Re-affiliate after Losing membership in a Sorority?

James · #1 08-10-2002, 03:49 PM

I was curious. I have seen a lot about alumni initiation . . . but I was wondering if someone that is dissafiliated because of dues can reaffiliate after graduating?

I have heard about chapters (sorority) expelling members for not being able to pay their last semester dues after four years of membership.

That is not very "serious". Is there any way they can apply for reactivation as an alum? It seems to make a mockery of sisterhood for life . . . to keep expelling people for mere money.

Also, dues can be very different for different chapters . . at some school dues are only a 100-150 a semester, much easier to afford.

Anyway what would be the various processes for reaffiliation?

AlphaSigLana · #2 08-10-2002, 03:53 PM

I know that ASA has special status. Those that are having financial difficulities can apply as well as those going on exchange, having a baby etc. Bascially there is no reason they would need to be expelled --if they know they can't pay they can go ahead and go on special status. This is good for the house as well as the individual. One of my sisters is very behind on dues so she is taking the fall semester off from ASA. Those on special status cannot participate in many things, but they are given limited participation.

Rudey · #3 08-10-2002, 04:44 PM

Do you know if this is allowed in many fraternities? I thought it was at the discretion of the local chapters and not on the national level, but we never had to deal with it so I don't know.

-Rudey
--Keep the number for the chick that has threesomes. When girls break up with their boyfriends, they end up cutting their hair shorter and doing all sorts of crazy sexual things to prove they're over their ex's.

Quote:

Originally posted by James
I was curious. I have seen a lot about alumni initiation . . . but I was wondering if someone that is dissafiliated because of dues can reaffiliate after graduating?

I have heard about chapters (sorority) expelling members for not being able to pay their last semester dues after four years of membership.

That is not very "serious". Is there any way they can apply for reactivation as an alum? It seems to make a mockery of sisterhood for life . . . to keep expelling people for mere money.

Also, dues can be very different for different chapters . . at some school dues are only a 100-150 a semester, much easier to afford.

Anyway what would be the various processes for reaffiliation?

MooseGirl · #4 08-10-2002, 10:52 PM

I think phi sig allows reaffiliation since one girl was going to do that a couple of years ago...she disaffiliated for whatever reason...time or money...and thought she'd like to come back a year later. we talked to some ppl and they said she'd have to write to national, as well the archon of the chapter and other references if possible should send letters.
so if they have the process down it must be possible.

KillarneyRose · #5 08-11-2002, 12:33 AM

If someone resigns her membership in Delta Zeta or is expelled for whatever reason, she has the option of contacting our National Judiciary Chair and asking for the chance to rejoin. It is not something that can be done on a chapter level.

She then needs to write a letter explaining the circumstances surrounding her decision to resign or her expulsion. It is suggested that she include references from sisters as well.

The letter is sent to the National Judiciary Chair who has a few options. If she decides the ex-member doesn't warrant being asked to rejoin, she stops the process right there. OR, she forwards the woman's file to National Council, sometimes with a recommendation, and they then review it and reach a decision.

If they decide she will be allowed to re-join, she must first pay any money she owes the Sorority if she left due to financial reasons. When she does that, she will be reinstated and once again given full status as a sister as if she had never left in the first place.

prophet · #6 08-11-2002, 01:16 AM

I can not say this is for all fraternities, but for mine once you are gone you are GONE. No matter the reason once you are expelled you can NOT come back. Of course brothers leave and become alumni, and some have to leave school for personal reasons in which the fraternity finds as reasonable, and they become, "left school status." Now if you are expelled because you can not pay dues that is NO exception! No matter how long you have been in the fraternity if you can not pay dues you are out. Paying dues is an obligation you take when you start the pledge program, so there is no reason to be upset if that is why one is being expelled in my organization. I have not seen a brother leave the chapter as a GONE brother because my chapter brothers understands the meaning of business. Money makes the world go round, and without money you can't survive.

www.bspotonline.com/phitau

James · #7 08-11-2002, 12:36 PM

Thank you Kilarney, Moosegirl, AlpasigLana for your helpful responses.

Prophet and others, we make it an issue about money and only about money.

What we are basically saying is that we want your money and that is the most important factor in your membership.

So for example: Its local dues that break people, National Dues are usually quite reasonable. It would be perfectly reasonable for people to ask for a reduced status and pay their national dues yearly until they leave . . . in fact I would see people excercising that option rather than get expelled.

That there is no such mechanism in place shows an almost obsessive need to milk the poor girls into the poor house. And the wide ranging dues amounts shows that this is not a fair process . . .

Didn't Amycat say that it was almost a bragging right that hers was one of the most expensive Greek systems around?

prophet · #8 08-11-2002, 11:12 PM

James are you trying to say that I was saying my chapter is only about money? My chapter is not about only money, but yes money is a important part of the brotherhood. Without the $$$ you can't do shit! If we are to let one person pay less dues thean what makes you think the rest would not mind? I would be very upset if I paid $320.00 and another person in my chapter paid like $120.00, and got to go to all the events. Money alows us to travel as a group, party as a group, and etc. Money makes the world go round!

IvySpice · #9 08-11-2002, 11:48 PM

>I would be very upset if I paid $320.00 and another person in my chapter paid like $120.00, and got to go to all the events.

This would not upset me at all as long as the other person was paying the same as I was in terms of percentage of their disposable income.

