[FSUZeta]

i am quoting from our general manual:

" a member graduating, WITHDRAWING or transferring from school does NOT need to request alumna status. alumna status is automatic providing she is current with her financial obligation."

what your chapter sisters were mistakenly referring to is what zeta refers to as a 5th year member:"any member who has completed 8 semesters or 12 quarters as a zta new member and/or initiate, but who has not graduated qualifies as a 5th year member. she may be granted special alumna status or she can remain on active status by paying full chapter fees."

another special alumna status could result from marriage. the member should continue to pay dues and participate in chapter activities until alumna status is granted. she may choose to remain an active member after her marriage. in that case she must fully participate in all activities and pay her dues.

so dear sister, you ARE an alumna and don't you let anyone tell you differently. please don't give up on zeta. take a few steps back from your chapter right now and bide your time. the members that you are presently not seeing eye to eye with will graduate and at that time it might be that you could volunteer to serve as an advisor to the chapter. don't give up on the alumnae chapter. the first time i attended an alumnae meeting in tulsa ok, i felt really out of the loop. most members were from ok. state and had been in the chapter at the same time. i was all the way from florida state. the situation was a hard nut to crack at first but i kept at it and ultimately served as president of the chapter one year. i never became best friends with anyone in the chapter, but i liked and admired these women and it was fun to get to know them. it finally worked for me because i treated my attendance at their meetings as a recruitment event and i actually would pick out members and rush them. i made the first move and it worked. i hope that things get better for you. take care of your health. zl, lisa

ps: when you return to school you can remain an alumna-you do not have to become an active collegiate member again.