Chapter V. National/International

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Sock Puppet2

That was an ugly thing to say about your sorority.
There's this new drug that might help with your symptoms: Midol

As as much as I want to disagree with you, there seems to be the mentality of some who finally really, it is not about me or us, it is not about the total picture!

To bad so many miss the whole point!

Well, in that case then many are wrong!

They are self centered Persons!

Originally Posted by 33girl

Actually, no, it wasn't.

Was I the only one who got the sarcasm?

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

As as much as I want to disagree with you, there seems to be the mentality of some who finally really, it is not about me or us, it is not about the total picture!

To bad so many miss the whole point!

Well, in that case then many are wrong!

They are self centered Persons!

....and I think your train of thought is mostly bullshit. There is nothing wrong with showing a stronger loyalty to the people that you are always around, pledged with, have gone through things with, etc.

To say that a person who feels that way is self centered and missing the point is unfair and simply wrong.

[DSTCHAOS]

I know plenty of NPHCers who don't associate with frat or sorors outside of their chapter and they have no financial or philanthropic involvement outside of what their home chapter is doing. That goes for people who pledged decades ago, too.

It's good to have chapter-only things that identify you. But some people go too far. One saying I've heard is "(name of fraternity) chapter of (chapter designation), Inc." And one of my pet peeves is "chapter shirts" where you see a big chapter designation and a tiny organizational designation, if it's on the shirt at all. I also hate chapter handsigns and chapters that have policies that they think override or negate national policies. It can't be part of your chapter's culture or policies if it isn't in-line with the national organization.

So it isn't enough to still wear 'nalia and occasionally speak to a frat or soror in passing (many members don't speak because "they aren't from MY chapter so they aren't like WE are"). If you aren't doing anything except going back to the yard for homecoming or initiation ceremonies, you don't really place the national above your chapter.

I love my home chapter and the women in that chapter drew me to Delta in combination with what I saw from Delta at a local and national level. I didn't end my activity with my home chapter because there is so much to be done at the alumnae (local, regional, national) level. Lifetime commitment implies to me that my membership superceeds chapter boundaries and goes on even if my chapter of initiation is no longer.

Although, the women of my chapter who I bonded with before Delta and because of Delta will always be.

[sueali]

For all you NPHCers, I'm just curious, since you do (the majority) have more of an emphasis on the national/international status or level of the sorority rather than the individual chapter, are you really close with those in your chapter or are they seen as another sister/brother of the international chapter. I guess what I am trying to say is, I hold my chapter sisters in a much higher regard than a sister from another chapter, only because my chapter sisters know me, we've been through alot together and understand my experiences with the sorority.

[12dn94dst]

Emphasis is placed on international involvement THOUGH a chapter, be it collegiate or alumnae.

There are sorors from my line to whom I'm close, on lines after mine to whom I'm close and mentor in Delta, and sorors in my alumnae chapter to whom I'm close. I do not look "down" on any soror because she is not Delta Nu. In any chapter that I'm a member, any soror has the chance to get to know me (and I her) as well as, if not better than in some cases, sorors who pledged Delta Nu. I love all of my sorors not because they came though the same chapter I did, but because they they took the same oath I did. I do tend to expect more of my Delta Nu sorors, but they're no "better" than any other soror.

[Sister Havana]

Originally Posted by OTW

Was I the only one who got the sarcasm?

No, you weren't. I got it.

[ErinIsBadNews]

I was one of those bad PNMs who go through recruitment dead set on a certain house. I spent the summer before looking at the sororities offered at FSU. I found three that I really liked and then found one more during recruitment. I was open to every sorority, but I was dying to be a Phi Mu.

To me, Phi Mu has always been more than just my chapter. I wanted to be part of the national organization, just as much as I wanted to be an Alpha Epsilon. My best friends are in my chapter, but am close to sisters across the country. I have met so many wonderful women through Phi Mu.

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

The girls brought me in and Mary, Mary, and Martha sealed the deal.

I love this.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

One big difference is that NPHC orgs are "branded" on a national level, so for many, this reputation, whether it be from home, family, friends, casual acquaintances, school, a step show or some aspect of Greek life, people do identify with a specific group. For historically white NIC groups and NPC groups, I don't think this holds true as much. It's more about the chapter where one goes to college.

