Thoughts on Undergraduate Leadership, Politics and Involvement
by Brother Kerry Gilliard, Delta Mu Chapter
By and large, undergraduate chapters are the heartbeat, lifeline and soul of all Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) nationwide, probably comprising nearly 3/4 the total enrollment of the organization. Undergraduate dues are the primary source of income for most organizations to keep afloat; ideally, if an organization's dues [yearly] were (on average) $77 per person and the enrollment of the organization was around 80,000 members, even if only HALF of them paid, the organizations would be bringing in over $3 million dollars per year.
So why is it that all of the power in these organizations rests primarily with the graduate chapters? Why are the lines of communication and particpation from undergrads so low, laxidaisical and straight up NON-existent? One word: politics.
Just as in the government's political arena and the citizens of the US, our undergraduates don't FEEL like they're a part of the process-at least not on a significant level. They don't feel welcome at the board meetings, the conventions and such, so they don't go. They don't "see" where and what is happening with their dues, so they don't pay.
What they DO see, however, is TRIFE. They see grown men and women EGO TRIPPING off positions and offices of NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. They see people run and campaign for these offices, get into these positions and they don't do a thing to further the cause or philosphy of the organization, yet these same "officers" will be the first to yell "suspension" or "expulsion" when a chapter screws up and it's not doing it's job. Teapot calling the kettle black?
By take over, I don't mean to disrespect our officers and disregard the rules: on the contrary, I mean for us to have more say in what goes on in the upper echelons of our great organizations. Be involved in the lawmaking process. Since you are the majority, YOU, help establish the rules. YOU sit down and work out the financial structures of the organizations and YOU work out the intake process YOU want.
In short, play the game. Politics and leadership seem to go hand in hand with every organization from businesses to fraternities and sororities and it's about time you learned what you needed to do to get ahead in some of these situations. Strength exists in numbers and since our numbers do show to be the majority, a body of FINANCIAL undergraduates has MASSIVE voting power, regardless of what you may think.
But before you run off and begin your little "Pinky and the Brain" plot for your organization, a few things need to occur:
#1- You MUST pay your organization's dues. If you're not financially active, you have NO voice and NO reason to complain about JACK. You're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem because the money from YOUR dues is what keeps the organization alive. I believe that ALL of us did make a pledge to push the cause and philosophy of the organization you're in FORWARD----> by any means necessary. This includes paying your dues.
#2- You've GOT to be ACTIVE, both on your campus and in your community. Given the massive amount of media sterotyping, bashing and negative image casting that they've done with Fraternities and Sororities over the past decade or so- from "School Daze" to everyone's favorite episode of "New York Undercover" and then the "real stuff" that has happened- people getting sued-KAPsi, my Frat - AKA's with seven hazing lawsuits pending, etc..etc..etc.., it is ABSOLUTELY imperative that we are SEEN DOING POSITIVE THINGS!!! From just talking to a group of kids at a local high school, to organizing a mentoring program, we've got to do positive things in the community!! And we MUST seek P-U-B-L-I-C-I-T-Y and bring these positive acts to the attention of the media.
#2a- We need to start COMMUNICATING with our graduate chapter counterparts. Too many undergrads DON'T know what's going on Internationally with the organization, policies, laws, regulations, elections and such. Bueracracy and red tape are a PAIN in the behind and sometimes you don't feel like dealing with them but consider this: if you know what's going on, and you know how things are organized (or rather DISorganized), then you can also work to implement changes in that system when the opportunity arises.
#3- most of all- We need to look for QUALITY and not QUANTITY or POPULARITY when we choose our members for our organizations. That computer nerd sitting over there may just be the vehicle by which your organization establishes a worldwide network for volunteer help sometime in the future. That fashion misfit may be the next Maya Angelou and help inspire a generation of girls to grow up and become women of your organization. We need to stop SOCIALIZING and start SERVICING.
Plain and simple, all of us need to take a look back to the early 1900's (and 1963 for the Iotas) and take a look at the perfect examples of collegiate leadership: the founders of our organizations. If we can grasp their mentatlity, we can have our organizations handling business like we should've been doing for the past few decades. Let's wake up and get down to business, undergrads.
Opinions expressed in this editorial
are NOT representative of those of other writers for the ZPBSTimes, Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. or the Delta Mu Chapter of Phi
Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Please send all mail and opinions regarding this article
to Kerry through the feedback page.