As the semester begins to draw to a close and the minds of Elon University students prepare for upcoming final exams, the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) remains steadfast in its plight for intercampus respect. Earlier this week, a group of students were reported for standing on top of various NPHC plots and posing for pictures within the NPHC garden (located beside the Center for Leadership building and Loy Center). Within the NPHC garden, the plots stand as a physical representation of the endurance of historically African-American Greeks on the campus of a predominately white institution (PWI).
Although the historical background of NPHC and the significance of its plots may not be common knowledge to the average Elon student, the presence of each NPHC plots connotes importance as well as well-deserved respect. Each plot is adorned with the shield of the organization, the organization’s name, the organization’s founding date and location, the organization’s charter date as well as the name of the Elon chapter. Just as one would not want to explicitly disrespect the Sacred Space by eating or drinking, the behavior surrounding our plots warrants the same level of reverence.
In response to this incident of bias, the members of NPHC are deeply hurt by the disrespect displayed by our peers yet encourage the students involved to stop by the Fraternity & Sorority Life office (Moseley 224) or email our NPHC president Janaé Williams (jwilliams75@elon.edu) in order to have a conversation, not a chastisement. In addition, Elon’s National Pan-Hellenic Council will strive to host even more educational events in regards to its history. However, these events will not prove effective until the Elon community does its part by attending.
To the men of the Alpha Beta Beta chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, we stand in solidarity with you and express our deepest regret for the incident plagued upon your plot specifically. As a numerically small council under the Fraternity & Sorority Life office, it is imperative that we shed light on this incident in hopes that it will not happen again. We hope that this occurrence will begin to promote a willingness of the entire Elon community to extend outside of their comfort zones in order to learn more about NPHC so that we may grow in unity as an entire Elon community.