This question is for GREEKS only!

[AKA2D '91]

ALL organizations I'm sure have problems with their sisters or brothers remaining active, regardless if they are undergraduate or graduate members.

How do you feel about CONSTANTLY bringing in new members when you have so many out there who ARE already members, BUT are NOT active financially with your organization?

These members may not be "T-shirt" wearers. They may be members who do not have any para on their car, in their home, office or whatever. They simply have not attended a chapter meeting or participated SINCE they pledged or came through intake.

Do we have a RESPONSIBILTY to get them back home? Or do we continue to bring in people who after they "cross" become inactive after the first year? This does not happen ALL the time, but in some cases it does. I'm sure it doesn't ONLY happen in Alpha Kappa Alpha.


What is/are your opinion(s) regarding this issue?

This is geared more towards those Greeks who are in Graduate chapters.

[pearl608]

I believe that we must have a bigger focus on our lost pearls. There are many sorors out there that are afraid of joining a graduate chapter once they graduate, or transferring to a new chapter. So they become inactive.

Many chapters have activities to retain members or get inactive members back in the fold. That is a wonderful start, but we must get the information out there about how to stay active, how to join a new chapter, or whatever!

I know I was scared to go to a graduate chapter meeting... I didn't know what would happen. I finally went, and I had an okay time. Many new grads don't know what will happen when they go to grad meetings.

And that, is my 6 cents!

Pearl6'08
UAQ via GR

[Jody]

This is an interesting thread. I personally don't think that grad chapters in heavily populated areas shouldn't have lines more than once every 10 or so years. I realize that comment will probably anger potential members who for whatever reason were unable to affiliate at an undergraduate level, but this is just MY opinion, although I'm sure its an unpopular one.

[pearl608]

Lines every 10 years will cause MORE problems. Lines will be huge... even at the university level, skip a few years and have a line... the line will be very large.

Most graduate chapters don't have lines but every few years, anyway. The problem is that many do not know how to change from chapter to chapter, and are embarassed to do so. I think that falls under chapter operations moreso than intake frequency!

[RowdyRed]

I too have a problem with very large chapters in very large cities having frequent intake. I think at some point it becomes a fundraiser! I can't speak on all organizations, but I think we have gotten too lax and not selective enough and aren't finding women who are truly leaders and scholars and therefore don't take their commitment to the organization serious - or we have women who are just adding their membership to their resume and are already so involved in work or the community that they don't have the time, Links and/or GirlFriends plus a BGLO and they are all set!

[ladygreek]

Sister friends, This problem IS universal. It would be a great issue for the NPHC to take on as an unified body.

[The Original Ape]

I hope yall don't mind a brutha responding to this; but I too think this is a very important issue. You never know who's gon stay around and serve the chapter or not. There are plenty of good actors/actresses out there eagerly waitin'for their chance to get in because it's a personal accomplishment for them, or to give more weight to their resume, or to take advantage of their new network. Whatever the reason, I think we had a better-than-expected chance of identifying people like this when orgs pledged people. When pledging was allowed, prospectives had to impress us from the time they showed interest, till the time they saw the light. We mandated community service projects, and observed our pledges from the planning to the evaluating stages. In doing so, we discovered which pledge did what, and how well. This gave us an idea how each hopeful would be as a member.

Now that pledging no longer legally exists, there is no way of knowing if a hopeful is legit or not; and because of it, we wont know what kind of member we're getting. People lie daily about volunteering, and other community service.

I would suggest offering awards for participation to more than one member each year. Offer such an award for members that have been in for one year, two years, three years, five years, ten years,etc. Perhaps this may inspire a member who otherwise may have fallen by the wayside.

[Happydaysf91]

I think its our responsibility to bring back our inactive sorors....I too think sometimes, we forget about those inactive sorors which is ashame. We are all one....we must encourage them and bring them back to the fold. Encourage your chapters to have mixers and etc. and invite inactive sorors in your area. If we win back one precious pearl, we've done a good job.

