I didn't know you could be in an NPC and join a local, let alone two. Are there any rules against this?

In Sigma Nu if you have ever been initiated into another fraternity -- NIC (or I'm sure in most chapters any other NIC social-type) then you are not eligible to be initiated into Sigma Nu. Has it happened? I'm sure it has. They'd have to lie to get in but that doesn't stop a lot of people. I guess you could say they would never truely be Sigma Nu's.. At least they would be on paper.

From what she told me, you can be in however many local whatevers you wish, as long as they don't have any agreement between them that you could only be in one (kind of like all the NPC sororities). As for the NPC, it only states you cannot join another NPC sorority. I believe the reason she was in so many was because she transferred schools like 4 times.

A little background on this chapter. Back when I was in school, 1992-93 let's say, this group was LXA. Then, LXA revoked their charter for a big party bust, and the group when AXL (original!). After about 2-3 years of that, the group was taken on by ACACIA. They lost their charter in 1999 from ACACIA for numerous reasons, as you read.

As a former student at this university, I can tell you with all honesty that there are SO MANY groups like this. Fraternities go in and out of there like a revolving door. ACACIA isn't the only group on campus that does this...Pi Kappa Phi and Alpha Sigma Phi do it too. Theta Chi did it for awhile, then they went local, and now Alpha Tau Omega picked them up.

33, that website address is that of a current student, and the University doesn't regulate what individual students post, so that's why the site is still up there.

Kat,

I suppose the question here is whether any single member was ever a member of both LXA and Acacia (or whichever two groups you want to choose), or whether the different fraternities chartered a group with a common lineage. Does that make sense?

In other words, had all of the LXA brothers graduated before the decendents of the group became Acacia, etc.?

Yes, no brothers of Acacia were LXA too. They were local for a few years, so all the LXA's had graduated before ACACIA took them on. But the LXAs started the whole thing (LXA/AXL/ACACIA) and when they have homecoming and alum events, the LXA men go to ACACIA.

Thanks Kat,

That makes more sense -- and feels a lot better -- than thinking there were people out there with memberships of two NIC fraternities. Although I know that there have been "mergers" in the past which could have made that possible. I see this case as different however. Somehow.

Although I'm not sure how I'd defend that feeling.

NIC, just like NPC, forbids people who have joined a member organization from ever under any circumstances joining a second member organization.

I agree with what was said earlier -- if the guys were simply turned into alumni, and happen to still be wearing their letters, then fine. Leave them alone.

ON THE OTHER HAND -- if they're still operating as a NIC Fraternity, just without the rules of NIC -- that's not cool at all.

Can anyone confirm either way?

While that might be an actual rule, I dont know how strictly the "ever, under any circumstances," part is enforced.

There are honorary memberships that take place as alumni, and its with the consent of both orgs. Example, Chuck Psyser was initiated as an Undergratue member of Delta Tau Delta, and was initiated years later as a faculty advisor at the University of the South as a Lambda Chi. He now serves as Lambda Chi's official Historian. I asked him about this in 1995 and he told me that it was done by approval of both orgs, with the understanding that, "while he was with one group, he would not discuss the secrets of the other group."

I would imagine that some of our groups would not be opposed to this situation if there was some compelling reason to doing it, financial, or emotional, for example: a man was initiated as a Sigma Chi and his son was an ATO pledge and died before intiation, and ATO wanted to initiate dad as an honor to the son. That stuff is prolly more common than we know about because most of us might be uncomfortable with the knowledge that some people had dual memberships. I can even remember hearing of one of the NPC groups who had initiated a man who had been instramental to their founding. I believe in reality its not that big of a deal.

I would rather have a man who was initiated as a Sig Ep who had helped out our chapter and been very concerned with our chapter and devoted time, energy and money to it become an honorary member of my org than some punk ass 18 year old who might tell his gf stuff about rit, or get initiated, loose interest and ghost, or even have to expell a member for conduct unbecoming. Wouldnt you? Its not so black and white... especially at the Headquarters level of ops.

Now, why I dont agree withthe following, its not out of the realm of possibility. I also dont know how isolated of an occurence it is, but I have I have heard of fraternitiy chapters letting their housemoms watch ritual. (no, this isnt about my chapter...we dont have houses at my school) I once had an NIC consultant tell me when he was a consultant for XXX fraternity he was conducting a scheduled chapter visit at a large school in texas, and his visit happened to coinside with their ritual performance. While preparing to watch ritual with the undergrad memebers, they brought their housemom down to watch. He was like, "WTF?" and they told him shed been watching for years. He made her leave, but I'd bet my next paycheck that she was back at the next ritual performance...and at the request of the undergrads.


Just some things to think about

HotDamn, they are still functioning as if they were an NIC fraternity; they have recruitment, mixers, philanthropy, new members, the whole nine yards!

lifesaver:

As far as the examples you described, IMO that is what honorary memberships and recognitions are for. For example, ASA has a Mother Patroness award. If, say, a DG served as a chapter advisor for years for one of our chapters, we could give her this award and it would be fine. Same with a male - only we could give him our Phoenix Recognition (I don't think guys would be too thrilled to be Mother Patroness).

I think things like this should be available in every org, if they're not already.

Right, but as in the case for my org, an honorary membership requires the honoree to attend a ritual perofrmance. They arent a member unless they witness a ritual. Honorary or otherwise. Do yall have a ceremony for the Phoenix men? Does the chapter advisor getting the Patroness award go through your ritual? Thats what I am talking about, because thats what Euopolis referd to, the NAIC rule about "NIC, just like NPC, forbids people who have joined a member organization from ever under any circumstances joining a second member organization." I mean technically they arent "joining" but are being asked to join and its honorary, vs. sought after membership.

I was just wondering. Because I know some groups have no honary memberships. I think I saw on here Sigma Nu has none.

Nope. Although we do initiate brothers as alums from time to time.. An advisor for example that has been very dedicated. But they are full initiates in the same sense that we are. They pay initiate dues (or have them paid by the chapter) the same as anyone else.

They get a regular badge number and everything though so they are not in any way "honorary".

Yeah, same thing for us. Maybe its KA. I dunno. I do remember it being one of the traditionally "southern" fraternities.

We still call it an "honorary initiation.' Like if it was a bros dad or someone not connected withthe university.

Its called a "faculty initiation" if its someeone connected to the univ.

My chapter has done two such "faculty initiations" since 96. Both well respectd brothers who have done a tremendous amount of work for the chapter.