AOII has a NM exam which is required for initiation, but then again, we have a Membership education exam every year that initiated sisters must pass. All NMs and initiated members, therefore, must show proficiency with AOII history, policies, etc. It's the way we do it. If Kappa and other NPC groups don't want to test their NMs, they don't have to. I think that I would have known my history with or without a test, and I know for a fact that there are AOIIs out there with no knowledge of AOII facts despite the yearly test. It makes us feel like we are doing something...maybe we're getting to those in the middle who may not have learned it without the test, but there's that group that just doesn't care.

We did that too. I think everyone always missed a national council member or two (the title, not who was holding it at the time) no matter how many times you took the thing.

I look at this kind of the same way as I look at history courses in school - kids 40-50 years ago had to memorize dates almost like basic addition and subtraction facts, without understanding the "why" behind it. So everyone overreacted and said no more memorizing dates. Now we have a generation of kids who have no idea why 1066 or 1787 are important years. As with everything else in our society, the pendulum swings so damn far to the other side it causes whiplash. IMO sororities have hopped on the same train. I mean, we have FIVE founders - learning five names shouldn't be that much of a hardship.

1787 was the birth of the United States, but was was 1066? William the Conqueror?

My sorority does not allow new member tests either. We have a new member education meetings which members have to attend. They learn the history, facts, and all that good stuff. And I believe they must meet with the NMOC if they had to miss it so that they can be filled in on what they missed. But according to Alpha Xi Delta's Risk Management Policies "Quizzing or testing is not allowed as a component of the New Member Orientation Program". I personally don't know why that is, but it's probably for some of the reasons that others have mentioned; it could be considered as "singling out new members" (I know, I know, even though taking a test for initiation would mean that EVERYONE would have had to have taken it at some point in order to become a member) or that it's just close to other things that could be considered hazing, so they want to play it safe...I really have no idea.

I personally wouldn't mind seeing a new member test part of our program. I think it's important for all members to know the background of how their respective organization came to be, and what they stand for. But, at the same time, I honestly don't think that a new member test is going to make members remember the important information for the rest of their lives. It's kind of like my gen ed classes--I honestly did not care about the solar system, but I studied, passed and got a good grade. But if you gave me the test now, I'd probably flunk it.

So, I think you can do all the testing you want, but at the end of the day, its up to the brother/sister to actively chose to take to heart everything that they've learned about their organization.

This kind of surprises me......
Has a failed test never come up before? It kind of surprises me that they are "trying to figure out" what to do, when they should have had a plan in place already, in the event that someone is not successful in passing the test.

As for the rest of the thread, sure there is something to be said for learning and/or memorizing your GLO's history / founding, etc., but just as equally important is having the research skills in knowing how to track down this information. We all have access to the Internet but back in the "olden days" (i.e. pre 1996), we would have gone to something called a library. :)

OPA takes the more traditional approach to pledge education. I am baffled by the NPC sororities' designation of every new recruit as a new member, starting with the day they accept their bid! In OPA, our pledges are not considered members until they have completed their education period (and yes, it does include a standardized written test), completed the other pledge requirements (not surprisingly, with a strong emphasis on service project organization), and gone through the initiation ritual. Our pledge requirements are designed to help the pledges get practical experience in the skills that will make them a successful sister, and that includes basic knowledge about our history, org structure, and national policies.

What are the consequences if an AOII sister fails the exam? Presumably, the consequence of failing the exam for a new member is that you don't get initiated until you retake and pass...?

And this is why I loathed history. I was forced to memorize and recite whole lists of dates and names. B O R I N G. Math, on the other hand, makes sense. Whether the Declaration of Independence had been signed in 1776, in 1976, or not at all, two plus two would still equal four. History got a lot more interesting once I started tenth grade and history focused on the motivations behind people's actions, rather than rote memorization and recitation.

