All eight national black fraternities and sororities voted to ban pledging at a national convention this month.

The decision was made in St. Louis last week and was reached by about 250 members of the boards of directors of the eight national fraternities and sororities, said James Blanton, national director for Alpha Phi Alpha and one of the conference coordinators.

The decision was made because of the “problems that pledging causes, not nescessarily hazing,” Blanton said.

Blanton refused to discuss the problems, saying he did not want the reasons blown out of proportion.

NIU Judicial Office Director Larry Bolles said he believes there are three main reasons for the decision. These include the rising number of lawsuits against the organizations, difficulty in getting students to join the organizations and banning pledging is morally right, he said.

“I think across the country, it had gotten out of hand,” Bolles said, adding NIU is similar to the national organizations as far as hazing and other problems.

The other seven national black greek fraternities are Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi and Phi Beta Sigma. The national sororities are Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Phi Beta.

NIU has active chapters of each fraternity and sorority except Kappa Alpha Psi, said NIU Black Greek Adviser Flecia Thomas.

Moses Norman, national president of Omega Psi Phi and chairman of the Council of Presidents, said the sororities and fraternities agree they need to change policies about incoming members.

“These modifications of the membership intake process include the elimination of pledging in any form,” he said.

The pledging ban will take effect Sept. 2, Blanton said.

Cynthia Miller, president of the NIU Black Greek Council, said pledging should continue, but the NIU council will comply with any decision made by the directors in St. Louis.

Miller said the decision of the people in St. Louis was probably made because of hazing problems and numerous lawsuits.