In my Fraternity, fraternal identification also extends to the district where one became a member. Districts have reputations and political power is brokered along these lines, where alliances are made for international political office.

Oh, you guys do the district/regional/province Intake, too? Do all of the frats? It's interesting that the NPHC sororities don't do that.

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Or maybe it's because I'm not from a good southern sorority.

No, no, no -- I'm not like that. I'm really more about national reputations.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by sueali

For all you NPHCers, I'm just curious, since you do (the majority) have more of an emphasis on the national/international status or level of the sorority rather than the individual chapter, are you really close with those in your chapter or are they seen as another sister/brother of the international chapter. I guess what I am trying to say is, I hold my chapter sisters in a much higher regard than a sister from another chapter, only because my chapter sisters know me, we've been through alot together and understand my experiences with the sorority.

I have been out of my collegiate chapter for 37 years. I have no clue who the members are, nor do I need to. My affiliation now is with my alumnae chapter. That is not to say that my collegiate chapters sorors who were there when I was there don't have reunions at national conventions and regional conferences, but except for two, they really don't know me as well as my alumnae chapter sorors.

And when I go to conventions and conference I always make it a point to introduce myself to the current sorors in my collegiate chapter, but that is about it, except for the occasional milestone anniversary--20 years, 30 years, because I was a charter member of the chapter.

The two I have kept in touch with are members of alumnae chapters in the same region as my chapter, so we see each other all the time at various regional functions, as well as talk on the phone regularly. And one is in my hometown, so I see her whenever I visit.

Plus Delta has rules about going back to your collegiate chapter and "helping them" unless you are a chapter advisor, especially during certain times of the sororal year.

[jubilance1922]

Originally Posted by 12dn94dst

Emphasis is placed on international involvement THOUGH a chapter, be it collegiate or alumnae.

There are sorors from my line to whom I'm close, on lines after mine to whom I'm close and mentor in Delta, and sorors in my alumnae chapter to whom I'm close. I do not look "down" on any soror because she is not Delta Nu. In any chapter that I'm a member, any soror has the chance to get to know me (and I her) as well as, if not better than in some cases, sorors who pledged Delta Nu. I love all of my sorors not because they came though the same chapter I did, but because they they took the same oath I did. I do tend to expect more of my Delta Nu sorors, but they're no "better" than any other soror.

This is totally off topic, my undergrad chapter is also Delta Nu! Just wanted to share.....

Ok, carry on....

[tld221]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

It's good to have chapter-only things that identify you. But some people go too far. One saying I've heard is "(name of fraternity) chapter of (chapter designation), Inc." And one of my pet peeves is "chapter shirts" where you see a big chapter designation and a tiny organizational designation, if it's on the shirt at all. I also hate chapter handsigns and chapters that have policies that they think override or negate national policies. It can't be part of your chapter's culture or policies if it isn't in-line with the national organization.

if i'm understanding you correctly - "chapter shirts" take it too far? why is that? i know this isnt exactly the same example, but line shirts/jackets can be looked at as "chapter-only"

but i can agree - if my chapter letters were the only thing on said shirt, without any regards to the actual organization - that's violation (and i've seen that before - in other org, not mine. in particular with single-letter chapters. but thats a whole nother topic)

and yeah chapter handsigns are the wackness. my neos tried to have a spring 06 call and was like WTH? is my call not good enough for you? SMH.

[Wolfman]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Oh, you guys do the district/regional/province Intake, too? Do all of the frats? It's interesting that the NPHC sororities don't do that.

Yeah, it may change though; but I was addressing the issue of group or, in this case, sub-group identification. Not only how members identify with their chapter of origins and the National org. but with other levels of the org as well. This is a phenomenon I haven't seen mentioned in this thread which I see in my org.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by tld221

if i'm understanding you correctly - "chapter shirts" take it too far? why is that? i know this isnt exactly the same example, but line shirts/jackets can be looked at as "chapter-only"

I think if it was something like

Alpha Beta Chapter

Sigma Gamma Rho

that would be a little much, LOL.