[adpiucf]

I may get flamed for this, but I want to offer my (long-winded) perspective.

As an international officer of my own sorority, I can honestly say that it is the most difficult decision in the world for the sorority to close a chapter (in this case, however, a probation was assigned, and not an official charter being revoked). The sorority will do everything in its power to help the chapter recognize their wrong doing and assign a probation that educates the members on the correct procedures and measures to ensure the policies are strictly adhered to henceforth. These probations are not thoughtlessly constructed. The sorority is legally bound to its members, and when things go wrong, as they sometimes will, each sorority member is liable for her actions and the actions of the other members. Like it or not, we are our sisters' keepers.

That being said, international/national officers are sisters and are unpaid volunteers. They take no pleasure in a chapter's alleged failures to comply with sorority policy, and do not take time out of their personal lives to travel many miles to sleep in a college dorm room in order to interrogate and subject collegiate members to unnecessary conferences. They are genuinely trying to help adhere chapters with sorority and NPC policy, both to protect that chapter and the overall organization from a breach of policy that can lead to lawsuits and the ultimate destruction of the overall organization.

Having worked with chapters who have erred and been assigned a probation, I will say this-- emotions run wild when these things happen-- women step off the executive committee, women cancel their memberships, others stop coming around or paying their dues, there is an air of resentment that can affect both recruitment and new member retention, members will gossip about sorority business outside of the chapter, spreading the news among the Greek Community and campus media, etc. It can be a very unfavorable environment for the 20 year old who has joined a sorority in the interests of making lifelong friends and having an enjoyable college experience. No socials with fraternties and mandatory education workshops that, in their eyes, is just fuel to the fire-- beating a dead horse-- damn right, I would be resentful for paying dues to a social organization that isn't doing any socializing! I know some sororities will not put a chapter on a full social probation in order to maintain positive campus PR.

It's very tricky for the international org to come in and stop incorrect practices. You are injuring the overall group if nothing is done, and you are alienating the chapter-in-fault with the discplinary action.

Most often, probationary terms are handed down due to the careless actions of a few members, because the alumnae advisers turned their heads or were not in the loop to know about "gray areas" where the women turned to hazing, alcohol in the house, etc.--- all of the things that become an insurance nightmare. If a chapter becomes a threat to the overall sorority's insurance coverage, the national org has an obligation on behalf of that chapter and every other chapter of the sorority to step in and evaluate the problem. It can be intensely emotional for everyone involved. I've spent plenty of nights crying into my pillow out of sheer emotional exhaustion, and I am an alumna!

Once a local sorority becomes part of an NPC, I can't imagine an NPC allowing local ritual traditions to continue, outside of educating new members, "This is where we came from." Otherwise, it corrupts the sorority ritual that unites that national group. I believe that the members of the Wake Forest chapter today were mistakenly informed by older alumnae that they could continue their traditions in secret. The current chapter members are not at fault for this misinformation, but when pointed out constructively, the chapter and Chi Omega could come to an understanding-- perhaps an event with older alumnae to come to the house and tell stories about life at the university in "their day"--- that would let the older alum feel that they still had a link to the group, and Chi Omega structure is also maintained.

For the national officers insisting that the chapter make an immediate decision regarding the probation, I believe it would have been in the best interests for them to have departed and sent a letter to their Grand Council with their findings and together determine the probation--- and informing the exec and their advisers of the national officers' evaluation and recommendations, as well as the terms of probation by letter, with an opportunity for the chapter to respond. The exec could have discussed this among themselves, and had a follow-up visit from the national team, where a rational and mature discussion regarding the nature of the probation and its specific details could have occurred. Instead, the national team walked right into a detail of very emotionally charged and confused collegians. I am not advocating that I understand this is Chi O's policy for handing down probations, but I feel this added unecessary stress and drama to the situation.

Chi Omega has an impeccable national reputation and has that reputation exists because of their due diligence with each and every Chi Omega chapter. I feel deeply for the Wake Forest chapter and the emotional time they have endured, but I believe they should go into this next meeting with maturity and an open heart, as Chi Omegas, and listen to their national team to collectively determine what is best for Chi Omega and why it is best for Chi Omega. Both "sides" can acknowledge mistakes may have been made-- the chapter violating sorority policy and the national team presenting their findings in a nature that only inflamed the sensitivites of the chapter--- and move forward to a resolution that supports and helps this chapter of Chi Omega rectify the situation and remedy their relationship and perception of the overall national sorority.