Male Pledge Leaders & Female Pledges

[Newjerseydean]

On our campus, we have a Greek Letter Organization that is both a fraternity and sorority. The founding fathers started the national chapter at our campus in 1999. This GLO never had intake for the sorority and now wants to start. Since they do not have any sorority sisters to serve as the pledge leaders, this GLO wants to use male pledge leaders to conduct the 6 week intake process for the female pledges. Although we use an Anti-Hazing Workshop to ensure that state laws are known by both the pledge and the pledge leader, is it common for male fraternity pledge leaders to pledge females into a sorority? Have you ever heard of this before and if so, what colleges or universities have done this? Is there a reason for concern here? I would appreciate some feedback. Thanks.

[LatinaAlumna]

I would imagine that such an organization is just asking for trouble. There are so many potential issues that could arise from having a person of the opposite gender serve in an authority role over pledges/prospective members.

On a side note: I don't get how this organization you are describing works. You say that it's both a fraternity and a sorority (usually co-ed organizations are called "co-ed fraternities," and everyone goes through the same membership process whether they are male or female). So you're saying that in the past, only the male members had to go through a membership process? How is that allowed? This organization sounds sketchy to me, the way it's described in your post.

[Newjerseydean]

Thanks LatinaAlumna,

Basically, this GLO has existed as a Caribbean fraternity on our campus since 1999. Last year, they were approved to be classified as both a fraternity and sorority by our Greek Council and Director of Greek Affairs. They have never done any intake before as a sorority. And thus no sorority sisters to conduct pledge intake “now” for prospective female members. So only male members belonged to the fraternity and now they want females to belong to their sorority but have no females to be pledge leaders. They do not consider themselves a co-ed fraternity. Somehow they have a dual status as both a fraternity and a sorority. Do you happen to have any insight about this dual status concept and how we can promote a safe pledge process for members of the opposite gender?

[texas*princess]

I've never heard of such an organization.

Delta Sigma Pi is a co-ed business fraternity whose pledge classes usually consist of both men & women. The person in charge of the pledge class can be of either gender. Even if it is a male and there are female pledges they don't treat them any differently? I'm not sure why you would need a seperate "pledge leader" for the females.

But this is a professional fraternity and not a social, so maybe that is the conern?

[LatinaAlumna]

Well, I have worked in Greek Life before, but I never heard of a situation like this one.

I'm not sure how the campus classified them in the first place as both a fraternity and a sorority (independently) if they did not have any female members. You mentioned that they do not consider themselves to be a co-ed fraternity, but how can they not if they are planning to accept women into their chapter?

I think this organization really needs to rethink its structure before moving forward. Hopefully they have a strong female faculty or staff person advising them, along with any male advisor they might have. As of now, they are probably planning to have the women go through a process that was designed with men in mind, and this is not necessarily a good thing (nor is it good to have a male in charge of a female pledge group, because depending on the person in charge, he may abuse his authority in various ways). As a female, I would feel very uncomfortable (more like CREEPED THE HECK OUT) by having males in charge of my membership process.

[aeesquiv]

yes, as mentioned co-ed fraternities do exist and the process for membership would be the same for all people interested. the only way i could think of an all-male organization letting in females (or vice versa) would be if they wanted to become co-ed. also, there are single-gender fraternities that have 'friends' of the organization that are from the opposite gender, but they are not members. then, as far as recruiting, there have been times when a member of the opposite sex passionately helps to recruit for an organization and those people could be honorary members, but wouldn't go thru initiation to become a member.

if the GLO is wanting to become co-ed, fine... but they would have to seriously state their case. is this a national GLO? then their nationals would have to be involved in this. or simply local, with no other chapters? then there are so many more questions about the intention of this, especially since there isn't a national backbone there for support and guidance.

if they don't want to become co-ed and simply start a sorority, then they shouldn't try to put this in their own hands. the interest needs to come from the people themselves and not a third party.

i would check with your campus student organization office for the appropriate process and also check other campuses that do and don't have a greek system in place.

