[17634] in APO-L
Re: All-male chapters / APO discrimination
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Randy Finder)
Wed Nov 19 13:16:44 1997
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 13:14:16 -0400
Reply-To: Randy Finder <naraht@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>
From: Randy Finder <naraht@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199711191753.MAA23867@beryllium.club.cc.cmu.edu>
On Wed, 19 Nov 1997, Riz Shavelle wrote:
> 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.
Especially given the number of people who are in multiple organizations.
>
> 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.
While there are Gamma Sigma Sigma chapters at schools with co-ed APO
chapters (Central Connecticut State, UNC-Greensboro,Tx Wesleyan,SW
Missouri,Northern Ill.,Slippery Rock and others), the number of schools
where a Gamma Sigma Sigma chapter folded due to APO going co-ed far
outnumbers them. GSS lost more than half of its chapters from 1974
through 1980.
>
> 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.
The way that the National Alpha Phi Omega by-laws are written the ONLY
people on the planet who cannot receive membership in APO-USA are
students attending Universities in other countries and undergraduate
women at schools with all-male chapters.
YiLFs
Randy Finder
> in LFS,
> Riz
>
--
Leadership, Friendship and Service - Alpha Phi Omega
