The Bucknellian

To the Editor:

As representatives of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), we wanted to express how disappointed we are that students may have walked away from the “Divine Nine” lecture last Tuesday evening with the impression that NPHC organizations are racist. The Bucknellian article printed in the previous issue misrepresented the purpose of his lecture. The article entitled “Diversity speaker promotes black fraternities” drew a deceptive and primitive picture of NPHC organizations’ history, mission and goals.

Matt Tilford, a respectable student leader, (Common Ground facilitator, Memphis Civil Rights Alternative Spring Break Trip Leader and Black Student Union ally) initially submitted a more robust quote to the Bucknellian. His intended quote read as follows: “My impression of the reaction of many students was that the idea of Black Greek organizations is racist, and therefore undermined the notion of the lecture as a ‘diversity speech.’ While this is certainly an understandable sentiment, students should understand that the existence of historically black fraternities and sororities stems from a long history of discrimination. It’s tough trying to preserve some of that history while simultaneously progressing on racial equality. It is easy to say historically black fraternities and sororities should just join IFC and Panhel, rather than have their own separate governance organization. But wouldn’t that just be another form of racial discrimination, forcing black organizations to assimilate into organizations that have been built upon years of white cultural dominance? The only true path to equality would be to completely start over with new, thoroughly integrated organizations, which I don’t think anyone would advocate. While Ross’s talk may not have been very equitable in tone, it certainly still accomplished its goal of discussing diversity. We have diversity, but if equality is the goal, clearly there is still a long way to go.”

We are historically African American organizations, but do not limit membership to only African Americans. The stated purpose and mission of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) in 1930 was “Unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate fraternities and sororities, and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations,” as posted on the NPHC website (http://www.nphchq.org).

As current NPHC organizations on campus, we want to incorporate our programming and events in collaboration with Panhel and IFC to promote unity. We look forward to partnering with Greek organizations on campus as unification can benefit us all. Each Greek organization—whether part of NPHC, Panhel, or IFC—may have been founded on different principles, but we still share a common ground.

If any student attended the lecture and left with an unsettled impression of what the NPHC organizations stand for, the significance behind the foundation of them, or the purpose for these organizations on the University’s campus, please feel free to attend “Meet the Greeks” on Oct. 22, 2010 from 6-7 p.m. in Walls Lounge. Meet us in person, learn more about individual NPHC and National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) organizations and ask any unresolved questions you may have. Please recognize that the NPHC does not discriminate for membership or for any event. This event is free and open to the public and will be an opportunity to meet us and ask questions. We look forward to seeing you and appreciate the opportunity to share with The Bucknellian readers more about the NPHC.

Jennifer Gutierrez ’11

with assistance from NPHC students

To the Editor:

I’d like to take a minute to address the article that appeared in last week’s Bucknellian regarding the diversity speaker, Mr. Lawrence Ross. Although I am no longer a student, I take great pride in being an alumnus of the University, and I am extremely proud of being apart of the Xi Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. In reading the article, I am truly disappointed that time was not taken to actually research the issue of historically Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO) because had it been studied, the author would not have graciously taken the time insult the members of my organization, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. All of these organizations have at one time or another been a part of the makeup of Greek life at the University. None of these, or any other BGLO, has ever been motivated to racially discriminate against students, and to insinuate that these organizations are somehow racist, while having thousands of non-black members, is a slap in the face of the University’s black Greek alumni.

Black Greek culture is a very loving and accepting culture and, at least during my time at the University, bent over backwards reaching out to all of campus. What amazes me even more is that in a situation that could prove as a teaching point to all of the University’s Greek life, and all of campus, that somehow the only opinion that was fostered, or recorded, from the entire event was that “the idea of ‘black’ fraternities is racist.” In my opinion, either nobody listened, or there was a lack of journalist integrity and moral responsibility in writing the article. I understand that the idea of BGLOs being somehow racist may be felt by some, although it is 100 percent wrong. But the entirety of the article talks about the event from an “us” and “them” standpoint, as if BGLOs are somehow devoid of dealing with other Greek organizations. Unfortunately, what I learned from reading this article is that obviously the University still has a long way to go in helping foster an environment that gives students a chance to build an understanding about things that are foreign to their own life experiences and seeing things from another person’s point of view.

Somehow the idea that because African Americans have “something that belongs just to them” makes them the real racists, by not assimilating to the culture around them and “shunning” people of different backgrounds. The author of the article, in his own convoluted way, attempts to bring to light the fact that much of the reason that BGLOs exist is because African Americans were not allowed to join white Greek organizations. The fact that they are still relevant and hold importance in our society as a whole is evidence of the fact that we have not yet reached a point where we are a colorblind or post-race society. At the same time, these groups show a great deal of tolerance and understanding by not being African American-only groups and accepting people of different backgrounds, and especially on the University’s campus, weaving themselves into the fiber of the University, interacting with many different groups of various backgrounds. All in all, I just think that if you are not an ethnically diverse student at the University and you went to a talk about the Divine Nine and the history of BGLOs and all you took away from it was racial insensitivity, then you really weren’t listening at all.

Christopher Hayes ’09

Former Vice Polemarch

Xi Kappa Chapter

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Spring 2007 Initiate