Transfer Question
 

SWIM initiated into X fraternity and is transferring to a school that does not have or never had a chapter of X. How does IFC deal with this situation if SWIM wanted to be in a fraternity still. Would IFC allow SWIM to disassociate and rush again? How does that process work?

IFC doesn't deal with it. SWIM needs to contact his HQ about resigning and follow their advice. Then SWIM would sign up for recruitment at the new school - and be sure to have available the approved paperwork that confirms the resignation in case asked to verify.

SWIM *IS* kn a fraternity still. What he is not in is an active chapter.

Whether his chapter is active or not, he's still a fraternity member.

The NIC rule is that no member fraternity will initiate a man already initiated into another NIC fraternity unless the man has resigned his membership in the first fraternity, and the first fraternity confirms that in writing to the second fraternity. But SWIM needs to know that—at least according to some members who have weighed in on similar questions here on GC—there are some fraternities with a national policy that they will not consider a candidate for membership if he has ever been initiated into another NIC fraternity, even if he has paperwork showing termination of membership in the other fraternity. And even in fraternities that do not have that as a national policy, there may be chapters that have such a policy, whether formal or informal.

So SWIM should be aware that even if he resigns membership in his fraternity and has the paperwork to show it, it is still possible that one or more, or even all, fraternity chapters at the new school would not consider offering him a bid.

That's why I said to follow his HQ's advice. I would assume (I know, I know) that they would give him that information because I would assume (once again) that he would tell them why he wants to resign.

I'm missing something, but what is SWIM? Single White Irritated Male?

Someone Who Isn't Me...but we all know what that really means...

I know. I wasn't disagreeing, just adding to. I thought it worth going ahead a telling him the rest, because it might make him reconsider asking the question at all.

The reality he needs to understand is that many, both in his current fraternity and possibly at the future campus, will rightly view resigning from his current fraternity so that he can join a different one at his new school as bailing on the vows of lifetime commitment that he made. That's one reason some fraternities and some chapters won't consider bidding former members of other fraternities, even if NIC rules would allow it—they'd see him as someone who breaks his promises when the promises become inconvenient, not someone who'd be a committed brother. SWIM (and yes, we do know that likely means Someone Who Is Me) might as well know that before he starts asking questions.

Out of curiosity, is there a reason why NIC doesn't have a rule similar to NPC, where after you've been initiated into a group, you can't join another?

Membership selection is left to each individual NIC GLO. However, the NIC does not allow duel membership. As such, if an NIC GLO wants to pledge a man who disaffilated from a different NIC GLO - and as MysticCat noted, has the written release from the HQ - the NIC allows it.

I certainly hope they don't allow duels! ;)

Or even "duel membership" -- unless one of their membership requirements is, perhaps, simultaneous membership in a fencing club?

Perhaps - but maybe muzzle loaders at 40 paces?????

So one of those European fraternities the German guy was talking about?