The Order of Omega

Infobox_Societies
university =
name = The Order of Omega


established = 1959 [http://www.orderofomega.org/history.htm History and Purpose] , The Order of Omega, Retrieved on 2007-11-04]
incorporated =
type = Honor Society
natpresident = Dr. David L. Grady
city = Arlington
state = Texas
country =
members =
employees =
volunteers =
website = http://www.orderofomega.org/

The Order of Omega is an honor society recognizing particularly meritorious men and women in the undergraduate Greek community. As an honors society, it functions as an adjunct to traditional fraternal organizations, rather than a social or professional group "in se".

History

The Order of Omega was established in Fall 1959 at the University of Miami. It sought to differentiate itself from the long-standing Greek honors society of Phi Beta Kappa by emphasizing community service and inter-Greek communication over academic and nominal honors. At that time, the group adopted as its mark the Greek letter omega, in gold on an ivory field. The organization was unique to the University of Miami until, in 1967, a second charter was granted to begin a chapter at University of Southern Mississippi. The group remained exclusive to men until 1977.

In more recent years, the Order has emerged as a moot arena in which the Greek community can air progressive changes to its member organizations as a whole; the 'dry' movement eschewing alcohol use among many groups drew a great deal of support from discussion in the early 1980s about how to improve the general reputation of the Greek community. The stated purposes of the organization are:
* To recognize those fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in interfraternity activities, to encourage them to continue along this line, and to inspire others to strive for similar conspicuous attainment;
* To bring together outstanding fraternity men and women to create an organization which will help to mold the sentiment of the institution on questions of local and intercollegiate fraternity affairs.
* To bring together members of the faculty, alumni, and student members of the institution's fraternities and sororities on a basis of mutual interest, understanding and helpfulness;
* To help create an atmosphere where ideas and issues can be discussed openly across Greek lines and to help work out solutions.

At present, the Order maintains approximately three hundred chapters at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

Standards and operation

As an honors society, the Order explicitly restricts its members to academically and socially outstanding undergraduates. It requires upperclassman status (3rd or 4th year at most universities) full-time attendance as a student, and a GPA higher than the all-Greek average at the campus in question as minimum standards. The executive board of the individual chapter is empowered to make further decisions as to the merit of an applicant and initiate them into the Order, based on six criteria surveying character, service to the Greek community, and service to the university community as a whole. In any case, no more than 3% of all eligible Greeks - or fifteen persons if there are fewer than 500 Greeks at a particular institution - may be admitted in an academic year.

Much of most chapters' typical operation consists of charitable fundraisers, and the selection of persons to receive scholarships endowed by alumni. Persons are only eligible to be initiated into the Order as regular members if they are undergraduates in accredited colleges and universities, but are considered members for life, and some continue to support their chapters financially. Faculty, staff, alumni, and others may be elected as "honoris causa" members.

References

External links

* [http://www.orderofomega.org/ Official Order of Omega web site]