another BGLO question!
 

I was wondering if anyone could explain why BGLO sororities are written as "ABC Sorority, Inc". What is the difference (if any) between incorporated sororities and non-incorporated? Are there any BGLO's that are not inc? What does the incorporation do for the sisterhood?

Thanks for your time! I love learning from this board! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

incorporation is important for a number of reasons. it establishes you as a franchise, if you will. it means that you can expand to other campuses and enjoy all of the rights and privileges of the organization. for example, if an alpha chapter is formed, if the org was not inc. it could not use the same name or be consider a part of that org. it is also another bragging point. some of the orgs ,in their inception, had not thought of expanding to other campuses. so, they didn't worry with incorporating initially. but, when others began to expand or have thoughts of growth, it became a race of sorts to see who could do it first. this is my understanding. if any other greek has more info, please share.

Incorporation was important to Alpha Kappa Alpha for a few reasons. However, the most known reason is because of the changes that some members wanted to make to the organization, such as changing the focus of the sorority, its name, colors, motto, etc. Incorporation then became important so that Alpha Kappa Alpha could live on as our founders intended.

You know, I have never heard of a GLO being incorporated. Does anyone know of any? And I wonder why they (the non-BGLOs) haven't followed suit and done so?

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SilverTurtle@greekchat.com
Phi Beta Fraternity
Phi chapter

A big thank you to everyone who has responded! It makes more sense now!

But I just have one more question. DSTbrat said that it allows you to expand to other campuses. But I thought that all national sororities were allowed to expand. Is incorporation kind of like having a national office? But I know that the BGLO's have national offices too.

Thanks to everyone who can clear this up for me! I guess I just don't really understand what "incorporation" consists of. I remember reading in one of the other posts that AKA was founded in 1908 but wasn't uncorporated until a few years later (please excuse me if I have that info wrong!). Why didn't they (and any others) incorporate right away? Were there other sororities that attempted to copy the originals (like what AKAtude was explaining)? Have they lasted through the years or were they forced to disband?

Again, sorry for not knowing too much and asking so many questions! I hope my questions were clear. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Thanks!

You're confusing incorporation and copyright. Incorporation gives an organization legal power to conduct business throughout the United States and worlwide. It's the same concept as a companies being incorporated. Copyright gives us exclusive use of our letters, in their proper order, and other symbols that the respective Grand Chapters choose to use officially in reference to the sorority.

The Alpha chapter of DST was incorporated on Feb. 18, 1913, which was just over a month after her founding on Jan. 13, 1913 (ooo-oop!), but the Sorority as a whole was not incorporated until Jan. 20, 1930.

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Kelli
12-DN-94
SSU c/o 1997

My greek sisters of AKA and DST hit the nail on the head about incorporation.

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Sweet Deliverance's PHI-losophy:
"What you do or do not do today determines what you can or cannot do tomorrow."

Incorporated means the organization acts as an individual entity. Delta Sigma Theta Inc. or Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. means they act as an individual organization and own the rights to their name, symbols, etc. They can expand to other regions, etc. Once you own the rights, you may see another use your name, but it will never be incorporated or expanded.

I don't understand why the "inc." is necessary though. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/confused.gif The Panhellenic Conference sororities don't have "inc." after their names, but they have expanded to other campuses and I am sure that their names are copyrighted as well.

Any budding intellectual-property lawyers out there?

Incorporation is necessary when you want to keep things (rules & regulations, policies & procedures, etc.) the same through the entire body. I don't remember which forum I read it on, but somewhere on this board, someone asked how other groups kept things uniform within the sorority/fraternity. Incorporation helps with this.

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Kelli
12-DN-94
SSU c/o 1997
something we all should see: http://www.seestudio.com/psa.html

Kelli, I thought that the Panhellenic sororities did have everything pretty well uniform across all their chapters. I think if they were to risk deviating from rituals, rules, regulations, etc., they would likely have their charter revoked.

Hhhmmm...I still don't know why the "inc." is there (sorry...I honestly don't)
I'll hunt around on some of the forums that you mentioned and see if I can find it.

I can't speak for NPC sisterhoods. But I believe most organizations have some form of Articles of Incorporation. Our small national organization makes mention of Articles of Incorporation - although i've never seen a copy of the document.

From what I understood in addition to the uniformity and establishment rights with Incorporation, I believe isn't it also to some degree for legal/tax reasons. Fraternities and Sororities function as non-profit organizations. And I think a national organization has to have some legal binding such as incorporation to function as such. Also i'm sure some other legalize exists.

Hilton,

You said: "I think if they were to risk deviating from rituals, rules, regulations, etc., they would likely have their charter revoked."

Exactly my point. When you change things vital to the Sorority, without the general consent of the main body, you fail to be a part of the main body, as AKAtude mentiond earlier.

*****

As far as the incorporation thing, I don't know what else you want to know. The reasons stated are why companies/organizations incorporate.

Are you asking why the letters "Inc" themselves are necessary? If you are, the answer is because it's required. An incorporated entity's name has to have a suffix. It's either "Inc." or "Incorporated" or "CORP" or "LLC" or "PA" or "PC" depending on what the company chooses. It is part of the corporation's legal name. (I'm glad to see my business degree is not completely going to waste http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif )

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Kelli
12-DN-94
SSU c/o 1997
something we all should see: http://www.seestudio.com/psa.html

[This message has been edited by 12dn94dst (edited June 22, 2000).]

Yes, there are several BGLO's that are not incorporated, none of them are members of the NPHC though.

Thank GOD for those changes *smile*...huh Sorors!

B.R.

AKAtude are an old SOC head?



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"I AM the Game!"