This is how my college worked things, after all...I (or actually my parents) paid $30,000 a year because we could afford to. But most of my classmates paid less because they had less. Once you got in, you were in, and if your family went broke, the school didn't kick you out...they'd increase your aid. So my family was probably subsidizing the education of other students. Well, so be it...I got the enormous benefit of getting to go to school with a mix of amazing kids from all different backgrounds.

I don't doubt that money makes the world go round, but these are not-for-profit organizations we're talking about, right? Let's say one of your brothers lost a parent and suddenly needed his whole income to support his younger siblings. Would you really cease to think of him as a brother??

Are there any GLOs that calculate dues based on income? Do any offer financial aid to otherwise excellent candidates who can't afford the dues?

Ivy

AlphaSigLana · #10 08-12-2002, 12:35 AM

I do not know any GLO's that base dues on income, but i know that my chapter is very flexible in making arrangements with girls to pay their dues. Even housing corp was very reasonable if someone couldn't afford rent(YET many girls complained about living in the house---even though in the real world you don't get breaks like that nor do you get a cook!!!

-I'm the old house manager so I find that frustarating).
ASA also allows members to apply for scholarships through ASA. There are many to apply for.
Also my house decided to take formal and lower each chair's(social, sisterhood, etc) budget so that way when there are events that girls can't go to they aren't paying for it and those that do go only have to pay a few dollars or so except for formal which is more expensive.
I don't think there is any good reason to not pay dues. I knew girls who couldn't pay dues, yet could afford to go out to eat everyday and buy clothes that weren't on the sales rack. Anyone can pay dues if they work hard!!If they aren't paying their dues they cost the house more money!!!! If they can't pay it all at least they can work out a payment plan.

Rudey · #11 08-12-2002, 01:58 AM

I definitely agree with you. A lot of fraternities and sororities have programs both on the national and local levels to support new members who would need a subsidy.

Also, James is right. Even within my fraternity, certain chapters brag about their budgets which could probably support the overthrow of a small African regime.

Money shouldn't be an obstacle to joining any greek organization. I and many others strongly believe that if people care about something they will give back to it. The guy that doesn't have money, chooses to go to our college, and then chooses to be a part of an organization with our strong values is a brother that we are positive will be successful in the future and will donate monetarily as well as with his time.

-Rudey
--Sex also makes the world go round, but we don't sleep with our brothers.

Quote:

Originally posted by IvySpice
>I would be very upset if I paid $320.00 and another person in my chapter paid like $120.00, and got to go to all the events.

This would not upset me at all as long as the other person was paying the same as I was in terms of percentage of their disposable income.

This is how my college worked things, after all...I (or actually my parents) paid $30,000 a year because we could afford to. But most of my classmates paid less because they had less. Once you got in, you were in, and if your family went broke, the school didn't kick you out...they'd increase your aid. So my family was probably subsidizing the education of other students. Well, so be it...I got the enormous benefit of getting to go to school with a mix of amazing kids from all different backgrounds.

I don't doubt that money makes the world go round, but these are not-for-profit organizations we're talking about, right? Let's say one of your brothers lost a parent and suddenly needed his whole income to support his younger siblings. Would you really cease to think of him as a brother??

Are there any GLOs that calculate dues based on income? Do any offer financial aid to otherwise excellent candidates who can't afford the dues?

Ivy

James · #12 08-12-2002, 01:06 PM

We make it about money because we don't have a more flexible approach . . . We assume that if we become flexible everyone is going to abandon their groups.

What I am saying, and again we are off topic, is that it would cost us nothing for a kind of inactive status where the person doesn't go to social events and only pay's national dues iand insurance. hence they aren't active but don't need to be expelled.

If you like they can have a pay as you go type of thing for formal and such activities as they might want to attend . . but payment has to be received in advance and it costs more that way.

shadokat · #13 08-12-2002, 01:47 PM

At my chapter, if you can't pay your dues (and we have payment plans and all that jazz), you become "a sister in bad standing". You can't attend ANYTHING until you pay your debt. But it's not disaffiliation. Some women leave without ever paying them...they don't care. Others will take care of it. One alum left in bad standing in 1991, and came back in 1995 and paid her back dues and we made her an alum. We welcome back anyone who clears up their debts. As prophet says, Greek membership carries a financial obligation, and if you aren't making your new members aware of all of that at the get go, you're more likely to have the delinquency.

FuzzieAlum · #14 08-12-2002, 02:18 PM

AXD allows you to go "inactive" for up to a year as an undergrad - usually because you're going JYA or having serious family problems. No one in our chapter could go inactive for $ reasons, but then our dues just weren't that expensive.

Kevin · #15 08-12-2002, 03:10 PM

A financial obligation is just as important as any fraternal obligation.

It's the absolute MINIMUM.

Part of being a college student is to learn to budget your money and handle your affairs. Most dues are really not that bad. Ours are $60 per month plus a certain amount to HQ each year.

Any brother 30 days past due is automatically suspended. Any brother 90 days past due can be expelled. A promissory note to the Treasurer is acceptable means of payment at the Treasurer's discretion.

If you can't pay your dues you shouldn't partake of your brothers' resources. Plain and simple.

Fraternities are businesses first. You can have the tightest brotherhood in the world -- but if you have no business sense and are not serious about your finances you can kiss that charter on the wall goodbye.

There must be accountability.
_________________

As to reafilliating after losing membership... Nope. When you're gone, your gone. Of course decisions of the chapter may be appealed to the High Council and overturned but you'll be wasting your time if you just have some BS excuse.