[aeesquiv]

oh yeah, they SHOULD have an advisor of some sort and that would be another source to check in too

[AlwaysSAI]

Maybe is this kind of like the APhiA/AKA thing. APhiA was founded and then decided they wanted a female counterpart and thus began AKA. (Was that not also the situation with Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta?)

I don't know if the bro/sis orgs have the same ritual--I could make assumptions but I don't actually know.

I think starting a sister org would be a much safer thing than what you are talking about.

I am in a co-ed org that is 1/3 service, 1/3 honor, 1/3 social and everyone goes through the same pledge process, same rituals, same expectations. Normally, we have always had a female initiate advisor, but a man could run for the position if he wanted.

But, splitting the sexes up for pledging and such might have some serious ramifications.

[Newjerseydean]

I thank you all for your input and will forward this on to our Student Affairs administration for further discussion and review. Thanks again!

[Senusret I]

New Jersey Dean, the only organization that I can think of that is like this would be Alpha Nu Omega, Inc.

For the rest of the board, Alpha Nu Omega is a Christian GLO that is indeed both a fraternity and sorority.

One organization -- two parallel units.

I really don't see a problem in the males of the unit establishing the sorority chapter of the parallel unit, especially if there is one organizational unit nationally.

It is not like AKA and Alpha -- our organizations have a shared history and no official relationship administratively. Sigma and Zeta are constitutionally bound as brother and sister and perhaps share some programming, but they are administratively unrelated.

Check out www.alphanuomega.org and send them an email. Ask them how they do this administratively. Hope this helps.

[AlwaysSAI]

Okay, well then, I'm confused, because on the AKA-Nu Rho website there is a poem about how APhiA paved the way for AKA....I guess that would make sense though.

But, I had always thought that APhiA had assisted in the founding of AKA, hence the similiarity in names.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

Okay, well then, I'm confused, because on the AKA-Nu Rho website there is a poem about how APhiA paved the way for AKA....I guess that would make sense though.

But, I had always thought that APhiA had assisted in the founding of AKA, hence the similiarity in names.

We didn't literally assist. We "paved the way" because we were the first BGLO at Howard and they were the second. The similar names are coincidence (different mottoes and whatnot).

There is speculation that one of the charter members of Alpha at Howard "inspired" the founder of AKA, but that should not played up in lieu of the fact that she would have proceeded with AKA with or without us.

[AlwaysSAI]

Makes much more sense now!

Thanks for clarification!!

[adpiucf]

I echo the recommendation to appoint a faculty adviser to supervise the sorority intake process and pledge process. There should also be specific bylaws adopted by the co-ed group to deal with the issue of this integration of female members into the organization. I also suggest workshops regarding the zero-tolerance hazing policy, and appropriate conduct with members of the opposite sex (a workshop on professionalism, courtesy and sexual harassment/discrimination). Lay out some ground rules.

The women should have a set pledging period, and their activities should be pre-approved by the adviser in advance, with detailed lesson plans for how the new member education sessions will be conducted during pledging.

Given that these are founding "sisters" you might want to accelerate the pledging process for these particular women and initiate them sooner than would typically be done. My chapter's chartering president was never a "pledge." Twenty five years later, she is still a very active alumnae and none the worse off for it.

Best of luck to the students!

[SnuKnight172]

On the West Coast there is a Latino local GLO called Delta Sigma Chi (they do a great deal of community service within the Latino community and they also throw alot of flyer parties). I have always found it strange that they are coed. It would seem that the sister/brothers would be very opinionated if the brother/sister was to become close with a traditional GLO of the opposite sex. I is just strange to be able to share a bond of brotherhood/sisterhood across genders.

I know as having a blood little brother and a blood little sister I tend to watch over my little sister more I just couldn't see myself being in such a coed organization I would worry about the "Sisters" to much. (My protective nature I guess).