Beyond Politics: Fraternities and Sororities as Catalysts for Civic Engagement
“We can't take a stance on that! It’s too political!”
How many times have you heard this from your chapter? Oftentimes, organizations are hesitant to take sides on an issue so as not to upset any contingent of their members. However, as community service and engagement organizations, we cannot absolve ourselves of our responsibilities just because it is “too political” or might be contrary to the views of some of our members. The intersection of fraternities and sorority and civic engagement is key to your existence. This article will explore some of the key components of this interaction as well as provide some recommendations for practice.
Have you turned on the news lately? It’s dicey out there. We are impacted by what’s happening in the world and we have a responsibility to prepare them to engage effectively. You may be asking yourself how to navigate political conversations or “sensitive” topics in your organizations. There are so many approaches you can take but one of our favorites, and most resourced (meaning lots of information, training, and guides already exist), is deliberative dialogues. Engaging in dialogue through intentional formats, programs, and events is one way to allow you and your members to process through heavy/hot topics, share perspectives and experiences, and build trust among members. According to The Sustained Dialogue Institute, dialogue is “listening deeply enough to be changed by what you learn” (https://sustaineddialogue.org/, 2022). We are in a very tense political climate right now and you need space to process through what you hear/see/experience - especially in high-stakes election seasons. You and your members will have differing opinions, and that is okay. You will argue, and that is okay. You will get emotional, and that is okay. The point is to care for and trust each other enough to participate. Using dialogue programs like the National Issues Forum or Living Room Conversations can help you prepare and feel confident when setting up these opportunities for dialogue. Your members will appreciate the chance to be in community working through tough topics and will gain skills you can take with you beyond your time on campus.
One item to remember is that not all dialogues are meant to “solve a conflict”. Yes, if your group is having a tough time, engaging in dialogue is critical to working through that. However, the dialogue we are talking about is meant to prompt conversation that you are probably already having, but have it in a way that can be both productive and educational. You are already talking and thinking about free speech, abortion, LGBTQ+ issues, environmental racism, etc. Why not provide the space to gain skills to be able to effectively navigate these topics in other spaces like at home, in your chapter, or with friends or partners? Make no mistake, this work is hard. We aren’t saying host a dialogue and all will be well - we aren’t that naive. Dialogue often means multiple sessions; it’s not just a one and done initiative. This takes investment of time and people power. We argue that our society having more skilled individuals to engage in difficult dialogues is worth it.
Community service should be an experience and not a task. Members should take time before, during, and after the event to talk about what they are doing. For example, if an organization is volunteering at a local food pantry, prior to going, you should discuss what you are going to do and why it is important. During the event, seek out employees or those being served and hear their story. After the event, debrief with each other what you learned and, if you can find someone from the organization to assist with that, all the better! By seeing community service as an experience, rather than a checkbox, you create a space for greater learning that may lead to these members working with local organizations or lawmakers to improve conditions for those who need it.
Based on our experience and our continuing conversations, here are just a few recommendations of how to move forward with Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) work in the FSL community. This is NOT an exhaustive list of recommendations or resources - these are simply just to get you started! If you need help with these conversations, work with your fraternity and sorority advisors to help you find resources or mediate the discussion.
Know who you are serving before you serve. It sounds simple enough and sometimes it’s about getting back to basics. Have you researched the mission statement of the organization? The population the organization serves? The area of town it’s located in and some reasoning behind why it may be in a certain neighborhood? How long has it been in existence? Asking some of these questions and having a pre-service conversation with your organization before serving is just one way to show investment in your community and in the work you are doing in the community.
Do you have an office on campus that focuses on service or volunteer work? Connect with them! Ask about the prominent issues in your own community and any community partners they work with that may be looking for more students to serve. Make sure you’re doing the things that are needed in your community. For example, if you are in or near a food insecure community and the need is really high at that particular time, maybe adding a food drive onto a book drive effort on campus to be most responsive to the community needs.
Work to ensure you are connecting organizations with campus offices where appropriate. For example, if you know a chapter is working with veterans or the United Service Organizations (USO), it is important to connect the chapter with your office of veteran’s services. This way, both stakeholders will have an opportunity to pool their resources to best serve veterans on campus because it is crucial that anything we do is to support those with whom we are working and that we never make the things we do purely about us. As community service organizations, it should always be about serving the community and not self-interest.
Dig deeper into issues that are impacting your fellow students, including those in your organizations (for example, take a tour of the campus food pantry and have a representative talk about how many folks they serve and the needs they may have). As members, you have a responsibility to your campus community and are often seen as influencers on campus - be aware of issues that impact your fellow students.
Make your social media highlights matter. Instead of a group photo with piles of canned food in the background with the hashtag #weservedtodayyay, try a caption that says: “Today we served with the local food bank, here’s a stat about food insecurity in our community, here’s what you can do to help, etc.”
Our organizations are critical to advancing society and civic engagement. While it may be difficult or unpopular to take a position on a topic, we are in a prime place to advance discourse and rhetoric. As member organizations with a lot of resources at our disposal, we must understand that it is partially our responsibility to ensure that we move our society forward.
Article written by:
Christopher Miofsky, Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, University of Denver
During his more than ten years in higher education, Christopher has served in similar roles at both Lindenwood University and Washburn University while also working for his fraternity, Delta Lambda Phi. A graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the University of Missouri – St. Louis, Christopher is an advocate for the FSL experience knowing that it can be a transformative experience for any and all who participate. Outside of work, Christopher is an avid musician and a self-proclaimed DisNerd. He lives in Denver, CO with his partner Ruben and fur baby, Rowdy.
Lindsey Hollis, Director of the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Lindsey (she/her) received her B.A. from the University of Michigan in Psychology and Environmental Studies. She holds an M.Ed. in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago. Prior to joining UNCG, Lindsey was the Associate Director for Student Life at St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. Lindsey has a passion for educating students to become changemakers in their communities and agents of positive social change.
