Because sh*t happens during freshman year. Women drop out because of family circumstances. Women flunk out. Women drop out because of personal circumstances. Women transfer schools. (We're not changing the rules for them, either.)

Just because a woman leaves her chapter before the full 4 years is up, doesn't mean that a woman's sorority experience is wrecked. It just means it's going to be different than she imagined it. I bounced around a bit as an undergraduate. I only lived in my chapter's house for one semester. I was only there for 3 semesters. I still love my chapter and continue to participate in my sorority as an alumna.

Your daughter is now an alumna. She can make the best of it, or she can be bitter and miserable about it. Up to her. If I were her parent, though, I would encourage her to make the best of it and to get involved elsewhere on campus.

If it's THAT important, she can transfer schools to an active chapter that accepts affiliates. (Not all do. Depends on the campus.)

Just my 2 cents.

I think we all know what chapter the poster is talking about. I do wish that the sorority's officers had allowed the 62 member pledge class to continue as the active chapter and put the rest of the members on alumnae status. In my opinion, it is hardly fair to punish 62 new members for actions that older members committed over a year ago.

Off my soapbox.

It is a rotten situation and it's NOT fair. Sometimes you just have to roll with an unfair situation. The decision has been made. Nothing anyone says here is going to change it and there's a snowball's chance that the 1 NPC initiation per person rule is going to be changed. That rule exists for very good reasons.

I don't know what chapter this is.

And having seen the "let the pledges stay as the active chapter and kick the initares out" thing put into practice, I'll say that while it sounds good on paper, in reality probably all you're doing is postponing the closure another couple years. If nothing else, it makes their first experience with the sorority one of divided loyalties and that's a horrible foundation to build on.

ETA: I guess we're talking about Chi O at Penn State. In that case, I octuple my above assertion that LaneSig's idea wouldn't work.

^^ I understand and agree with both KDCat and 33girl's points. And, FWIW, I have stated this same opinion in the past with a couple of other closures. I can't help it; I'm a true Libra that wants everybody and situations balanced out.

I'm sure that the national office of this group did not take the closure lightly and probably has reasons that the public is not (and should not) be aware of.

Although they closed more than a decade ago, we have a chapter in a similar situation - freshly initiated members, but the chapter was closed.
The women still in college stayed together via the local alumnae group. They had sisterhood events, they had a formal, they hung out together, they wore their jerseys and badges on campus. No, it wasn't the same, but those girls stayed close - in fact, they were probably closer because they were all going through the same thing. They remain close now.

:confused:Chi O waits a semester before they initiate their new members.

Well said. Life is about what you make of it. In this situation the affected ladies made the best of a bad situation. We all have to make choices in life when dealt a bad set of cards. You can dwell on the fact that its not fair or right or whatever and allow dwelling on the situation to steal opportunities. Or you grieve the unfortunate situation, pick yourself and try and find a new path to fulfilling your goals.

Well they had 62 pledges and just got closed, so that fit. If it's not them maybe the mom will let us know who it is.

I believe that the OP said they were initiated in mid-November.

I think the OP and her daughter have a right to be upset, and grieve. I was a fifth year senior when the chapter I transferred to/affiliated with was closed to due to low numbers. I felt badly for the younger women who had initiated that year. I also felt guilty for recruiting new members, knowing the writing was probably on the wall as far as the chapter's future was concerned. I will never forget sitting in the living room, listening to our International President share the bad news. It was awful. At that stage in your life, you're not thinking about long term alumnae involvement. My little and and another young member transferred schools and affiliated elsewhere.

At our Convention in 2012, I spoke with our then-International President about it, and told her I was there. We both had tears in our eyes remembering this occasion...because that was the worst part of her position. Frankly, I don't think too many women who experienced this kind of thing go on to be super active alumnae. It never affected my commitment to the Sorority, but there's no way around it:

this situation really does suck.

When we had our last rush, we were straight up with the girls after they signed their bids that we were having some issues, and told them if they wanted out we'd release them then and there. That was our choice, not a directive from hq. If this was the Chi O chapter at Penn State (who does not have pre-freshman rush, it's delayed) as much as it sucks, I do have to kinda say caveat emptor.

One really big takeaway from this situation for all collegiate members is your headquarters is not kidding around where it comes to safety and public image. These are multimillion dollar corporations that are not going to be brought down by some entitled teenagers. And also that your stupid mistake can really snowball into screwing with people's lives who had nothing to do with causing the problem.

Another take-away: if you mess up in a big way, when the National headquarters tells you what you have to do to fix the situation, you don't argue with them. You do what they tell you to do.

This news article says that their National laid down some requirements for chapter members to fix the situation and many members declined to meet the requirements.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind..._sorority.html

What chapter or HQ wants to close a chapter? Its a crummy situation for all those involved regardless of reason. For those who are closed due to RMF issues it's still just as hard, but a small group of people going rouge can bring down the reputation of the larger group. Sadly in these situations the actions of a few does have a trickle down effect for those who are caught in the cross-fire.