inactive

[sunshinebug08]

Is there a process to going inactive for a semester? I accepted a co-op for the spring and really won't have time for my sorority and the costs that go with it but I dont want to quit for good. I dont know who to ask on EC about it so I figured going here first might help.

[AlphaFrog]

Each fraternity/sorority has different procedures. In general, though, I would think you would need to talk to the President or a chapter Advisor.

[InseparableDI]

Im going inactive this semester since im studying abroad, and for me it was a fairly simple process. I spoke with our vice president of operations, but since we had 8 sisters go abroad last semester they were able to sort it out pretty quickly.

[RaggedyAnn]

I would go right to headquarters. There is usually a deadline involved with this, and if you miss it, you may still be responsible for your semester dues.

Good luck with co-op!

Originally Posted by RaggedyAnn

I would go right to headquarters. There is usually a deadline involved with this, and if you miss it, you may still be responsible for your semester dues.

Good luck with co-op!

I disagree. I'd think that the chapter would have to be the one to initiate the paperwork involved in change of membership status.

To the OP, as you can see, there are differing opinions here. I'd still consult with your EC because they're your closest resource. Start with your chapter advisor, and she'll know who to direct you to. I'm thinking VP Membership and/VP Finance (or whatever your sorority calls them).

How long have you known about this co-op? Did you just find out or did you know for a while already? I only ask because of the deadline RaggedyAnn mentioned.

We had several girls study abroad over the years, and they still had to pay dues (a lesser amount). But again, each sorority handles their membership differently, so please talk to your EC ASAP.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by OTW

I disagree. I'd think that the chapter would have to be the one to initiate the paperwork involved in change of membership status.

To the OP, as you can see, there are differing opinions here. I'd still consult with your EC because they're your closest resource. Start with your chapter advisor, and she'll know who to direct you to. I'm thinking VP Membership and/VP Finance (or whatever your sorority calls them).

How long have you known about this co-op? Did you just find out or did you know for a while already? I only ask because of the deadline RaggedyAnn mentioned.

We had several girls study abroad over the years, and they still had to pay dues (a lesser amount). But again, each sorority handles their membership differently, so please talk to your EC ASAP.

While each will handle the situation differently, the best thing is to contact your HQ!

In most instances, the local Officers are not familier with this situation! So, what do they do? Contact your HQ!

They will be better at letting you know than on the local level!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

While each will handle the situation differently, the best thing is to contact your HQ!

In most instances, the local Officers are not familier with this situation! So, what do they do? Contact your HQ!

They will be better at letting you know than on the local level!

Tom, there is a "chain of command" that should be followed - unless you're completely out of touch with the chapter, it's best to contact the appropriate chapter officer or the advisor rather than going over their head and straight to HQ. If we went straight to HQ for everything, what would be the point of electing officers to run the chapter?

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

While each will handle the situation differently, the best thing is to contact your HQ!

In most instances, the local Officers are not familier with this situation! So, what do they do? Contact your HQ!

They will be better at letting you know than on the local level!

While I don't doubt that the HQ will be most familiar with the situation, I'm fairly certain that the process must still be initiated at the local level. If the member contacts HQ directly, my guess is that they'll just send her back to her local EC anyway. Oftentimes it's also difficult to get a hold of someone at HQ right away.

Chapter advisors and EC officers should be aware of membership procedures. If they're not, that's what the membership handbook is for. If the handbook didn't help, then EC would be the one who'd contact HQ on her behalf. That's how it always worked for us.

[Tom Earp]

Great, some are not as it may not be a common thing!

[jwright25]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

While each will handle the situation differently, the best thing is to contact your HQ!

I will speak for my sorority (Alpha Delta Pi) and say absolutely not! Our Executive Office does not handle inactivity requests, they are reviewed on a local level and pass through several levels before PAPERWORK goes to EO from international officers. Never phone calls. Never never never.

I believe that most of the women in this thread have given the best advice - contact a member of Exec or the Chapter Advisor. On the campuses that I have worked with, almost every NPC chapter has had multiple inactive members at any given point in time. If you multiply that across the country and consider what would happen if all of those women called their HQ/EO to find out how to go inactive, you can surely see that it would be overwhelming!

OMG. Never never never call!

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by jwright25

I will speak for my sorority (Alpha Delta Pi) and say absolutely not! Our Executive Office does not handle inactivity requests, they are reviewed on a local level and pass through several levels before PAPERWORK goes to EO from international officers. Never phone calls. Never never never.

I believe that most of the women in this thread have given the best advice - contact a member of Exec or the Chapter Advisor. On the campuses that I have worked with, almost every NPC chapter has had multiple inactive members at any given point in time. If you multiply that across the country and consider what would happen if all of those women called their HQ/EO to find out how to go inactive, you can surely see that it would be overwhelming!

OMG. Never never never call!

AMEN!

[rufio]

Originally Posted by jwright25

Never phone calls. Never never never..... OMG. Never never never call!

you make it seem like your IHQ would extremely condescending if not abrasive if someone called with a trivial question; like IHQ is an entity to be feared. i don't mean to offend by pointing that out, but I'm curious, to the other gc'ers, would your IHQ's tear your head off if you called in with a situation like this or just simply defer you toward the right answer?

i know at DU, while it is not best to constantly bug the officials with trivial questions, they wouldn't mind a friendly phone call from a member. Alot of our top directors have direct contact with undergraduate members. after all, were all supposed to be family, right?

[RaggedyAnn]

I'll be honest, I recommended headquarters due to the fact that most collegians were not in school at the time the OP posted.

Just wanted to point out that the OP hasn't had any activity on GC since the day after she started this thread.