Social Affiliates
 

Anybody know anything about "social affiliates"? I posted this question in a comment to the Honorary Membership thread but no one had any info to offer and I am still curious. My Dad tells me that this used to be a way for people who could not join in the normal way to have at least a semi-official association with a house (not actually a brother, but at least a first cousin). It seems to be a form of limited membership where the "S.A." is not an initiated brother but participates in just about all activities except ritual and voting in chapter. They would pay reduced or nominal dues and kick in to the social fund. I gather it was most often used when two schools were located very close to each other, where one school had a chapter and the other did not, and the schools did not allow cross over memberships, or there was some other good reason why the prospective candidate could not rush and join if given a bid. I did not see this practice as an undergrad but I understand that this option is available in a number of fraternities, my own included under certain circumstances if International HQ approves, or so I am told. Some of my Law School classmates said that they had heard it used to be fairly common but is now not so often encountered as both schools and Nationals tend to allow cross over memberships if the schools are located very close together. Any info appreciated.

You'd need to refer to your governing documents. If your governing documents set out some kind of social affiliates program then you have one. If they forbid 'honorary' membership or anything short of full membership you may have a problem. If the problem is not addressed you could always update your own chapter's documents (if your fraternity allows that).

Good luck!

Social Affiliates
 

KTsnake,
Thanks for the comment. Actually, I'm just sort of curious about the "social affiliate " thing and whether or not it still exists. We have formal procedures for Honorary Membership but I never ran across "SAs" when I was an undergraduate. We always had a couple of guys who fit in well and hung around with us but we didn't use the term SA or have any formal program of limited membership or anything like that. They were just sort of regular guests at our functions. They were usually transfer students who didn't want to rush as juniors or seniors or fifth year seniors but were still good guys who were welcome at the house and at parties etc. A couple of them were really skint for funds and didn't want to accept any "scholarship" assistance (we had a couple of funds that alumni members maintained to help out good candidates who were really not able to afford membership). Anyway, I was curious about this "sort of official status" that my Dad spoke about from back in the early 1960s and what the guys in law school said that they had heard of as well. Does your house have anything like this, or have you heard anything in general about it? Thanks again.

We don't really have anything official like that in place.. Probably has something to do with insurance and liability..

There are some guys that are friends of members that are always welcome at our parties but there's nothing really official.

I had heard back in my day of social affiliates who would come to just the parties! Why would a Fraternity want anyone who would just come and party!

We ivite someone as a Recruting function bur only once!! They will either become a New Associate and get Intitated or they are gone!

We as Greeks try to build membership not have fun guys who do not do anything but come to have a good time!!!!!!!

In for the ounce in for the pound! So To SPEAK!:)

social affiliates
 

Tom,
Good point and thanks for the comment, but I was referring to a practice where guys who would normally join and become full initiated brothers found that they could not for some valid reason. This would allow them to have a way of participating within the constraints they were operating under.
You have been at this for a while, do you remember anything about this practice? As I said earlier, I think it was more prevalent in the 60's and I think it mostly had to do with schools located close together where one might not have a Greek system and the schools did not allow cross over memberships. I don't think these guys were just there for the parties but participated as fully as was possible under their particular circumstances.
I'll ask my Dad for anything he remembers but do you have any memories of this as well? Thanks.

Thanks for reminding me that I wqs in the 60's!

HAHA!

We never had them as BX Local or LXA International!

If for some reason they cannot join at the time, they wanted to hang with you, I for one see no wrong in it!

But they can still come as guests and still pay the bill of fare! Not a free ride if they just hang on!

You cannot let them hang on or they will enjoy the fun with out the work that it takes to make A Fraternity Function!

That is the main reason to make the Fraternity Grow Whether it Be LXA or anyother!

If it is just a bunch of guys getting together, then is a Club not a Fraternity of Men!

Dont know if this helped or not!