Question about initiated girls not making grades...

[BBelleADPi]

I am asking this out of sheer curiosity. I was talking last week with a collegiate of another sorority who told me that it is her sorority's policy (whether it is for just this campus, or is a national policy, I don't know-nor did she) that if an initiated sister doesn't make the college's required GPA for a particular semester (say a 2.0), and has to go on academic probation, the sister is not allowed to attend any meeting, socials, etc, can't wear her letters, and must turn in her jerseys!! Not until she makes the grades to get off academic probation is she allowed to get her stuff back and wear her letters again. Semesters are six months-that's a looong time! Plus, she is not required to pay fees, either locally or to national. Does this make sense to any of you? If all of this is true, it obviously hurts both the girl and the chapter. Especially if there are several girls that don't make their grades.
I am aware of girls on academic probation not being able to take part in certain social events, but have never heard of all the rest of it. Then again, it's been a long time since I was in school. So, my question is obviously, is this status quo these days?

[Benzgirl]

Our chapter was loss of voting rights (that means you can't vote during recruitment either) by missing grades 1 quarter and loss of social for 2 quarters. Also, for ever quarter not making grades, you were required to sit in on study tables each week (can't rememeber how many hours), until you made grades. There was nothing in our chapter about turning in your letters
I can tell you that girls who typically didn't make grades more than 2 quarters tended to transfer schools or drop out altogether. We didn't have many that fell into this bucket, but it did happen

[33girl]

We put girls on probation - they couldn't go to social stuff and couldn't vote - but we NEVER made someone turn in her letters, unless she was terminated from the sorority. If they're terminating people for not making grades for ONE semester, that's extremely effed up. (4 semesters in a row though, is another story.)

[honeychile]

We put those under a 2.5 on Academic Probation: no socials, mandatory study hours, tests/grades supervised by Scholarship Chair, no voting privileges - but they still had to attend meetings. And absolutely, they still paid all dues!

There was always a big fuss made over them when they brought their grades up - we had rewards for Best Grades and Most Improved Grades. Someone coming off of Academic Probation always won Most Improved over another sister.

The scenario you presented, BBelle, is really too strict, IMHO.

[BBelleADPi]

Honey, I totally agree, and I am wondering if all of what was told to me is actually correct. Think I'll go do a little PMing to some people on GC who are in this sorority...

[AlphaXi4983]

Originally Posted by honeychile

We put those under a 2.5 on Academic Probation: no socials, mandatory study hours, tests/grades supervised by Scholarship Chair, no voting privileges - but they still had to attend meetings. And absolutely, they still paid all dues!

(Sorry to crash, I love coming on here to find out any more info about ADPi's new colony at UD!)

This was pretty much how my chapter did it as well. It seemed to work pretty well - especially the mandatory study hours and lack of social priviledges. In addition to the study hours, a lot of the sisters would tutor (outside of study hours) those who hadn't made grades as an extra assurance that they wouldn't do it again, plus it made studying more fun for them, and we definitely rewarded those who got above the required GPA again.

I definitely think the original scenario is a bit extreme - that's only what we did to those who were dissafiliated or who were kicked out/left due to prolonged academic problems. A poor performing sister is still a sister and she really needs to compassion and support of her sisters to pull through and do well again - shunning her would only make the situation worse, in my opinion.

[BBelleADPi]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi4983

This was pretty much how my chapter did it as well. It seemed to work pretty well - especially the mandatory study hours and lack of social priviledges. In addition to the study hours, a lot of the sisters would tutor (outside of study hours) those who hadn't made grades as an extra assurance that they wouldn't do it again, plus it made studying more fun for them, and we definitely rewarded those who got above the required GPA again.

I definitely think the original scenario is a bit extreme - that's only what we did to those who were dissafiliated or who were kicked out/left due to prolonged academic problems. A poor performing sister is still a sister and she really needs to compassion and support of her sisters to pull through and do well again - shunning her would only make the situation worse, in my opinion.

AlphaXi4983: I'm SO glad you came on here and commented! Because your sorority is the one I'm talking about!! My daughter is an Alpha Xi Delta, and I'm just really wondering if she's understanding this correctly. She was telling me that several girls didn't make their grades (which she is NOT happy about! She tells all her friends all the time: "Just go to class!!!") and she was saying that they have to turn in anything with their letters until they pull their grades up. Maybe it's just her chapter? Hmm... Also, paying dues or not paying dues? I just don't know.

Anway she loves being an Alpha Xi, and was just elected to Panhellenic! She had to be interviewed by other Panhellenic members as well as faculty. The position that she wanted-and got!-is Assistant Rush Chairman. She will be in charge of all the Rho Chis for Fall 2008 rush. She has a lot on her plate putting that together, as well as planning an out-of-town workshop for them. She is also Video Night Chair (which is kinda like Greek Sing-but no singing and all dancing! She's a great dancer and choreographer), and has something to do with Greek Week as well. I told her she better delegate, delegate, delegate!!

Note to Honey: Can you believe this is my little "I don't want to be a Greek" girl? I have a cute picture of her "family" after last Bid Day, but don't know how to post it. All my pictures are on Kodak.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by honeychile

We put those under a 2.5 on Academic Probation: no socials, mandatory study hours, tests/grades supervised by Scholarship Chair, no voting privileges - but they still had to attend meetings. And absolutely, they still paid all dues!

There was always a big fuss made over them when they brought their grades up - we had rewards for Best Grades and Most Improved Grades. Someone coming off of Academic Probation always won Most Improved over another sister.

