Excellent post!

@ alphagamzetagam: It's not about jumping all over alum that don't financially support. It's more important to look at the fact that when you [in the general sense, not specific] were desiring to be a member of your org, you found a way to get that money together to become a member. It's possible to continue to find the money and time now that you are on the official membership rolls for XYZ.

In some cases, it really is a matter of being a brand new grown-up with your degree in hand but not the best paying job. In the case of my sister-in-law, she really does not give back to the org, but she's an executive-turned-stay-at-home mom pushing a beautiful Yukon XL with XYZ on the front and back. She and her two daughters carry beautiful handbags, and they stay fly in every way. She will tell you XYZ hasn't received a membership check from her in years. So, how can you proudly flaunt your membership to others when you "can't" support that national organization with your much needed membership dues? It's akin to pimping your letters. :mad:

At least in your case, you support activities and actually serve the community. I know a "seasoned" soror who did the same thing when she couldn't afford the dues. It happens, but you shouldn't stop supporting your org all together just because life happens.

I don't know, I'd just rather not feel like a "money train" when money is a resource I don't have much of (and I don't believe in skimping on food just so I can pay alumnae dues), while I have plenty of time that I can donate. I'd rather spend that money on food, school supplies, classes, paying student loans, rent, car insurance, gas, etc, and if I want to go out to dinner or to get a drink one night a month, then I want to go out one night a month. A person cannot be expected to completely cut out a healthy social life in order to pay alumni dues. When I can live comfortably enough to have an extra hundred dollars or so a month, then I'll start sending in dues. When I can't, or I have to make extra sacrifices in order to be able to pay them, I'm not going to pay them. It's not like I live a super glamerous life (I've never even touched a designer handbag or designer pair of shoes in my life), but I'm not cutting out getting a new suit so I can go on interviews or going out to dinner with a close friend just so I can pay dues.

I think you're not getting my point though, it's not like I'm going out and buying a whole bunch of alpha gam stuff to wear or put on my car. I have the same sticker I recieved when I got my sister-mother. I wear the same sweatshirt I bought when I was a sophomore, the same jacket, the same t-shirts, bid day t-shirts, and most anything that I've got that's got letters or Alpha Gamma Delta written on it was either A. Part of a purchasing project through the chapter, which gives better rates on paraphenalia, B. something I bought shortly after my initiation, C. something that was given to me. I don't even have much of anything after passing everything down to my sister-daughter and granddaughter.

I just don't see how alumni that don't donate every year or pay alumni dues should be judged for wearing letters, especially if those judging them have no idea where they got those lettered items. Pride is pride. It's free advertisement, no matter what way you slice it, no matter if it's good or bad. Hopefully, it's good.

Wow: is it the expectation that you pay as much as an alumna as you do as an undergraduate? That does show a serious life-long committment.

Do any of NPC groups have that expectation? Mine doesn't seem to. You are encouraged to give, and some ladies do get recognized for giving large amounts.

When I was an undergrad, I was at a campus where we had big houses, so I think the dues were a lot higher than they would have been at a chapter that lived on a dorm floor.


(I think that if I were paying in annual dues what the girls at my chapter do today, it'd be more than 1,000 a year ( maybe not, though, I don't know). If you all are paying that at the alum level, and that's just be be in good standing, I salute you!)

Ours are actually ridiculously low, you have nothing to worry about and they are not mandatory to remain in good standing.

Thanks!
 

I'm afraid of being accused of being completely out of touch with my group again, as I was in a different thread.

I knew that our alumnae dues are super affordable; that's part of what amazed me that in some orgs. you might pay what you did as an undergrad.

Good Lord in heaven - I have found my soul mate :cool: If only I had more room in my siggy to put this!! Alas, my proclamation to the world that:

HAIR TRANSPLANTS ARE THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE!

takes up too much space :(

DSTChaos - you are really making my week here in GC land :p

We're all adults and it really boils down to choices.

