Two NPC questions
 

So I was just looking at IrishPipes wonderful Recruitment thread and noticed that one organization "was released to" another. I was wondering what are some reasons this happens and what exactly does this mean? Am I correct in assuming any initiated memembers of ABC org cannot become members of XYZ?

Also, I know the Panhellenic Compact states that "A woman who has had her pledge broken by an NPC fraternity, or who hasbroken her pledge to an NPC fraternity, may not be asked to join anotherNPC fraternity on the campus for one calendar year from the date she wasoriginally pledged." - can the university or local Panhellenic make any exceptions or is it a hard and fast rule.

Just curious & hope I posted in the right forum. Thanks in advance! :)

No, neither a university nor a local PH has the right to supercede a NPC Unanimous agreement - UA #III, item 4 & 6 both apply to your paragraph #2.

And item 1 of that UA states that "a woman who is or who has ever been an initiated member of an existing NPC fraternity shall not be eligible for membership in another NPC fraternity."

[QUOTE=TriDPrincess;1798336]So I was just looking at IrishPipes wonderful Recruitment thread and noticed that one organization "was released to" another. I was wondering what are some reasons this happens and what exactly does this mean? Am I correct in assuming any initiated memembers of ABC org cannot become members of XYZ?
QUOTE]

Okay, the "released to" situations in several cases took place in the 'teens of the 1900s. More specifically, some Sigma Sigma Sigma and some Alpha Sigma Alpha chapters were "released to" NPC organizations. What was going on then was the realignment of some sororities' chapter rolls and decisions on whether to seek membership in NPC or to join the then-new AES (for "education" sororities -- in teachers' colleges). So some chapters were honorably "released to" NPC groups. They weren't "kicked out," it was all aboveboard and approved. I believe the members of those chapters became full members of the NPC groups they were released to.

[QUOTE=exlurker;1798361]Exactly - in today's terms, it would be as if (random example) Gamma Sigma Sigma released a chapter to Kappa Alpha Theta. The two different orgs are not members of the same conference, therefore that rule was not broken.

AES groups (ASA, AST, Tri Sigma) did not join the National Panhellenic Conference until 1951, so it wasn't a matter of "being initiated ino 2 NPCs" at the time.

Thanks!

You're welcome.

Just to add: a couple of other "released to" situations happened when NPC sororities merged into other NPC sororities. Two that I can think of are:

Around 1941 when Beta Phi Alpha merged into Delta Zeta, the Beta Phi Alpha chapter at Miami (OH) was “released” and all the chapter members were initiated as members of an entirely new chapter of Alpha Chi Omega at Miami.

When Beta Sigma Omicron merged into Zeta Tau Alpha, a few ( 3 ? ) Beta Sigma Omicron chapters were “released” and became entirely new chapters of Alpha Phi on their campuses. These chapters were on campuses where both ZTA and Beta Sigma Omicron had chapters, if I recall what I’ve read correctly.

You’ll note that in these situations an NPC organization (BSO or BPhiA) was ceasing to exist as a separate group, so, again, the prohibition against having been initiated into another NPC group didn’t really apply. Again, these releases were aboveboard – no “kicking out,” no “disloyalty.”

The Miami situation is written up in some of the older editions of Alpha Chi’s official history, and an Alpha Phi official history deals with the acceptance of the former Beta Sigma Omicron chapters.

And, TriDPrincess, assorted editions of Delta Delta Delta’s history mention the ASA and Sigma Sigma Sigma chapters that Tri Delta acquired way back when. (That’s in case you want to unleash the inner nerd < big grin> .)