I understand how debt collectors work. I was thinking more of the internal administrative costs to track these debts. Anyway, you are right it is not the ideal way out.

If a member is going to end up owing 2 or more semesters worth of dues, it certainly could be. Of course, who knows how many times an organization feels it's worth it to get the money back.

Ah sorry. I don't know how difficult it is to track that, depends on what software the HQs use in the end. (As it would typically go out of the chapter's hands at some point.) But I wonder if at least part of the issue is that the sorority requires the member be caught up on all dues and debts before allowing withdrawal. So they refuse permission to leave, and then the person doesn't want to pay and it spirals from there :-/