The scenario you presented, BBelle, is really too strict, IMHO.

This is how I remember my chapter doing it.... they were really good with the positive reinforcement (making huge deals over the girls who made really awesome grades and also those who improved their grades in a major way that maybe didn't make grades the semester before

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by BBelleADPi

AlphaXi4983: I'm SO glad you came on here and commented! Because your sorority is the one I'm talking about!! My daughter is an Alpha Xi Delta, and I'm just really wondering if she's understanding this correctly. She was telling me that several girls didn't make their grades (which she is NOT happy about! She tells all her friends all the time: "Just go to class!!!") and she was saying that they have to turn in anything with their letters until they pull their grades up. Maybe it's just her chapter? Hmm... Also, paying dues or not paying dues? I just don't know.

Anway she loves being an Alpha Xi, and was just elected to Panhellenic! She had to be interviewed by other Panhellenic members as well as faculty. The position that she wanted-and got!-is Assistant Rush Chairman. She will be in charge of all the Rho Chis for Fall 2008 rush. She has a lot on her plate putting that together, as well as planning an out-of-town workshop for them. She is also Video Night Chair (which is kinda like Greek Sing-but no singing and all dancing! She's a great dancer and choreographer), and has something to do with Greek Week as well. I told her she better delegate, delegate, delegate!!

Note to Honey: Can you believe this is my little "I don't want to be a Greek" girl? I have a cute picture of her "family" after last Bid Day, but don't know how to post it. All my pictures are on Kodak.

I'll bet you're proud of her! She's such a beautiful young woman, er, lady, too! Please pass my congratulations on to her. If you're talking about regular pictures, and have a scanner, I can walk you through posting them. If they're digital, I need to be walked through, too! *blush*

[AlphaXi4983]

Originally Posted by BBelleADPi

AlphaXi4983: I'm SO glad you came on here and commented! Because your sorority is the one I'm talking about!! My daughter is an Alpha Xi Delta, and I'm just really wondering if she's understanding this correctly. She was telling me that several girls didn't make their grades (which she is NOT happy about! She tells all her friends all the time: "Just go to class!!!") and she was saying that they have to turn in anything with their letters until they pull their grades up. Maybe it's just her chapter? Hmm... Also, paying dues or not paying dues? I just don't know.

Anway she loves being an Alpha Xi, and was just elected to Panhellenic! She had to be interviewed by other Panhellenic members as well as faculty. The position that she wanted-and got!-is Assistant Rush Chairman. She will be in charge of all the Rho Chis for Fall 2008 rush. She has a lot on her plate putting that together, as well as planning an out-of-town workshop for them. She is also Video Night Chair (which is kinda like Greek Sing-but no singing and all dancing! She's a great dancer and choreographer), and has something to do with Greek Week as well. I told her she better delegate, delegate, delegate!!

Yeah, going to class would definitely be a good way to up the GPA.. go figure, haha That must just be their chapter, because nationals only requires us to "turn in" letters, pins, crests, etc. upon disaffiliation or revocation of membership, and I'm pretty sure they require us to pay dues every semester we're active as collegiate members. Maybe they require them to go inactive? That just seems fishy to me - I really hope she's just midunderstanding them... I'm starting as an adviser this semester (New Member adviser!! ), so I guess I should brush up on all of those policies!

It's great to hear that she loves AXiD and that's fantastic about Panhel! That's a hard job, but it sounds like a lot of fun! She'll be exhausted at the end of the semester, but I think she'll be glad she took all of that on - it definitely helps enhance the collegiate and sorority experience. Good luck to her in all of her new duties!

[BBelleADPi]

Thanks!!

Honey, thanks for editing my post putting the quote in the box. Why is mine not doing that? It used to, but we do have a new computer. It used to be my quotes would be in the box. Now, it's just "quote:. " I imagine its an easy fix, but I don't know what it is! So if anyone knows, holla~

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by BBelleADPi

Thanks!!

Honey, thanks for editing my post putting the quote in the box. Why is mine not doing that? It used to, but we do have a new computer. It used to be my quotes would be in the box. Now, it's just "quote:. " I imagine its an easy fix, but I don't know what it is! So if anyone knows, holla~

Sometimes, when you quote something - especially if you just quote part of the post - one of the brackets is left off, so you get [Quote=SillyGirl;1234What do you think about that really tacky chapter on campus?[/quote] and you don't get the full effect.

I fairly sure that I still have your daughter's pictures, if you ever want me to post one. Or, I can send you a tutorial - with the proviso that I only know what people were kind enough to show me!

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I fairly sure that I still have your daughter's pictures, if you ever want me to post one. Or, I can send you a tutorial - with the proviso that I only know what people were kind enough to show me!

We should probably do a sticky with instructions on how to post a picture. I have walked so many members through it.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

We should probably do a sticky with instructions on how to post a picture. I have walked so many members through it.

Works for me! I still can't "size" a photo from this computer, but there's usually someone nice enough to do it for me. I learned a long time ago that most people are usually nice enough to help you learn - and just kept asking!

[BBelleADPi]

Thanks, Honey, and BenzGgirl-good idea!

Hijack of my own thread-my daughter got a letter yesterday saying that she has been nominated for Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. When I called her, she said that she thinks the Greek Advisor nomimated her, because of a comment she made to my daughter. My question: does anyone know if this a big deal anymore, especially when, according to the letter, the committee also accepts self-nominations?