But I digress. <yoinks thread back onto rails>

In my day, all AEPhi new members were required to pass an exam to be initiated. The passing mark was 100%. The exam covered basic info - colors, flower, mascot, jewel, founding date and location, the names of the seven founders, and the names of the national officers at the time. If you failed, you could retake the exam an unlimited number of times - but you couldn't be initiated until you passed. A few of my sisters had to take the exam 3 or 4 times, but we never had an issue with anyone having her initiation delayed because she failed the exam.

To the OP... talk to your new member educator and your big, and see if you can't retake the exam.

When you're seriously ill, you can only do so much! Don't be hard on yourself, first and foremost. It's admirable of you to study hard even though you felt awful.

Talk to your new member educator. You'll probably be able to re-take it when you're feeling yourself.

This happened recently to one of my pledge brothers. She was pretty sick, was working part time and taking a full load of classes. I guess the exam got the best of her and she didn't pass. My organization allows a retake, and she got a great score the second time around.

My advice is to reach out to your sisters. They need to be there for you, but they can't know how you are feeling unless you tell them. Girl's night in, perhaps?

Stargazertechie - you need to get well, above all else. Swine flu + pneumonia = yikes! Sending you virtual chicken soup, hot tea with mesquite flower honey, fuzzy warm socks, and anything else that will bring you some comfort. Am willing to bet you get a "do over"; surely you are not the only person on campus who is ill? Somehow, I picture the Founders tucking you in and saying comforting words, and knowing that you'll master the information when you are in better health and spirits.

1066 was the Battle of Hastings, so indeed William the Conqueror would be a fitting answer.

As for the hazing discussion, I have read Kappa Alpha Theta's policy and I believe, but am not 100% positve, that it is very similar to Kappa Kappa Gamma's and to other policies discussed in this thread. One of my Theta sisters can surely speak to our policy, should one be so inclined.

(and totally off the topic, did anyone else see the full moon rise tonight? WOW!)

OK, to take this thread in a little tangent...I think that if there is anything a GLO should be able to test for it should be to test ACTIVES on information in the ritual.

Maybe I'm just a dork, but I was fascinated by our ritual and loved going over what everything symbolizes/means. But there were a few sisters in our chapter who literally would have a hard time paraphrasing what goes on in our ritual (!) let alone what the letters meant, etc. I feel it is the same for all Panhellenic and IFC GLOs...I feel like a lot of the members know what everything stands for, but there are always a couple in each chapter who seem to be happily and vocally oblivious to their secrets. That seems ridiculous to me.

That's ours too. They are all standardized, so every girl across the country takes the same exact test or quiz every year.

They are also allowed to retake said quizzes if they don't pass and only 50% correct is considered a pass.

I really like our system and I feel it works great for us....

We have twenty-seven! It was hard to do, but I am glad I learned it...

Actually I'm pretty sure there are some orgs where somebody from I/HQ comes around on a regular basis like once a term or so to test the chapter on ritual. That is in my opinion such a great idea.

27? Ouch that's a lot. We only have five. Then again I had to memorize the Name, School and year of founding of our entire chapter roll. There are 46 chapters and we don't go by the alphabet. That was fun.

Alpha Chi does have a initiation exam that is required to be passed for initiation. I believe passing is 75%. Every year, each and every sister in the chapter takes it- whether initiated or uninitiated. There are a unlimited number of retakes allowed, and I've yet to hear of anyone who hasn't been initiated on time because of it. The test is standardized nationally. Really, I don't think any of it was hazing- all the info is important to me, and I'm glad I know it.

when i pledged a national non-"major council" sorority my freshman year, it was like hell. we had tests everyone had to get 100% on or everyone had to retake it. it completely sucked when i had to do the founders names (think crazy long and hard to spell last names, and even first names in some cases) and we had cultural projects weekly that if one memeber didn't contribute to, an extra project would be added for everyone....

needless to say i dropped halfway through (not before my GPA dropped)