[17630] in APO-L
All-male chapters / APO discrimination
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Riz Shavelle)
Wed Nov 19 12:54:37 1997
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 12:53:09 -0500
Reply-To: Riz Shavelle <Shavelle@MISTY.COM>
From: Riz Shavelle <Shavelle@MISTY.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199711191441.JAA02866@tiger.misty.com> from "Robert Dean" at
"Nov 19, 97 08:40:49 am"
I find people's idea that there can be only one or two service
organizations on any given campus quite humorous. At University of
Pennsylvania, there are over 25 UNDERGRADUATE service organizations.
The fact that APO is co-ed there has little or no bearing, in my opinion,
on the number of members that the other service organizations have.
To a certain extent, I also think people underestimate Gamma Sigma Sigma.
(there is also Omega Phi Alpha). If an APO chapter on a campus goes co-ed
and the GSS chapter folds as a result. I would have to say that it would
be GSS's fault, not APOs. If an organization can not adjust to the current
campus climate and attract new members because of their purpose and
structure then the nature result is for them to fold. It is not, IMHO, up
to APO to support organizations that can't support themselves.
FYI, I am doing a second degree at a university where the APO chapter is
all-male. As a result, I was forced, if I wanted to do service, to pledge
and join Gamma Sigma Sigma. The chapter is struggling at this point with
5 actives and 3 pledges. Obviously, the size prevents us from doing many
service projects and having a big impact on our community.
While I don't neccesarily advocate forcing all-male chapters to go co-ed,
I would like to see the ability of all-female secondary chapters of APO to
be formed at schools where there are all-male chapters. This would allow
interested females to experience APO without having to "settle" for some
other organization.
in LFS,
Riz
