I agree that what's good for one should be good for all. My comment was just a reaction to a DWI being "minor" not to the OP's conundrum. lol

If you're young and it's your first time you've ever been in trouble, chances are you won't have your license suspended and you'll have community service/probation. But if you're ever cited for underage drinking while under probation, you're going to get the book thrown at you. This means you're really going to have to stay sober during rush and your first months at college. If you get into trouble you're going to get destroyed in court.

I knew someone who had an underage OVI (what they call them in Ohio) and he had to pay a fine and be on probation for a year or two. Judge said if he was caught underage drinking he would face the maximum the judge could impose. Needless to say my friend stayed out of trouble and DD'd a ton.

Most people I know in my state who haven't gotten arrested before have had color-code (call in daily and if your color is called you go get tested), fines, a 90 license suspension and an education course. So here it would be a big deal...and I'm not downplaying it because drinking and driving is, of course, a big deal period, but I know enough people who have gotten one to think that it's not all that uncommon.

To me minor would be an MIP/MIC.

To the OP just make sure you DO NOT DRINK or do anything else illegal while you're on probation. If they go easy on you now, and they probably will, they will NOT if you mess up again. I know you won't be able to DD if you get a bid, but there are other ways to be useful as the sober person at a party. Just let them know you'll do your part and stay out of trouble.

Yes, pledging or being a member. What level of conviction could be grounds for not granting a bid, or even suspending/expelling a member? (If that's private, that's fine).

Let's say such a person was at a party (where there is drinking), and the party gets busted. Do the cops give breathalyzer tests to all the underage people?

I know of someone who did the maximum worst thing they could possibly do legally and not receive prison time(in some states, they would seriously be looking at three years of hard time). They were not kicked out due to their membership. However, as a pledge, the toleration is much lower and they would have been kicked out certainly. (p.s. the person miiiiiight have been me)

Getting a bid, it's almost a matter of whether or not the fraternity hears about it (and to some degree, even while pledging). As far as I can recall, we don't do a criminal background check on these guys.

I've been at two parties where cops checked IDs and then breathalyzed all the underage people. I was of age both times, but a few friends of mine got to spend the night in jail.

I know we never did background checks. Maybe national office does after the info is turned in, but in 8 years as an active/advisor I never heard of anyone having their pledgeship revoked over a misdemeanor offense- DWI included- and I knew of more than one situation where a pledge got a DWI (not my chapter necessarily.)

I see two issues here worth considering nathan55, and in offering the below advice I am not making any assumptions about what your drinking plans are going to be in the near future. There are plenty of guys in fraternities who do not drink for a variety of reasons, and pledging does not- in my experience and opinion- encourage or force drinking. GDIs off at college for the first time are just as prone to getting themselves in trouble, so on that score you will determine your own fate whether you rush or not.

1. Waiting to spring or next fall is going to really hurt your options when it comes to rush. Besides, at big southern schools you really want to pledge in the fall during football season. Spring pledging is just not the same. On this score, if your parents are okay with it- yes, rush.

2. The legal considerations. Much good advice so far. One more thing for you to check out- and might be worth talking to your attorney about this. It varies by state and probably by the nature of the offense- but I am aware of situations where probation terms include language where the person on probation agrees to not associate with other individuals breaking the law- especially in ways pertinent to the offense for which that individual is serving probation in the first place.

What you need to find out is how much at risk you are if you are sober at a party where other underage people are drinking and that party gets busted with someone checking your ID and running it through the system since they are doing a rundown on everyone there, not just the drunk ones- just to give an example. Low chances of trouble? I would guess so. But if something like that could happen, best you find out now what it could mean for you.

With regard to background checks, I actually do run limited public records background checks of everyone who accepts a bid with my chapter. (I am the chapter advisor) 99% of the time, that's churned up nothing. In one case, a prospective member had an arson conviction, so you never know.

As far as Nathan's situation, your business is your business. If they don't ask, don't tell. If a kid in my chapter had this issue and hadn't made the chapter aware, I wouldn't see it as a huge problem, but I'd probably speak to his marshal (pledge trainer), make sure he addressed it, then expect it not to be a problem.

At the risk one of the men in my chapter read this, a first DUI/DWI conviction in most states is no big deal from a criminal standpoint. It's financially costly, but the penalties typically only include a possibly suspended driver's license; potentially having to have an interlock device installed on your vehicle; definitely going to drug/alcohol assessment and victims' impact panels; paying of various fees to various entities and of course, my personal favorite, attorney's fees. From a Greek organization's standpoint, it varies. I know sororities at my alma mater would expel members simply for being arrested (regardless of whether a conviction occurred). On the other hand, fraternities (in my limited experience) tend to look the other way for things like MIP, public intox and social host arrests.

As far as offering you specific advice with regard to your legal situation, presumably you have a lawyer who you've paid a flat rate retainer fee to and his services should include relevant legal advice tailored to your situation. You shouldn't be bashful about calling him/her up and explaining the situation and asking for specific advice as to how the terms of your suspended sentence/probation/whatever would relate to your pledging a fraternity.

Expelled just for being arrested?:eek: I don't think I've heard of a sorority doing that on my campus...or a lot of people would've been kicked to the curb.

Seems like there was thread a few years ago from a sorority member that happened to. IIR, she was trying to figure out how to appeal/get reinstated.

ETA: Found it, though that story takes some turns.

Meh that's different, her chapter was already in trouble for alcohol violations, unfortunate timing, but that actually makes sense to me.

But damn, I think expelling a member just for being arrested (or even convicted if it's a minor charge, like MIP/MIC etc.) is way too harsh.

Yeah, it was somewhat different (and a bit crazy), but still expulsion just for getting arrested apparently was possible.

I bet it's possible for a lot of organizations, if the standards for expulsion arent' extremely specific but eesh. Glad my campus is a little more laid back, or our Greek community would have lost some good leaders that made one mistake at 18.

Let me qualify by saying that's hearsay, but it is from a credible source.

It varies. At my school, no one ever got brethalyzed at a busted party, people were all told to scram. But I was in a big city that had real crimes happening.

From what I've seen at U of I and OSU, it varies from officer to officer. But if he did get brethalyzed, the officer most likely would give him an underage citation (which when it gets processed, will reveal his status).

If I was in this situation I'd play it very safe.