Minority groups form own set of traditions

They only make up 6 percent of UNC's Greek system, don't own houses bearing their Greek letters and their recruitment process is nearly invisible.

But the members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and Greek Alliance Council are as much a part of Greek life at UNC as their traditional counterparts - sharing the same ideals of service, scholarship and sister and brotherhood.

Since the 1970s, black fraternities and sororities have dotted the traditional face of UNC's predominantly white Greek system - with ethnic and cultural fraternities emerging in 2000 with the birth of the GAC.

Turned off by the homogenous nature of mainstream fraternities and sororities, these ethnic and cultural Greek organizations blossomed on campus because students wanted to join social groups where they could bond with others who share similar cultural interests.

"Being exposed to a culture that is just their own gives students something to relate to throughout their college years," says Jenny Levering, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life.

This was also the case for GAC President Greg Chang, a member of Pi Alpha Phi Asian American Interest Fraternity.

"It's kind of hard to have the essence of brotherhood when you are sharing it with people you don't have much in common with," he says.

"The Greek Alliance and NPHC - we kind of have our own identities."

According to a spring 2005 semester report, published by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, the NPHC and GAC both have an average chapter size of fewer than 12.

That's small when compared to the Interfraternity Council, which has an average chapter size of 40 , and the Panhellenic Council, 137.

Because many of the ethnic and cultural Greek organizations at UNC still are trying to develop a strong alumni base, they don't have the money to buy chapter houses.

Levering says these chapters are significantly smaller than IFC and Panhellenic because they have smaller populations to attract - only about 25 percent of UNC's students are an ethnic or racial minority.

The cultural chapters also have different forms of recruitment, Levering explains. For example, historically black sororities and fraternities on campus do not allow freshmen to rush.

Individual identities

UNC is home to eight historically black Greek organizations. The first historically black fraternity and sorority to be chartered at UNC were Omega Psi Phi Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Inc. in 1973.

Born across the country as service and civic groups in the early 1900s, historically black Greek organizations formed when black college students were barred from joining predominantly white Greek groups, says senior KaDarra Lowe, chairwoman of the UNC chapter of NPHC and member of Delta Sigma Theta.

Their recruitment process is something none of the chapters would discuss - part of a veil of secrecy over some practices of both the NPHC and GAC.

"We're more exclusive and selective organizations (than the IFC and Panhellenic chapters)," Lowe says. "It's a tradition - we don't recruit members - it's a different process."

A common misconception about the chapters is they are defined by stepping, which features percussive beats of the feet and hands, chants, singing and some drama.

But Lowe says these Greek groups are more than just dance competitions. They honor their community-service roots and enhance the college experience for members.

"Service is our business, but stepping is our pleasure," she says.

"It doesn't define us," adds senior Crystal Myers, secretary of UNC's chapter of NPHC.

Coming together

As the council with the fastest-growing fraternities and sororities at UNC, the GAC includes 11 religious and multicultural-based groups.

The council is also home to two groups that were nationally founded on UNC's campus and have since expanded around the country.

Theta Nu Xi, the first multicultural sorority, was established at UNC in 1997. The first Native American sorority in the nation, Alpha Pi Omega, was founded at UNC in 1994.

"We are kind of the new movement of Greek organizations nationwide," Chang says. "We expand the definition of what it means to be Greek. We bring a whole new demographic as well."

Senior Mark Kriston says his fraternity, Psi Sigma Phi Multicultural Fraternity Inc., breaks the homogeneity that is the norm for most Greek organizations.

"What makes us different is our broad demographic - we have a direct connection to everyone," he says.

Although both the NPHC and GAC chapters function in different ways than IFC and Panhellenic, Lowe says people - of any race - can learn about the organizations by attending some of their events on campus.

"We want to forge relationships with other council members and educate them on why we're here."

 

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