Typical fines for missing events
 

My son has invited a young lady to a dance at his school (West Point). She is in a sorority, and that happens to be initiation weekend. Exec council is meeting next week to discuss allowing her to pay a fine, as opposed to the typical penalty (missing the spring formal). I was wondering, as it's been a few years since my sorority days...what is a typical fine for missing initiation? They said it would be "significant." How significant is "significant"?

There is no "typical" in this situation.

LOL, Knight...back in 1983, I paid $5 to miss a chapter meeting for a date. Can anyone tell me a current fine for missing initiation for their chapter? The young lady is a senior, holds no office, and has no little sister being initiated.

What is paid for our chapters is irrelevant. She needs to ask her chapter leadership what the fine will be.

She will find out on Tuesday if a fine is an option...I am just doing some mom research to see if I can get some kind of ball park idea. I figured there couldn't be too much discrepency...my $5 in 1983 translates to $10.51 in 2012 dollars; somehow, I think this will be way more. Fortunately, my son is worth it. Besides, how many young ladies get the opportunity to accompany a West Point cadet to a function? It's almost a patriotic duty, right?

I understand why you're asking.

If 3 people respond and say their chapters charge $50, but her chapter says they charge $100, our answers won't matter. This is something that varies, so she'll just need to wait until Tuesday to get the final answer.

I am not sure I'd miss out on my initiation for a dance, though (and I'm from a military family, so I understand that WP is a big deal).

That has nothing to do with anything. Fines do not have a sliding scale due to degree of involvement.

It's her choice, just as it was her choice to join a sorority. If she's making noises that he should help her to pay it, he needs to kick her to the curb and find another date.

My guess is a million dollars. Seriously, they'll let her know.

If I had to guess, I would hazard somewhere in the three-digit range for missing initiation. Ritual is pretty darn important.

How is her fine any of your business? Are you going to pay it for her?

By the way, everyone thinks their son or daughter is worth it or special.

Yeah, my chapter holds up to a $100 fine over our heads for missing initiation.

So, it could be anything, really.

She might.

Y'all are a riot! Typically cadets fly their dates to West Point and pay for their food and hotels...but generally not their sorority fines :D. I was just curious. You're right; it's totally none of my business...her parents will likely chip in for it, or she'll pay it herself. Obviously everyone thinks her son is wonderful...that line had a bit of sarcasm in it. As a former ritual chairman, I realize how important initiation is. My points about not being an officer,etc...were to illustrate as a 2nd sem. senior she plays a "supporting role" now in her chapter. It is unfortunate that initiation and the biggest night for First Class Cadets falls on the same weekend. My curiosity has been sated; thank you for your indulgence, ladies.

An old Alpha Gamma Delta--Gamma Upsilon, 1981.

pshsx1: your response was the only one that was the least bit helpful. For that, I thank you.

As Haywood Smith is fond of saying, "Aren't y'all special?"

As a senior, I missed an initiation to go to a formal with my out of state boyfriend at the time. I was fined $100, but I was given the option to work it off at events. I helped set up and take down an alumnae event and one other event I don't remember. I always appreciated the alternative to the fine.

Well bless your heart.