People either make it happen or they don't. You chose to fly in this thread and defend something that may or may not have pertained to your situation. Just like you choose to not make extra sacrifices to pay your dues. Everyone has an excuse or an explanation. Just don't be a "I will pay dues when I have the money" type person for longer than you know is excusable.

We didn't miss your point but you certainly missed ours if this is what you choose to spend your time explaining to us. Own as much of your organization's paraphernalia as you choose. We aren't so much fixated on that as we are with people understanding that we have enough walking billboards. So, no, we don't feel the need to form a cheer squad around your displays of pride and advertisement if spirit fingers are all your organization will have to show for it. ;)

You are simply marvelous!

You're choosing to ignore the fact that I'm presenting the other side of the issue, which is just as fair as presenting the idea that fewer people need to be blowing cash on t-shirts and investing themselves in their organization. I'm just presenting the idea that maybe not everyone who wears letters is actively choosing to not give anything back to their organization. You may know people like that, but certainly not everyone does that. Otherwise, there would be no alumnae dues in the first place, because organizations would realize that they can't collect.

You're also choosing to reject the idea that maybe I can get your point without your snarky bolding the word you're repeating over and over in your post. If you're going to point out that we're all adults, please remember that you're taking the debate to a childish level by adding in snark.

I contribute when I can and how I can.

We all took the same vows, just different words.

Yeah they are all actively choosing to not give anything back. Everyone simply has different explanations and excuses for their choices. You stated yours.

If that's what you gathered from that, oh well.

Holy moly, look what I started!

As I said earlier, I have some old, falling apart letter sweatshirts that I wear at home. I am joining my alum chapter, so I figured this was a good chance as any to get something new.

The funny thing is, the sweatshirts themselves started falling apart, but the sewn letters are still 100% intact!

And sometimes there isn't a nearby Alumna chapter. I live in one city, go to school in another and joined an alum chapter in a third. I'll probably not be able to go to most of the events :(

At the same time, I made the effort and helped out with recruitment with the alum chapter. But if I'd been employed at the time (or had more family obligations) I would probably be SOL. So, sometimes you can put in your time, and sometimes there's not much of an opportunity to.

What?

Snaps!

There is no free advertisement. Somebody paid for the shirts.

And everything that's free isn't good because if you think about it, a hazing trial and/or lawsuit is also free advertising. :rolleyes:

But back to the point, maybe NPC and NPHC sororities are different in this area. As an NPHC sorority woman, it's irksome to have someone get their letters and never be seen at a chapter meeting handling sorority business, but you will see her at every step show or picnic. Being Greek is fun, but there's business to take care of. So, for me, my sorority is a sisterhood that I value and cherish, and we hope to instill this in members. We also hope to instill that the sorority is not a status symbol to sport across a t-shirt when it's convenient and "cute". I'm asking a real question when I ask if circumstances are that different for NPC sororities. Seriously.

Maybe there's much more to this than I or DSTCHAOS are willing to put out there, but being an inactive alumnae soror is not so "cute" as the years roll by.

Take your old letter shirts to the Greek store. They can transfer the nice letters to a new t-shirt, usually for only a few dollars more than the price of the shirt. I have done this with my first set of letters.

I didn't know this was possible. Not like I have more than 1 "lettered shirt," but it's something to keep in mind. Thanks! :D

I think that this is another NPC/NPHC difference. NPC members do not necessarily have to pay alumnae dues to remain in good standing with the org (as I've gathered NPHC members do). Some NPC groups actually have a lifetime alumnae fee that is paid shortly after initiation.

Everyone's got different types of alumnae dues structures. You also have to consider that there's much more difference between the way an NPC collegiate chapter runs and an NPC alum chapter, then there is between an NPHC collegiate chapter and an NPHC graduate chapter. (Apologies for the clunkiest sentence ever)

I hope this makes sense, I wanted to keep it kind of general. :)

Some NPCs only pay dues if they're part of an alum chapter. This depends on location and availability as well. Even in cities where there are many alums, there isn't always a chapter due to the issues involved in starting one and scheduling conflicts.

