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  #46  
Old 10-06-2010, 08:14 PM
When Doves Cry When Doves Cry is offline
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1. I know nothing about it!
2. Money
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  #47  
Old 10-06-2010, 09:29 PM
EE-BO EE-BO is offline
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Originally Posted by DrPhil View Post
Yeah so does this topic boil down to the difference between NPHC and NPC/NIC?

It will be kinda funny if it does.
I have zero personal experience with NPHC alumni/alumnae chapters, but after reading about them here over the years I agree answers to the OP's question will depend entirely on NPHC vs NPC/NIC. Reading the thread so far, I have not determined which is the subject of the research- and someone please advise if there is an answer I missed in the posts.

With regards to NPC- 33girl is quite correct when it comes to Texas. Alumnae who are just in it for the prestige and not willing to work are sniffed out pretty quickly, so the ladies do work hard. But there is no doubt a lot of prestige can be conferred. In certain cities for certain sororities, specific annual fundraising events can provide opportunities that are socially very important.

On the NIC side- I have not ever observed the level of organization one would see with NPHC or NPC. The closest you get is the Housing Corporation which tends to be a catchall for fundraising, managing the house and working with the chapter to put on alumni events. Chapter advisors representing national fraternity's interests are also often folded into this collective group of active alumni.

Getting NIC alumni interested poses challenges I know all too well- anyone who gets involved and has half a brain knows that much work and a whole lot of donating lies ahead.

My time as a housing corporation officer and chapter advisor has been great- and I would not trade it for anything. But I was single, worked from home allowing me to do a lot of work for the chapter plus be available on short notice- plus able to spend the money at the time. The financial donations were substantial. At a big southern school when you have guys living in 7 figure properties with alumni who expect a good time at alumni events, even funding a small gesture can be jawdropping. And they all expect it- especially the ones who would never give away a nickel.

This is what NIC alumni face when asked to get involved. It ends up being a lot more money and time than is promised- and not out of any preconceived plan. It is just how it works. And the more money and organization a few put out there- figure 5x that in alumni are going to partake of the fun and parties along with the undergrads at your expense.

I loved doing it- and I would do it again. But as I said, I was in the very rare position of being able to do a good job of it for a time. With the new economic realities out there and me back in an office working for someone else, I could never do now what I did then.
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Last edited by EE-BO; 10-06-2010 at 09:31 PM.
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  #48  
Old 10-06-2010, 10:00 PM
rhoyaltempest rhoyaltempest is offline
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Originally Posted by DrPhil View Post
Yeah so does this topic boil down to the difference between NPHC and NPC/NIC?

It will be kinda funny if it does.
I think it does indeed. People keep making excuses like our members are single, no kids, no jobs and nothing else to do...LOL! Sure everyone can't devote the same amount of time but if it means that much to you, you'll do what you can whenever you can.

I do think you have to be reared with this mentality though and clearly every org doesn't instill this in its members. I think that's the big difference.
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  #49  
Old 10-07-2010, 03:34 AM
NinjaPoodle NinjaPoodle is offline
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  #50  
Old 10-07-2010, 06:19 AM
DubaiSis DubaiSis is offline
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Over the years, I've been a member, treasurer, president, blah blah of 3 different alumnae associations in different cities. They all couldn't have been more different. If they could all work the way Chicago did, life would be great. The city is so big that there are 5 or 6 alumnae chapters around the city. But the CITY chapter was a fresh out of college, nobody from there chapter, and we had SOOOO much fun. I can't imagine my time in Chicago without these friends, none of whom were collegiate sisters. Then Cedar Rapids was a very large super organized group that got the big foundation checks for philanthropy and did tons of cool, important stuff. Huge variety in ages, but all very fun and welcoming women.
I started the KC chapter, and I struggled with all the things mentioned up-thread. However, I actually found attendance was BETTER when it was at a private home instead of in public, even though FHQ recommended public gatherings.

What it took to get women to come was 1-FIND THEM, and this wasn't easy. Every woman I found I tasked with researching a portion of the 700+ eligible women. Some were more enthusiastic than others, but it helped a lot. 2-don't intimidate them with all kinds of structure right out of the shoot. The time for study hours and philanthropy hours is past. Do a variety of things, but none of it should be mandatory, at least in a new or struggling alumnae chapter. I heard a story just the other day from a Tri-Delt that she wasn't involved in her alumnae chapter because if you didn't wear your pin to the alum meetings you got fined! Seriously? Lighten up.

