It's not just the GDI's...
 

In light of the drama going on about GDI's and their inability to understand the commitment made by sorority/fraternity members, I wanted to ask about Greeks who don't really take their commitments seriously. For example, I personally know quite a few Greeks who firmly believe that being a member is for 4 years of college only, and that if you continue to be active as an alum, you're a loser. Not that there's anything really wrong with that, you know, whatever floats peoples' boats, but I don't see how any of them can say that Greeks who remain active all their lives are wrong. Obviously a lot of people on here don't feel that way (myself included), but are we in the minority?

In the sheer number sense of the word, I think those of us who remain heavily involved are in the minority.

You bring up a good point. I don't believe many people are aware of the opportunities available to them as alum. I was in that boat until last semester, when the Philly alumnae chapter sent all seniors a card inviting them to dinner. I became more aware of alumnae chapters through my chapter's advisor and at our national enclave this past summer, I learned of the many volunteer opportunities. When I become alum, which will be in the next month, I will be volunteering within my sorority and become active in an alumnae chapter.

I digress to my first point. I believe more emphasis is needed from each National upon one's designation as alum, as well as to each active, the opportunities available to further the experience in their respective organization.

I agree -- but I do think this is beginning to change. I think that -- even in my chapter, which is highly focused on the college years -- there is beginning to be a bigger influence on how you can be involved as an alum.

Yeah, that sounded like a dumb question--I should have clarified. :) What I meant was, I seem to run into an awful lot of Greeks that think it's downright weird to be involved as an alum. They are aware that they can stay involved, but they choose not to do so because "sororities and fraternities are only for college kids." That's different from the alums who aren't active because they don't have time, don't live near alumni/ae chapters, etc.

I have two wonderful friends who are Chi Omegas and between the three of us we run the gamut. I am a member of an alumna chapter (well, a DZ alumna chapter of course :) ) and stay as involved as I can. My one friend would like to be more involved but can't fit it in her schedule. My other friend enjoyed her time in college but doesn't care to be involved above and beyond reading her quarterly magazine (I am not shy about telling her that she's crazy and reminding her of all the girls we knew in college who would have sold body parts to be Chi-O's!)

Who's right and who's wrong? I don't think any of us are. I think everyone has his or her own idea of what being an alumnus is.

One thing, though, it annoys me when people intimate that I *shouldn't* still be involved in my sorority. It's my time and I'll spend it my way :)

The biggest trouble with alum orgs as I have seen them is that only the heavily interested people with their own visions get involved. Often, you end up with too many chiefs, too few indians. This can become problematic.

Alumni organizations can work but often do not. A lot of us would love to stay involved but aren't left with a lot of options.

I always thought that a well-functioning alum association/chapter would look like a Kiwanis/Lion's Club type organization.

I think this is true of many alum associations that I've heard of. Also, in many groups where the age ranges run the gamut from 20-70, those who have been around a while take charge of everything because the younger ones haven't "paid their dues" yet, which means that often the younger ones don't feel included and leave, which means that the groups just get older and older . . .

That's why I think AGD's Junior Circle idea is a good one.

Do you think the alums from like those "pseudo greeks" are involved?

-Rudey
--Awww yeah...a rawkus is about to start.

This is an issue that manifests at three points:
1) The recruitment process
2) pledge/AM education
3) continual active membership education

If PNMs are told that the membership experience is lifelong before they join, and if this is reinforced during pledge education (or whatever you want to call it), as well as during ongoing active member education, then alumni involvement will have always been known, and perceived, as the norm.

Maybe this is a silly question, but what is AGD's Junior Circle?

The Alumnae Club that I'm in with AGD is sponsoring a Junior Circle. To hear their reactions to find out what it's like to be in an Alumnae Club was eye opening! The questions were like "You mean, meetings are just basically sisterhood events?" "We don't have to do monthly reports?". I don't think we get the message out that being involved in an alumnae club or chapter is mainly about doing fun things with sisters.. sisters from all over the place, not just from your University! I volunteer in overseeing some chapters also, but the Alumnae Club is my "fun" time. Of course we still do community service and philanthropy, but I don't think that everybody realizes that Alumnae Clubs, Chapters, and Junior Circles (in the case of AGD) are mainly sisterhood events. Sometimes we never even accomplish the primary activity planned because we're just too busy chit chatting! We do dedicate a short part of each meeting to ritual and business, but then we do things like Games Night, usually a dinner out at a very fancy restaurant (and everybody orders decadent desserts!), a potluck, a Christmas Ornament exchange, a craft night, etc. We're taking our kids to a nursing home in February to decorate cookies with the residents for Valentine's Day and we fund raise for the AGD Foundaiton. We did a diaper drive for a local women's shelter. I'm a busy lady, working full time, volunteering for AGD, a cub scout leader, single mom but those AGD Alum Club meetings are MY time and I put them over everything except my kids. The Alum Club feels like home, just like my collegiate chapter did, where I can be myself, laugh, love, get support and be supportive of my sisters. I think if more women experienced it, more would stay involved, but too many just disappear!

Dee

ETA: A Junior Circle is a special segment of a club for women who are under 35. They are generally sponsored by a typical alumnae chapter or club but do their own things to help gap the generational differences and keep them involved right away. Ironically, the women are active in the alumnae club that I'm in are primarily in our mid to late 30's and just as we're getting out of Junior Circle age, we're sponsoring a Junior Circle. It's good for the younger gals so they don't have to always listen to the stories about our kids, etc, but they are also invited to our events.

I would love to be very involved in Pi Phi but have been 2 hours away from the nearest alum chapter for 25 years. You guys who have the opportunity to be in alum clubs are so lucky.

Well, I guess I must be one of the losers or weired ones.

I have only been doing this for 38 years!:)

Hm, must have a bunch of losers in my Chapter Alums.

Sounds like it. My group hasn't really run into this yet (our colony was started in '99, so we don't have a huge number of alums just yet). Basically, right now, founding members are all that we have in the alumni chapter. At some point the younger guys will be taking things over. However, I think as founders we'll all still want some sort of a voice. Maybe it's right to want that? I dunno.

The AGD Junior Circle thing is a cool idea. Like I said, I think the most effective alum orgs would look something like an Elk Lodge, Lion's Club, Kiwanis, etc.