As far as new lines on the graduate chapter level, I simply believe we should be more selective -- that goes for who we select as well as the individuals bringing them to us. I too become rather upset after I find out that soror so-in-so who was just made last year/the year before didn't reactivate this year. I don't mind large lines (even though it takes away)....I just want everyone on the line to stay active. This is a lifelong committment....

As far as educating sorors...I understand what you are saying Soror, but really...we are talking about grown people. And I too know of people who don't know how to transfer/afraid to go to a meeting by themselves/nobody asked them to be active. I truly believe if you want to be active, you will be. That's just my opinion. I learned a long time ago, people do what they want to do.


Lastly, I do agree with Ape to a certain degree. However, there are still A LOT that slip through the crack!!!(maybe not as many as today, but still too, too many did). I know that a lot of the ladies who made us from the mid/late 80's who aren't active. I know older people who are not active for one reason or another who pledged, as we would say, 'back 'n the day'. Basically, anyone can put on a 'front' to get what they want! So if you want me to sing, dance, do a little community service, or put together a little shing-ding for you....I would do it to get those letters. Then 'poof'...I'm gone. Just like that. The truth of the matter is that you are going to lose some either way, pledging or straight intaking, because people don't wear their motives/desires on their shirts and it is not until the 'real' work begins we unveil this 'wolf in sheep clothing'.


Have a wonderful day!

[AKA2D '91]

I think you and I probably agree on this issue.

Anyway, the chapter I am in had its last intake in '99. There was ONLY ONE person for that intake. We have an intake scheduled for this Spring. (I'm on the committee) I wonder how many we'll have this time. LOL :P

We also have our round-up and open meeting, which is next Sunday. I think that in the chapter objectives that it should ALWAYS insist that members of that chapter try to reactive one or 2 sorors with their chapter. I think I'm gonna put that on my list for next year.

Yes, Soror Pearl608, on university campuses, ya skip a year or two having intake and you'll end up with a BIG line. I prefer having an intake EVERY year on the undergraduate level. That way, you don't have to have 50+ for an intake.

Let's not turn this into a big line, small line thing. I think we have gone there before.

I just feel that we should concentrate on what (who) we already have, yet we don't have, before we can go and bring others in. That's my opinion.

Thanks for your opinions.

[AlphaChiGirl]

I'm not an Alumna (yet), but I understand the importance of encouraging inactive alumnae to "come home". I think the problem is worse in NPC chapters than NPHC, but it is still annoying to find out that there are alumnae living DOWN THE STREET from you, but don't do anything with the sorority.

I know we have membership incentives for those who "come back", especially if they do work with the local collegiate chapter (one of the things that suffer with decreased alumnae activity). But, as I forgot to say, I don't like the emphasis (even in collegian chapters) on getting NEW members, when your CURRENT members are shady at best! It's best to work with what you have NOW, as opposed to trying to start anew with a fresh batch. I support having intake for alumnae every other year (or less, depending on the size and interest).

Best of luck...it seems this problem is UNIVERSAL.

[mccoyred]

People have to WANT to be active.

Of course we really can't make people pay their dues but if we look at the philosophy that the larger the number of members who pay their dues, the less dues will cost. This can quiet some of those 'excuses'.

I also think that if there are more 'open' activities where it doesn't matter whether you are active or financial, then I believe people will remember what attracted them to the org in the first place. This should cause many to reactivate and become financial.

As far as lines/intake, it all comes down to the screening process. I have mentioned this elsewhere so I will not go into it again here.

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by mccoyred
People have to WANT to be active.

Of course we really can't make people pay their dues but if we look at the philosophy that the larger the number of members who pay their dues, the less dues will cost. This can quiet some of those 'excuses'.

I also think that if there are more 'open' activities where it doesn't matter whether you are active or financial, then I believe people will remember what attracted them to the org in the first place. This should cause many to reactivate and become financial.

