Member transfers for locals and regionals

[JenMarie]

I got a slightly panicked email from the current chapter president. We have 2 chapters and one member from the other wishes to transfer to our school and affiliate with our chapter. But this is something that's never popped up before so we're curious how to go about it.

I suggested meeting with her one on one and doing kind of an informal interview. Maybe chat with the president of her old chapter to make sure she is in good standing. Since she's initiated and probably a semester or two into it, there is no real need for her to start at recruitment and go through the whole speal.

I know this is pretty common with national chapters, and you can chime in on any experience you have with it. But I'm particularly interested in how other locals/regionals etc take care of this.

My thoughts are just to extend an open invite and treat her no differently than a sister that has come back from an LOA.

Thoughts?

[33girl]

You sound right on the money.

Make sure she's OK financially and then welcome her in. There's no need for things to get more complicated than they need to be. I can't remember, but I'm guessing your 2 chapters are close together geographically, so it isn't like the girl from Ole Miss transferring to the U of Alaska (or vice versa) - not a big culture shock.

[Aduladi]

In my region we would check GPA and financial responsibility and then welcome her in. She would of course need to know what our chapter bylaws are and abide by them, but my sorority is also still small enough for us to know her and what she is like so that it wouldn't be too hard of a transition. I think it would be hard otherwise because if she is initiated she can wear letters and the last thing I'd want is someone representing my chapter and not aware of how we operate.

[Tom Earp]

33girl, good advice.

A sister is just that, a sister, and should be welcomed except for major reasons, $ and GPA.

[JenMarie]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I can't remember, but I'm guessing your 2 chapters are close together geographically, so it isn't like the girl from Ole Miss transferring to the U of Alaska (or vice versa) - not a big culture shock.

Correct. Our chapters are about 2 hours apart from each other.

[GDIfly]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

A sister is just that, a sister, and should be welcomed except for major reasons, $ and GPA.

I understand money reasons. You need dues to support a chapter. But a sister is only a sister if her GPA is high enough?

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by GDIfly

I understand money reasons. You need dues to support a chapter. But a sister is only a sister if her GPA is high enough?

Chapters have minimum GPA requirements.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by GDIfly

I understand money reasons. You need dues to support a chapter. But a sister is only a sister if her GPA is high enough?

The idea being that if your GPA is so low, you dont need to be an active member, you need to study. She'd still be a sister, just an alumna. And actives who go on grade risk still get to attend some events, just not all.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by GDIfly

I understand money reasons. You need dues to support a chapter. But a sister is only a sister if her GPA is high enough?

I went to college for an education. I joined a sorority while I was there.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by JenMarie

I got a slightly panicked email from the current chapter president. We have 2 chapters and one member from the other wishes to transfer to our school and affiliate with our chapter. But this is something that's never popped up before so we're curious how to go about it.

I suggested meeting with her one on one and doing kind of an informal interview. Maybe chat with the president of her old chapter to make sure she is in good standing. Since she's initiated and probably a semester or two into it, there is no real need for her to start at recruitment and go through the whole speal.

I know this is pretty common with national chapters, and you can chime in on any experience you have with it. But I'm particularly interested in how other locals/regionals etc take care of this.

My thoughts are just to extend an open invite and treat her no differently than a sister that has come back from an LOA.

Thoughts?

am i the only one who says to just let the transfer just go down? i mean your org is 2 chapters - hopefully the integrity of this transferring member is pretty good. otherwise, wouldnt the chapter president have said something along the lines of "hey Sally the Sister is coming to your school, but watch out for her...?"

[OPhiAGinger]

This may be the first time it has come up, but it won't be the last time. You should document a transfer process so future transfering sisters know what is expected to make the transition smoothly.

In my org, the transferring sister is required to bring a letter from her previous active chapter stating that she left the chapter in good standing. This doesn't impose any unnecessary hardship either on the transferring sister or on the leaders of her previous chapter, but it ensures she doesn't owe any debt to the sorority, etc.

Good luck!