It's cold today, so I'm wearing an ASA sweatshirt (grey with purple letters).

I so wanted to wear mine, but no sweatshirts at work. :(

In Sigma Kappa you only pay dues if you belong to an alumnae chapter. I'm hoping we take a cue from the other sororities that are now doing life membership and start a program like that. I think it would be great. I'm a member of a fairly large alumnae group (80 members) and our dues are only $30 a year plus any donations we would like to make to various areas.

Ours are like $40 a year and the first year as an alum is free for all Sigma Kappas.

A lifetime membership would be nice on one hand, but on the other, alum chapters need the operating funds as well, and 40 dollars a year isn't exactly going to kill me. (Not that I have ANY money now, but you know, in general)

Q-? and just what is the condition that you are refering to?

I agree with everything else you posted.

Being slow and jumping the gun because of it.

I constantly wear my lavalier around my neck with my cross. I also have a KD dagger ring that I have not taken off since I got it as a sophmore in college. so it's been about four years.

I kept some of the t-shirts from my senior year that I loved and wear them on occasion. I also have one or two lettered s hirts as well as my fiance's letters. I wear them a lot to class because they're so comfy. I also carry my books in a black tote bag with my letters stitched on them.

I never wore them when I was in school and don't now. At my university, only the 'third world' houses wore letters. It drove the folks from National nuts that we wouldn't wear them--they seemed to think they were running a franchise and every chapter had to be the same everywhere.

Several years ago, a fraternity brother happened to be a professor at a school in the town in which I was living and he asked me to be an alumnus advisor to the chapter, which was relatively new. During that period I wore the letters at events and meetings or a lapel pin, but it never felt comfortable.

Is anyone else as lost as I am? I can't begin to understand not wearing letters at any point, especially as a neophyte.

Different traditions at different schools, I guess. We wore pledge pins, but only at the house for cleanup, etc. (never at parties). We wore pins when folks from National came by, but that was it.

Like I said, it was not common at my school.

"Third World"? :confused:

Sounds a bit elitist to me...

I have a hat I wear occasionally. My ring is the main thing I wear though.

I still wear my letters anywhere and everywhere. It's my right to wear them and I am proud of them and what they stand for. I do have a few t-shirts that I think I am going to have to retire soon as my 4 year old son is starting to read! :D HAHA

KIM :-)

Uh, most fraternities are by nature elitist. There are some schools that force them to accept everyone and some houses that are forced to do the same because of lack of rushees. That is the exception, not the rule (just look at the threads about rush, especially the sorority ones). Not all houses have a one ball system (mine does) but very few hold a cattle call during rush.

The Grip--what you are descibing is selective. Elitist is something else--whereby you think you are better than others.

I've heard of making a point of NOT wearing letters, it's a sort of reverse snobbism. IMO it's just as bad as wearing your letters every single day just to shove "I am Greek" in everyone's face.

LOL "one ball system."

I think the only time I wear Sigma Nu anything anymore is either when I'm at the gym (I have a bunch of old fraternity T's) or when I'm dressed down and don't plan on going out in public. I have an old Sigma Nu polo that I'll whip out on homecoming or at some sort of advisory thing if I do that, but otherwise, the only way you'd know my greekness/affiliation is by my membership certificate which is displayed on the ego wall in my office.

I can't say why that is the tradition, but I don't think it is 'reverse snobbism'. I suspect that it is a fairly old and relatively small school that predated most fraternities. Many of the houses that are strong there are very small nationally and many were local societies before affiliating nationally. There are also many other social organizations that have members from many houses (and independents). I can't really say (and that isn't the only unique tradition), but I do not think it is anything other than local tradition.

In any case, I am not trying to justify it--just pointed out something a little different. It is interesting that I was attacked for it and accused of being an elitist snob just because it doesn't fit into what everyone's idea of what a fraternity should do.

People were not attacking you because you don't wear letters....they were questioning your commentary about "third world" groups wearing them, and calling that elitist.

I wear all sorts of letters.

http://www.wilton.com/images/recipes...habetparty.jpg