insult to it today.

So, in other words, its just Kevin talking out of his @$$ about something he read on GC years ago and has no first hand personal experience.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

"Paper members" is meant to be an insult to those who were initiated post-MIP (Membership Intake Process) in a NPHC org.

Historically, the pledging process in NPHC orgs was 6 weeks - a full semester. Unfortunately during that time some of the members ("actives") would mistreat the pledges. Mistreatment would come from graduate and undergraduate members. To put an end to the abuse, MIP was adopted by all NPHC orgs. NPHC member organizations restructured their potential new member process, and part of the restructuring was to shorten the potential new member time period. Some orgs decided on having a 3 day new member period, some chose 4 - 5 weeks.

To say someone is a "paper member" is to say they were not really pledged into the organization because they were not "on line" for any extended time period. "Paper members" were said to be those who started the PNM period on a Friday, had more training about the org on Saturday and were initiated on that Sunday. Essentially saying that all they did was sign a paper to get in.

The current MIP has been around at least 20 years now, so no one really uses the term "paper members" anymore. If you ask any recent inductees about the term "paper members" they will probably just look at you like this: Its a term that really no longer has any weight of insult to it today.

So, in other words, its just Kevin talking out of his @$$ about something he read on GC years ago and has no first hand personal experience.

My experience as staff representative to the Alpha Phi Omega chapter at Howard U was in the mid 1990s, so that was ground zero of the term, I think.

Alpha Phi Omega at the HBCUs adopts a *lot* of the NPHC culture, but unless the school requires all non-honoraries to be a shorter time period, they go with the national requirement of 6-10 weeks.

At Howard, Alpha Phi Omega, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma and probably 2 or 3 more all did Probate.

Not sure if any of the NPHC F/S are led by those who joined under the MIP, but if not now, soon.

Anyone know if any of the NALFO groups did a similar shortening?

[sigmadiva]

If you don't hear anyone using the term now, its because it is a dead / dying term.

Like I said, at one time it may have had some weight to it, but now it means nothing.

APO, KKP, TBS and other groups on HBCUs may have adopted that term too since they were on campuses with strong NPHC presence, but I seriously doubt that you would have found that term in use in those orgs at a PWI.

MIP was established in 1990 / 1991, so yes, by now you have leaders in NPHCs who only know that process.

I understand your curiosity since so much of Black culture is appropriated and mimicked.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

If you don't hear anyone using the term now, its because it is a dead / dying term.

Like I said, at one time it may have had some weight to it, but now it means nothing.

APO, KKP, TBS and other groups on HBCUs may have adopted that term too since they were on campuses with strong NPHC presence, but I seriously doubt that you would have found that term in use in those orgs at a PWI.

MIP was established in 1990 / 1991, so yes, by now you have leaders in NPHCs who only know that process.

I understand your curiosity since so much of Black culture is appropriated and mimicked.

Yup. I come from a campus whose greek life at that time looked like Wierd Al Yankovic from "White and Nerdy" (Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh). *Now* I know that most of the NPHC had chapters that included CMU (either Pittsburgh City-wide or (one for UPitt and the other one for the rest of city), but then, I had no clue.

The groups I think most likely to copy that change (Longer to MIP) organization wide are the NALFO groups..

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

If you don't hear anyone using the term now, its because it is a dead / dying term.

Like I said, at one time it may have had some weight to it, but now it means nothing.

APO, KKP, TBS and other groups on HBCUs may have adopted that term too since they were on campuses with strong NPHC presence, but I seriously doubt that you would have found that term in use in those orgs at a PWI.

MIP was established in 1990 / 1991, so yes, by now you have leaders in NPHCs who only know that process.

I understand your curiosity since so much of Black culture is appropriated and mimicked.

So really...closer to thirty years ago. You must be one of those people like me who is in denial that 1990 was almost 30 years ago.