The reason I'm not involved now is because the nearest chapter is about 8 time zones away.
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  #51  
Old 10-07-2010, 08:50 AM
baci baci is offline
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Just curious...many have said it is the money that keeps you from getting involved. How much money do you need to invest each year to be an active alum in your org? I am not asking you to name your org or anything of that sort, but I wonder how much money orgs require that it is keeping interested members from being involved.

In my org, we are asked to pay annual dues as an alum, but it is minimal. It is far less monetarily to belong to my alum org than to be involved as an undergraduate. Sure, there are dinners that involve a fee, but they are quite reasonable and I suppose if I did not have the extra money one month I would just not attend.
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  #52  
Old 10-07-2010, 09:40 AM
DubaiSis DubaiSis is offline
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I think mine have always been in the range of $50/year, but first year grads I think are always waived the fee.
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  #53  
Old 10-07-2010, 09:45 AM
MysticCat MysticCat is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil View Post
Yeah so does this topic boil down to the difference between NPHC and NPC/NIC?

It will be kinda funny if it does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EE-BO View Post
I have zero personal experience with NPHC alumni/alumnae chapters, but after reading about them here over the years I agree answers to the OP's question will depend entirely on NPHC vs NPC/NIC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest View Post
I think it does indeed. People keep making excuses like our members are single, no kids, no jobs and nothing else to do...LOL! Sure everyone can't devote the same amount of time but if it means that much to you, you'll do what you can whenever you can.

I do think you have to be reared with this mentality though and clearly every org doesn't instill this in its members. I think that's the big difference.
I'm swerving out of my lane a bit here (though in this regard I think we're very much like the NIC fraternities), so anyone who thinks I'm off track about this, feel free to say so. (Not like you needed permission. )

While I do think that it boils down to a NPHC - NIC/NPC difference, I don't think it's necessarily a difference of whether some groups stress the lifetime commitment more than others. I think it's a difference in the groups to begin with.

NPHC groups, while social organizations are also service organizations. At least from what I've learned here at GC and what I've seen in real life, the social and service aspects are perhaps equally important. Thus, there is an understanding from the outset that your involvement in the fraternity or sorority will be involvement in service to the community through that fraternity or sorority.

NIC (and similar) fraternities and NPC sororities, on the other hand, are primarily social organizations. True, most have in the last few decades adopted official philanthropies and most have always had some degree of service to the community, but that is secondary (or tertairy) in their reasons for being. The lifetime expectations in NIC/NPC-type groups is that you will continue to cherish and foster the bonds of brotherhood or sisterhood for life, that you will live the values of the organization for life and that you will continue to be involved by supporting the organization and its chapters in whatever way you can. That, I think, is why some NPC-people here have talked about joining other groups (Junior League, Jaycees, Rotary) over alumnae groups. If you want to do community service, you join a group that does that. In my experience, NIC/NPC-type alumni/ae groups exist primarily if not exclusively for social purposes and to support nearby chapters, not to do community service (although they may do some). Often, participating in particular community service groups or activities can be seen as an effective way of living out the values of one's GLO.

It seems to me that the difference, then, is not whether membership is for a lifetime. That's a red herring. It's what lifetime membership entails, which in turn depends on the nature of the fraternity or sorority to begin with.
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  #54  
Old 10-07-2010, 10:01 AM
Senusret I Senusret I is offline
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^^^ All true, and is also informed by what opportunities for civic engagement and social action were available to black people in the segregated 1900s. In a nutshell, there were very few (if any) other organizations which served the community in those days outside of the black church and freemasonry.
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  #55  
Old 10-07-2010, 10:58 AM
DrPhil DrPhil is offline
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Fast forward to now1, if you wish to be involved in civic engagement and social action that impacts racial and ethnic minorities, in many servicing areas you will often interact with a few older NPHCers and that includes alumnae/alumni/graduate chapters that have established a presence in the community. This also includes how some organizations contact NPHC graduate chapters for assistance with events and getting the word out to the larger community.

Fast forward to now2, those of us who are also involved in professional, social, and service organizations where minority members are largely underrepresented: We take part in these organizations AND maintain ties with our sororities/fraternities both through graduate chapters and interchapter events. This is a great way of keeping our sisterhood/brotherhood ties, having some input on what impacts certain service areas, and buffering some of the effects of constantly being "one of the chosen few" in the other organizations.

All of this works together and NPHCers (particularly younger NPHCers and those with family obligation) also struggle with money, time, and being disenchanted with alumnae/alumni/graduate chapters. We notice that the older members in our chapters often have much more money and much more time than we do. But, we also learn that change happens from within and there are chapters that appreciate younger members and are eager to make the necessary changes to incorporate younger members.

