Good and good luck. ;)

Actually, Beta Theta Pi does post our Code and Governance documents on the national website. These documents do contain definitions of status for undergraduate members and chapters. It does not, however, give a specific list of things to do in order to reach a certain status; in this case, termination of membership.

I do agree with the majority that such questions can easily be answered by a member of the person's chapter or administrative officers. A quick search of LXA's website yielded this:

Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity
8741 Founders Road
Indianapolis, Indiana 46268-1389
Phone: (317) 872-8000
1-800-209-6837
Fax: (317) 875-3828
Email: headquarters@lambdachi.org

Technically you can drop your letters, but you will be frowned upon by all greek life. You're technically are allowed to, but no fraternity will take you...

Actually you technically aren't allowed to renounce membership in your fraternity in most cases.

:confused: That doesn't make sense. If someone doesn't want to remain a member of the fraternity, why on Earth would that fraternity want to keep him around?

I doubt the "first" fraternity would want him. I took Psi U MC Vito's post to mean that a member can not simply state "I am no longer an ABC" and be done with it. The IHQ would have to formally (legally) terminate his membership for it to be fact.

Yeah that's exactly what I meant. And alot of IHQ's wouldn't be willing to grant it.

OK, that makes much more sense.

Are you saying that I/HQs would prefer to keep a member who no longer wants to be affiliated with the organization? My experience has shown that they'd be happy to trim the fat.

I'm just an undergrad so i have no idea how IHQ would react. But personally I can see them requiring you to keep up with all your obligations to the fraternity, including financial. I know that during the pledge process my chapter emphasizes that membership is for life, not just four years, and no turning back after youo are initiated. Just my opinion though.

You initially spoke so definitively, Psi U.

Now you're conceding the point as the personal opinion of an undergrad whose chapter taught him that membership is for life. I thought you were atleast telling us how your org's IHQ handles disaffiliation. Guess not.

The general rule is that no organization can make members honor their life commitment, when it comes to this topic. Policies differ but quite a few orgs would rather give you a "pep talk" to see where your heart is and then, if that fails, go through the necessary steps to show you the door. There's a great deal of necessary housekeeping when folks disaffiliate. My personal opinions of NPHCers who want to disaffiliate aside, I tell those sucky NPHCers who I encounter to contact NHQ if they are drifting from inactive status to wanting to disaffiliate/depledge. Don't just put your ritual and other info on the front porch for the mailperson to pick up.

seersucker,

I hope our talk did some good.

Either way you decide, I wish you nothing but the best.

There's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Locals and/or I/natls may work hard to change a person's mind, including red tape, paperwork and dragging their feet. But in the end if someone is dead set on resigning there is nothing that can be done to prevent it leaving no obligations on either side.

Just because someone decides they no longer want to live in their current apartment does not mean they can disregard the lease. They may still have to fulfill their legal obligations (i.e. rent).

It seems that if there are financial obligations, IHQ and/or the chapter would have similar legal grounds to go after the guy. If the guy was simply allowed to turn in his pin and quit - without some sort of legal termination by IHQ - then it seems like he might be able to claim he no longer is responsible for any money owed. Simply because he is no longer a member.

Now if IHQ and/or the chapter elects to forgo any of the obligations (i.e. write-off the financial obligation) just to be rid of the guy (i.e. trim the fat), then there are no obligations on either side. And frankly, I would venture to guess that as long as there isn't a lot of money involved, the guy would be cut loose.

It's never not funny when people make these kinds of announcements. :)

Yeah, but what Psi_U seemed to be saying is that the fraternities will not terminate someone on a national level and therefore he is still bound to his financial obliagations. I don't think that is true.

This isn't the Mafia. If someone wants to formally surrender their membership in an organization they can't be "made" to stay - if they request this several times and the NO refuses to remove them from the rolls, that is the NO's issue.