If a new member is going to be destructive to a chapter, I think that it is a valid reason to depledge them. If someone is so troublesome, I suggest you contact your advisor and Headquarters immediately.

Back to the topic at hand, I am not sure of how this new member was rude to one of your initiated sisters. If she asked about not going to the second floor of a fraternity house, I think it is a legitimate question and an opportunity for the chapter to open a dialogue as ilovemyglo illustrated. If there is something more serious about her conduct, discuss it with the NM educator/trainer and her big sister. Good luck!

I am not sure of the exact procedures of things.. but I know of an incidence...

we had a new member who was not working out and instead of de-pledging her we told her that we did not feel like at this time so she could be initiated (not sure of the exact wording). SHe was told that she could continue as a new member and go through the new member process with the next class. She ended up deciding it wasnt for her after conversations i believe...


I feel that the week process is not long enough to see someone's true colors. I feel that if you find out that the girl will only cause problems in the future she should not be iniated. I think go through with it will only cause more problems. Each member has a responsibilty to live up to the standards of the sorority and I dont feel like it is to much to ask for..


just my opinion

Why do you have a rule you're not allowed on the second floor? That's where my room is! :D

Yay 3 year old bump.

Most sororities frown upon their members doing the walk of shame in the morning.

And most fraternity members adore it.

I'm not completely up on the rules of 2006, but I know we definitely depledged women (or urged them to depledge) who would NOT fit in with our sisterhood. Just off the top of my head, I can think of three.

When I was in school, a PNM didn't just have to be voted on to become a New Member, but also to be initiated, too. Is that the same?

No. At least, not for us. If we offer her a bid, the only way she's not going to be initiated is if she drops on her own free will. Though its probably POSSIBLE, I doubt it's likely in a 5-8 week period that someone would do something so bad that we would follow the process we would have to follow to suspend an initiated member - via chapter vote, advisor recommendation or Area facilitator recommendation, etc.

We've never had to vote on a NM being initiated, but two ways she wouldn't be initiated is if she didn't pass her written test or if she didn't take care of her financial obligations. I've never seen a NM NOT pass her test, but I've seen girls held over/dropped because they couldn't pay fees.

Remember, these/this person was offered a bid, not a guarentee that they will be Sisters.

If there is a problem with an individual, then get rid of her asap.

If not, you will have more problems than you want.

This is a bigger organization than just a new person, they do not control the whole.

nope.

My chapter cancelled two new uninitiated members when I was in school. There was a third who came very close, was held over, initiated, and then the following semester had to be cancelled. I understand that sometimes girls we don't feel are a fit slip through, but in a way I am glad we can't arbitrarily cancel members without due process. I think the bad seeds have a way of causing hell and then "weeding" themselves out. Members like that don't tend to last very long.

You'd put all the votes in a box and (depending on the rules) if even one was a no then said pledge would be dropped. But the vote was anonymous that way. At least this is how I understand it.

I've seen it in the movies-- each member has one white ball and one black ball. As new members names come up for voting, each member slips a ball into the box as it goes around the room. White is pro, Back is con. If there's a black ball, the pledge's membership is terminated.

I'm sure everyone does it differently-- ie: number of black balls needed to depledge, etc.

Allow me to consult my scholarly sources...

Taken literally, blackballing is where you can either put a white marble (or no marble) in a box as a "yes" vote for a member of an org. to get in/initiate. If one person drops a black marble in the box, that person is considered "blackballed" and is not allowed membership/initiation. It's an anonymous voting procedure.

And let me just say, I hope that Sweet Valley High #4 -- "Power Play" stands up not only as the seminal work of literature for our generation, but as the main reference for anything and everything sorority related.