Last edited by DrPhil; 10-07-2010 at 11:02 AM.
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  #56  
Old 10-07-2010, 10:06 PM
EE-BO EE-BO is offline
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Originally Posted by MysticCat View Post
NPHC groups, while social organizations are also service organizations. At least from what I've learned here at GC and what I've seen in real life, the social and service aspects are perhaps equally important. Thus, there is an understanding from the outset that your involvement in the fraternity or sorority will be involvement in service to the community through that fraternity or sorority.

NIC (and similar) fraternities and NPC sororities, on the other hand, are primarily social organizations. True, most have in the last few decades adopted official philanthropies and most have always had some degree of service to the community, but that is secondary (or tertairy) in their reasons for being.
I think you have hit on the crux of the matter quite brilliantly.

Let me please go a step further and make a very painful point about life in the United States many seem to want to avoid discussing.

Simply put- NPC and NIC philanthropy involvement is far different than that for NPHC involvement for the same reasons that exist for non-Greeks. We white folks often do care to some extent, but there is also an element of "doing a greater service" that makes us look better as compared to the demands on successful African-Americans which expect a far more personal and real aid to a community that does go unnoticed, and which does not often generate a society-wide approbation (and thus "prestige") when assistance is provided.

For my part, I was actively involved in philanthropy as an active- served as chair during all of my time as an active member perhaps just as much because I cared as because noone else wanted the job. As an alumnus, I still felt it was important- but I promoted to the chapter on the basis of the social benefits it could confer. The results were positive, but the reasons were still superficial.

This is not true in NPHC organizations because I think the pressure on those who have gone to college and secured good careers is significant- moreso than I could ever truly comprehend.

That pressure not only makes for active graduate chapters- but I suspect it also places a burden on potential active alumnae/alumni many are not able or prepared to meet.

This is where there is some similarity with the NIC situation. Just as an NIC or NPC alumnus may not want to get involved knowing he/she will have to write big checks as I discuss above, perhaps an NPHC alumus may also feel the burden of the social expectations of the role?

I really hope the OP comes back to confirm which side is being researched. Anecdotal evidence certainly suggests the NPHC wins in a landslide when it comes to what really motivates alumnus/alumna involvement. And given the interest in this thread, I think it would really help to know where the OP is coming from.

PS- LOVE the Mikado reference in your signature! I have seen it many times. The best was when Eric Idle came to do it in Houston when Sarah Ferguson was in attendance back when she was Duchess of York. Idle pulled no punches with the "List" song, and lo and behold- the story of Sarah and Steven Wyatt (the toe sucker) broke soon after. Oh how prophetic Idle was that night!
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Last edited by EE-BO; 10-07-2010 at 10:08 PM.
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  #57  
Old 10-08-2010, 09:05 AM
MysticCat MysticCat is offline
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PS- LOVE the Mikado reference in your signature! I have seen it many times. The best was when Eric Idle came to do it in Houston when Sarah Ferguson was in attendance back when she was Duchess of York. Idle pulled no punches with the "List" song, and lo and behold- the story of Sarah and Steven Wyatt (the toe sucker) broke soon after. Oh how prophetic Idle was that night!
That must have been awesome. I would have loved to have seen/heard that.
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  #58  
Old 10-12-2010, 11:57 PM
EE-BO EE-BO is offline
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That must have been awesome. I would have loved to have seen/heard that.
It was my favorite Mikado ever- but I have to say there was one other that got even more audience reaction. Alistair Donkin performed in Houston a few years later right after the Enron debacle. They added extra stanzas to The List song to cover all of that mess and all of the companies involved. It was an absolutely brilliant and painful thrashing. There was not a one of us in the audience who had not felt the pain of the scandal, but it was somehow theraputic to hear it satirized in the spirit of Gilbert and Sullivan.
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  #59  
Old 11-30-2010, 07:00 PM
PhoenixAzul PhoenixAzul is offline
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From a different perspective...

I'm an alumna of a local sorority, who lives really. really. far from her chapter. It was difficult for me to make alum meetings when I lived in Pittsburgh, and impossible when I lived in Scotland, but now that I live in Oklahoma, it is still really challenging for me to be involved in more than a cheerleader kind of way. I'd love to be able to make it to alum/pledge events, to certain rituals, to meetings and football games and formals...but alas, I can't.

And now that I'm beginning my career, I'm going to make provisions for the sisterhood in my annual budgeting. While a warm body is good, cash helps too! The sisterhood is also remembered in my will (which is how I found out my lawyer was a Sigma Nu. Small world!)

If there was an alumni chapter of my school in my area, I'd join (I don't know what the status of our Arizona chapter is?) because that would be a way to meet sisters, but without being in the area of Columbus, it can be hard to impact the chapter.
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