Spinoff: New Members Holding Positions

[tunatartare]

I was discussed in another thread in Risk Management & Hazing about how anti-hazing laws have gone so far to prevent any sort of distinction between new mebers/pledges/associates/whatever you or your organization calls them, that some organizations allow new members to attend meetings and hold positions. This seems a little bit odd to me. How could a person who just got invited to be in the organization a couple of weeks ago possibly know enough about it and how it runs to be a good leader. In my sorority, according to our bylaws, you have to wait a semester after you are initiated before you can vote or hold a position (unless there are extenuating circumstances) so that you get a chance to see how we work. Has anyone heard of new members holding positions? Has that happened in your org? How did it work out?

[adpiucf]

In ADPi, our new members may hold certain offices and attend our meetings. We have structured our new member program and sorority so that new members are not exposed to ritual before they are ready. We don't see our new members as having to pay their society dues. They proved themselves at recruitment that they were one of us, and as they go through new member education, they have the same privileges as any other sister, except for the ritual aspect. That will come later.

It definitely works. There are plenty of good leaders out there, and going through initiation doesn't make you an expert on sorority goings-on, nor does a full year on the other side guarantee that you understand all the policies. We've had some new members who have made excellent and conscientious officers. Sure, others haven't worked out, but the same can be said for members who have been in the chapter for quite a longer time! It just depends on the character of the individual and her leadership potential.

Hope this helps to explain! I know every sorority does everything differently. I certainly wouldn't criticize a sorority that does not give new members leadership positions; I hope this thread won't grow critical of those that do (like mine.)

Thanks!

[tunatartare]

Here's another question. Let's say one of your new members does hold a position. For whatever reason, she de-pledges before initiation. What happens then?

[adpiucf]

Just as any officer who steps down or cancels her membership, we fill the position with another member. It really does work! I'm sure you've had officers who were initiated members who could not fulfill her duties for one reason or another, or who cancelled her membership. That's the great thing about opening the candidate pool up for these offices to the new members-- it increases the opportunity to fill the positions with qualified leaders.

Another benefit of new members holding office-- it makes the new member class feel included in the sorority goings-on and when they feel a part of the process, they want to make a difference and pitch in. It also helps us identify future chapter leaders. By holding other offices, we are able to see how they might hold up as a VP or President later on.

[AlphaFrog]

I was initiated on a Thursday, and took office as Parliamentarian and VP of Alumnae and Heritage on that following Saturday. It was sort of a special situation, though.

[NebraskaDelt]

It's also nice to have a new member officer who has no preconcieved notions of how past officers of the position have done things. A blank slate encourages new ideas and allows the member to take on the office as their own instead of running it like the last guy/gal did.

I wouldn't encourage a new member to president, but some things can easily be taken care of by anyone in the org and it doesn't take a knowledge of ritual to be able to do it. Philanthropy is philanthropy, intramurals is intramurals and fundraising is fundraising. You don't need to know anything about the ritual in order to run these sort of positions.

[jon1856]

Not sure if it has changed but at SAE one needed to be a full active Brother to hold a house position.
Jon