As far as lines/intake, it all comes down to the screening process. I have mentioned this elsewhere so I will not go into it again here.

Excellent ideas. But you're right -- it's strictly up to the individual Greek to decide whether she or he wants to be active. I just marked my first anniversary in my organization and don't plan to become inactive, even if I should marry and have children.

It will require advance planning, however, on the money tip.

[Ideal08]

I pretty much agree with everything everyone has said. I think that it's definitely our responsibility to reclaim our lost membes! I try all the time. It's hard, though, because like McCoyRed said, people have to WANT to be active. I, personally, don't understand it, unless it is seriously a financial issue. I can SURELY understand if you just don't have the money to pay your dues, lol. But then, there are ALSO your dues-payers-and-tshirt-wearers! I overheard a soror in my current chapter say that she planned to pay her dues and just come to meetings, she didn't plan on DOING anything. Now, I thought that was foul, but what can you do, really?

OA, people lyin' about volunteering and doing community service?? Oh, now really, wtf? That's really jacked up?

On another note, do you think that it's our fault? I mean, what OA said has me thinking. As Greeks, we know the ins and outs of our orgs. We know when it's time to work and when it's time to play, and we indulge in both. But do we glorify one part more than the other? Because I'm thinking like this, if I KNOW good and well that community work is not my thing, I'm not going to try and join a community organization. Just like I wouldn't join a purely social org, either. So what is it that breeds these eternal inactive members? I think that before we can reclaim them, we have to find out WHY it is that they are inactive. We can't solve the problem if we don't completely understand it (the math major in me coming out, lol). I think that this needs to be an initiative within all Greek organizations (NPC, IFC, and NPHC), since it seems to be a problem across the board. I think that perhaps we should make phone calls (we all have telephone trees) to sorors brought into a chapter (specifically grad) that are no longer active, and in a SISTERLY fashion, inquire why. I would say send a survey, but I know how I am with surveys, lol, and I'm active! LOL! After we find out why, we need to address those issues and THEN begin to reclaim our members. Of course, we can try to reclaim in the meantime, but in order to reclaim MANY, we need to start at the root of the problem.

[Dancerella1908]

This is a heavy topic sorors. I just became a member of Alllpha Kappa Alllpha in 2001 and the graduate chapter that I am a member of only has an intake process every 3 to 4 years. This is done to promote sisterly relations between the members. Meaning helping the old and new members become more acquainted with one another before bringing on new members and creating a close collective bond between all the members of the chapter, and not just with your sands or line sisters.

The other focus for having an intake process so many years apart is to reactivate lost pearls. To bring them back to the sorority not only on a financial basis, but a basis of serving the community to make a difference in this world.

Alot of people feel that bringing in so many new members into the sorority on a national basis should not be done because of so many inactive sorors. But who is to say what gifts and talents that new soror can bring not only to that particular chapter but to the sorority as a whole. This may be missed because of the consequences of someone elses actions.

I believe that before you seek membership on any level one must examine themselves and understand why is it that they want to become a member and realize that Alpha Kappa Alpha is a lifetime committement. It's purpose is NOT to be popular,just to belong to a group, or to wear 'nalia. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is about sisterhood and supreme service to all mankind. If that is not in your heart or what you are about then you should not have/should not become a member of AKA.

One never knows the effect an energetic neo' like myself can have. After I crossed I had a conversation with two inactive members, surprise, surprise they are now active!!! I know I might get alot of flack for being a neo' and being so opinionated,but if I can inspire members to reactivate. Just think what seasoned members can do along with us new kids on the block!!!

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by Ideal08
But then, there are ALSO your dues-payers-and-tshirt-wearers! I overheard a soror in my current chapter say that she planned to pay her dues and just come to meetings, she didn't plan on DOING anything. Now, I thought that was foul, but what can you do, really?

That's very foul. You only earn respect, whether neo or seasoned, by doing things.