[KappaKittyCat]

Great thread, James, and perfectly timed! Here's my serious attempt at some serious answers. It's a start, anyway, and if I think of any more I'll add them.

Q. Do you have a pledge house?

A. No, that's just something MTV used to make it look more like the Real World. Sigma won't even have a pledge house after this show's over. It's not their house; it's a house MTV bought and redecorated with IKEA and wired with cameras and mics.

Q. Do girls talk about each other in sororities?

A. People don't stop being people when they join a sorority, so some might and some might not. However, as sisters of XYZ we are bound by ties of loyalty and love that go beyond ordinary friendship. I certainly believe that my sisters have the decency and courage to come to me to hear the "real story" or tell me what they think rather than gossiping (on national TV!) about me behind my back.

Q. Would you really come to us and say that you "heard" stuff about us without telling us who "said" it so we can know what you are talking about?

A. No, we would never do that. Every NPC sorority has some sort of Honour Board or Standards Committee that deals with chapter morale and member behaviour. If any sister is concerned with another's behaviour, she is encouraged to go to the Standards Committee to discuss this, but only after she's brought up her concerns with the sister herself. It is not the job of the chapter as a whole to interfere if a issue is not effecting the chapter. The Standards Committee is the group that the chapter entrusts with dangerous behaviour issues or issues that do effect the chapter. Furthermore, everything that goes on in Honour Board/Standards Committee is completely confidential, so as to keep the amount of gossip to a minimum.

Q. Will the sisters actually be discussing the way we behave with each other when we are not present to defend ourselves?

A. As sisters, both Active and NM, we are responsible to make sure that those we love do not do things that might be harmful to themselves or others. If the Standards Committee is concerned about a sister's behaviour, she will be invited to a meeting so that these issues can be addressed. Above all, we are concerned for each other's health and well-being. Once again, all such discussion is confidential.

Q. Are there a lot of rules we have to follow while pledging the sorority?

A. All sisters of XYZ, both Active and NM, are expected to live up to high standards. The rules that apply to NMs are the same ones that apply to Actives. Anything different would be considered hazing. If you were to live in the house, there would be certain rules that you would be expected to follow, such as no alcohol, no boys after a certain time, no open flame, etc., but that would be part of a binding contract that you sign when moving in.

Q. Are the new members held to a higher standard than initated sisters? Are pledges likely to be called out before initated sisters for the same types of behaviours?

A. In terms of the standard of behaviour, all sisters must follow the same rules. In terms of NMs being called out more, maybe. Sometimes. You'll certainly have more people watching you.

Q. Why?

A. Well, more people will be watching you because we all love our NMs very much. We feel very lucky to have you and we want to get to know everything about you. We also want you to get to know about us, both as individuals and as a sorority. We want to make sure you're aware of the standards of behaviour that are expected of all XYZs. For that reason, if there are behavioural concerns, we'd rather call them to your attention early on than let them fester.

Q. They're always talking about "un-Sigma-like" behaviour, and the pledges keep getting in trouble for being un-Sigma-like when they do fun things like go out to clubs or parties. What is considered "un-XYZ-like" behavior?

A. We encourage our sisters to remember that they are not only representing themselves, but XYZs everywhere, at all times. It's kind of like the speech your teacher used to give before you went on field trips in elementary school. "Remember, today you are representing our entire school and community. You wouldn't want the Science Museum to think that all Central Elementary students are horribly behaved, would you? They might never invite us back, and that wouldn't be happy or fair to others." For that basic reason, we do not wear our letters when we go out to bars, etc. Your business is your business and the chapter will not intervene unless we fear that you are doing something that might be harmful to yourself or to others. Should a case like that arise, the Standards Committee will deal with it confidentially. Overall, we hope that our sisterhood in XYZ will help us grow and become more mature, responsible women.

Q. Will we have to move rocks or something like that?

A. You won't have to move rocks, and you certainly won't have to do it in the freezing cold by yourselves; our organization considers that hazing. You may be asked to do other similar types of team building activites, but it would not be late at night and outside in the cold. You'll always have prior notice of such events, and Actives will be joining the NMs for them.

Q. Do you slap each other a lot?

A. I certainly hope not! We're sisters, and we're supposed to love and respect each other. Physical violence is never, ever acceptable. If something like that should happen, the sister, whether Active or NM, would be called before the Chapter or the Standards Committee. Such an incedent could result in probation or loss of membership.

Q. The Pledges on Sorority Life partied a lot and the Sisters didn't like it much. Are we expected to party less while we're pledges?

A. Of course not. You're expected to be yourself (while being mindful of the way you're representing XYZ). But your most important task as a student is to get an education. If we're concerned that a sister's partying is effecting her studies, then the Scholarship Chair might say something to her. XYZs are expected to put their studies first, but that's no different from anyone else at Random University, Greek or not.

Q. Will you really care what we wear like the girls on the show did?

A. Again, all we really care about is that you be yourself. There are certain guidelines we have, such as "No wearing your New Member Pin or Badge with jeans or athletic shoes" or "No wearing your letters to a bar or when you're out drinking." Of course, if an XYZ were going to go out by herself in particularly suggestive attire and a sister were concerned for her safety because of it, the sister would say something, but that's no more than being a friend and a sister.

Q. Will we be required to attend all kinds of events and stuff all the time?

A. Most chapters require you to attend one regular chapter meeting and one New Member education session per week. You'll be given a calendar of events and informed of each chapter's attendence policy for required events ahead of time. Things like class and rehearsal are always excused and things like team practice and other meetings are almost always excused. Chapter and NM meetings are at the same time each week, so you will be able to plan around them.

Q. Are there penalties if we don't go to events, or if we don't go to enough events?

A. If an event is not required, then there won't be a penalty for not attending. Some chapters use a points or incentive system to encourage attendence at non-required activities. Each chapter has its own attendence policy for required events. The consequences for missing events are spelled out there, as are the ways to get an absence excused.

Q. So how many points do we have to have for Initiation?

A. None! Requiring a certain number of points to qualify for Initiation is hazing. Initiation is not something you earn; it's something that you get to do after you've completed the required NM education program. Though some chapters might use points to keep track of events that sisters attend, you can't lose points and your Initiation would ceratinly not be jeopardized by the number of points you have or don't have. Once you've pledged a sorority, you're scheduled to be Initiated after a 4 to 10 week NM education program. Only extreme circumstances can change that.

Q. When do you vote about who gets to be Initiated?

A. Before we invite women to Preference Round during Formal Recruitment, or before we extend a bid during Informal Recruitment. Any woman who's invited to Preference could receive a bid, and any woman who receives a bid can become a sister. Once a woman accepts her bid and is pledged, she has no obstacles between her and Initiation once she's completed the required NM education. We choose our sisters (and you choose us) during Recruitment.

[Edited with regard to NMs living in. Guess I was working with some incorrect information there. My bad.]