AOII did a very nice article a few years ago too. I also agree that many of our AIs have gone on to do good work for the Fraternity. Like AGD, AOII has had an AI become International President.

I think that an AI can bring great value to an alumnae chapter. If a women has a close tie to the chapter and is around pretty much anyway for open events, why not invite her to join if she meets or exceeds the qualifications? AIs that have joined my AC were not looking to relive college days. That's not what our AC is about. We concentrate on our roles as active alumnae and being about AOII's business and developing freindships.

Currently, we have AIs of Alabama, Southeastern La., and one soon-to-be of Ole Miss.

Quoting because it's so TRUE! :)

Expanding on this, I think it's interesting the lack of knowledge that us fraternity guys have on the subject. I had only heard of it in Kappa Sig for VERY specific circumstances: for example, a close relative (grandson I believe) of one of the fraternity's most important members was initiated as an alum. He had given a lot of time and money to the fraternity to that point. I can think of a couple other examples of people who gave an immense amount of their time to the fraternity in other capacities who were initiated.

I still can't completely wrap my head around the reasons for doing it, on either side of the coin, but I'll defer to think it should be left off the board (because of membership discussions, etc.).

Did I give the impression otherwise?
 

Right, I've mentioned before that I don't think I would respond to questions about AI. (I could, however, let her know that it exists for my group.) I'm not advocating random people speculate about AI for other groups, nor have I said anything in this thread that would indicate that I thought that was a good idea.

I just don't think having a sub-forum about the topic is harmful, and I think it's a little hypocritical for some folks who speak pretty freely on a variety of topics to want to shut down other people's conversations.

If you can point out cases where confidential policies were revealed, the moderators would take them down, I believe. If you think a crazy person is trying to get info about AIing your group, you can contact your IHQ and alert them. But taking away a sub-forum because you don't like the threads is lame.

Hmmm @ this and your signature. I guess that is acceptable to some.

I would wish you good luck, hope everything works out, congrats on the future, and all that good stuff. But you're typing like you have this in the bag.

Yeah, I have really never heard much about it. I know of several men who have been given special recognitions by various chapters of SAE, but I dunno if they were actually initiated or not. Barry Switzer is one that comes to mind.......I have heard from a couple people that he is an "honorary" initiate of Oklahoma Kappa........but I dunno if that is the same thing as an alumni initiation.

I can't speak for the other NPCs, but an AI into my organization is not an honorary member, as she receives all the same privileges and benefits entitled to members initiated as collegians. We don't have honorary members, period.

I believe that "honorary initiatiation" in a fraternity is essentially the same thing as NPC AI. I'm aware of a few men who have been honorary initiates of fraternities (usually they're famous or closely related to big shots in the fraternity) and they go through ritual and are afforded full rights of the brotherhood. This could be different for other groups, but as far as I've heard, all honorary fraternity initiates are considered members and wear the letters, badge and crest.

Please correct me if I'm wrong or if your group has a different kind of honorary initiate.

Honorary is by invitation-only just like some NPCers have said their AI is, however it is my understanding that for many organizations honoraries do not have to apply for membership, go through membership intake processes, or pay for initiation the exact same as a non-honorary does.

Honoraries still have all the same rights and responsibilities as non-honoraries but different procedures for membership.

Louisa May isn't some PNAM who is hoping to be a sister. She already knows the date of her initiation. She's basically a NM/pledge at this point. :D

Cool. :) Another culture difference between NPC and NPHC. We typically don't condone soon-to-be talk and prefer people come forward about their sorority affiliation after initiation. Because strange things happen, after initiation is the only time the person has it "in the bag."

You said it. Fraternities offer this kind of thing too- we do it in special circumstances- but it is an honor that comes to the benefactors, not the other way around. My fraternity has AIs whom we esteem and regard. The idea of someone campaigning for that honor is repugnant.

With sororities it is clear why there is more active pursuit of AI by adults who were never Greek- for various reasons a sorority affiliation has more social value after college than a fraternity membership. But that is all the more reason to not make public discussion of it.

I agree with you that there should not be an AI forum on any internet website. The notion of such a forum existing is contrary to what AI is all about. Anyone to whom it is offered will surely be provided with all the information they need to know.

Get beyond that at all and then you are dealing with people who have a motive to attain something that is intended to be an unexpected honor for those who never expected it to come their way.

I have never heard of it happening through the strong UT chapters except for house mothers and mothers of actives who did a lot of work for their daughter's sororities.

Seeing how socially important sorority membership is at UT, I am willing to bet the chapters have plenty of experience dealing with AI-seekers who have personal motives and pretty much blow them off.

Truth be told, until I came to GC I did not even have a clue that there were people who were able to sorority-shop and get themselves in as AIs.

My question is, what does it matter if there is a sub forum or not?

Anyone can come on this site and do a quick search to find that there are several GCers who are AIs.

Even without the AI forum, which I never read until all bickering started, I could deduct that ASA, ZTA, GPhiB, APhi, and ADPi ALL have some sort of AI as their are AI members from those sororities on this board. I would also think that GPhiB would be the easiest one to AI into because there are several members of GPhiB who are AIs. This may not be true, but this is what I would gather if I knew nothing a/b any of the sororities.