Recognized vs. underground members

[James]

Many times, if an organization is suspended or loses recognition, it will pledge in new members underground. In fact some organizations (some NIC chapters that I have known) will pledge a certain amount of their new members underground so they don't have to report them to National for insurance reasons (many groups are charged a fee per member).

In both cases these members are not Nationally counted as members even though they have been exposed to the Ritual of the organization. I know one group that has been off campus for years and still uses Ritual initiation . . . even though there may be no Nationally recognized members left.

Would you consider these people to be members of your organization? Would you be comfortable receiving the grip from them or taking part/discussing your Ritual (assuming you knew)?

I was always curious about this question . . .

[mgdzkm433]

One of the fraternities on my campus had an underground pledge while I was in school. The difference is, he was recognized by the nationals but not by the school. Our school had a higher GPA requirement than the fraternity did. So he didn't qualify by the school's standards to pledge, but by nationals he did. Of course the nationals didn't make the connection that he was underground.

Now with this example, I have some mixed emotions. First, it would be very dangerous. Here you have a underground member not recognized by the nationals, meaning he/she is not insured. If something would happen to this person, the sorority/fraternity would be highly at risk. As far as considering them my sister, I don't know. It depends I suppose. If they have to fill the same requirements as myself, the I would probably accept them as a type of 'honorary' sister, despite what nationals said, but I would recognize that 'technically' they are not a member.

Its kind of ironic that you brought this subject up. One of my sisters was just telling me about a group that we have here that has underground members that the school doesn't know about. They are a small org, but apparently they have a lot more members than advertised. We also have a another group that was kicked off campus about a decade ago and are not recognized by niether school or nationals, but they still accept members.

The first case is very hush hush. Not very many no about it. And I doubt that these individuals wear their letters in public, since it can't be known that they are members.

In the second case, everyone (except the administration. who probably knows about it but has no proof) knows about them. Although its not very many of them. They wear their letters and it is very visible who their pledges are. They are more accepted because they are seen as a legend.

My question to these individuals (more so in the first case) is that why would you join a sorority/fraternity if you couldn't make it known that you are a member? One of the things I like most about being greek is the pride in your org. It has to be hard to show your pride if your not even supposed to be a member.

[mccoyred]

I am not sure that I agree with the definition of an underground line.

I was made in a city-wide chapter where the school had no say in anything to do with intake. I am fully recognized by my National office of my sorority. By your definition, my entire chapter is "underground" when in fact, that is not the case.

peace

[mwedzi]

Underground member? Who would want to be a member not officially recognized? I just don't understand. Having to hide and not being able to wear your letters, not being able to tell anyone, not having any membership card, never being able to be recognized as an alum. I just don't get why anyone would choose that.

And I also don't understand why an organization would choose to get members that way. Is it that they can't find enough qualified members to belong to their organization? And if the chapter is suspended, do they really think they're keeping the chapter alive? If the chapter is reactivated, don't they realize that all those underground members still won't be recognized? Someone help me to understand.

It sounds harsh, but I don't know if I would really consider an uninitiated woman my sister. In my mind, unless nationals gives the okay for you to be initiated, you aren't. You must fulfill ALL the requirements of sisterhood. No half-stepping. Honorary sister? Maybe.

McCoyRed, I don't think anyone would consider your chapter or you to be underground. Since your chapter has no school affiliation, your relationship to any school does not matter.

[James]

Sorry, let me clarify:

An underground chapter is one not recognized by its own National's. I have mentioned school recognition before because many Nationals will withdraw a charter if a school withdraws recognition.

since Kappa Sig lost its charter at OSU (during 99-00 school year), it has gone underground...

[mgdzkm433]

Underground members can also be people who are gaining membership into a sorority/fraternity that IS recognized by nationals and the school, but do not qualify for membership by the nationals or the school.

[Crimson Diva]

Underground members are usually pledged and taught the history and rituals of a sorority in "secret". They may be initiated later, but not if the chapter is suspended. These members know everything about the sorority, but are not members according to the National organization. If there is as function that they must show a membership card, then they won't be admitted.

Originally posted by intheknow:
since Kappa Sig lost its charter at OSU (during 99-00 school year), it has gone underground...

Really? I thought they were gone completely...are they pledging?

[Jae]

Kappa Sig is kind of wierd because they 1. are not recognized by nationals or by OSU and 2. Lost their house, but at the student involvment fair they walked around with rush 2000 t-shirts on. I don't know how any fraternity could survive at OSU without a house.

[LXAAlum]

I would have a very difficult time 'recognizing' an underground member as a brother - this is hypocrisy against the organization. As members, we pledge to follow the rules and regulations of the order and the institution to which we belong - simply going underground to avoid costs will only make a bad situation worse. What if something happens with an underground member, insurance will not cover it, nor will the national organization assist in legal defense. The chapter will be on their own.

To be a TRUE brother/sister of your organization means to do it the RIGHT way, the way the founders meant it to be - which means to follow the Consititution of your Order. Not doing so is disrespectful, not only to the founding members, but to the greek community at the school, and, ultimately, to the underground members themselves. Who could take pride in a membership they are not legally allowed to enjoy and display with pride?

Bottom line, Don't be a fraud, be a true brother.

------------------
Don't be your brother's keeper; rather, be your brother's Brother.

What? they're wearing the Kappa Sigma letters at a fair after losing their charter?

[33girl]

Originally posted by osu-soph:
What? they're wearing the Kappa Sigma letters at a fair after losing their charter?

Unless the national org terminated the MEMBERSHIP of all the individual members, they have every right to wear letters any time they please.

As far as wearing the Rush 2000 shirts, they could have borrowed them from someone...or they might have ordered/paid for them before they lost their charter.

[XX1]

You are right. of course the members can wear the letters. but were they recruiting new members?