dropping membership

[ProPhetic1]

Do you take away memoribilia that was purchased by the former member

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ProPhetic1

Do you take away memoribilia that was purchased by the former member

Yes.

[MReed1081]

I know that Alpha Phi always owns our badges- when a sister dies, the badge must be returned to the HQ, burried with the member, or given to a legacy. We are aware that the badge always belongs to the fraternity. This is why it bothers me so much when I see them sold on ebay!

[PhiMuGoddess]

It is policy in my chapter to return the following: pledge pin, membership certificate, badge, and any items given to you by the chapter which bear the name "Phi Mu" (i.e. Bid Day shirts, bud vases). We advise that any items purchased on your own be given to an active sister, or respectfully and properly destroyed.

[ProPhetic1]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Yes.

How can U take away something that was purchased by the member themselves. I can see if U paid for it. But if it came out of their pockets how can U do that

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ProPhetic1

How can U take away something that was purchased by the member themselves. I can see if U paid for it. But if it came out of their pockets how can U do that

Dora Depledge...give me your ASA stuff back.

Easy.

Why would you want stuff from a group you're not a part of?

U get it??

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by ProPhetic1

How can U take away something that was purchased by the member themselves. I can see if U paid for it. But if it came out of their pockets how can U do that

The official items of the organization always belong to the national headquarters because they represent the entity. The person chose to pay to become a member but revokes all rights, responsibilities and ownership when he or she chooses to disaffiliate. This is why we ask for people to return all of those official items (i.e. ritual, pins, membership booklets) to the national headquarters. Many people fail to do so which only makes them look simpleminded.

Paraphernalia purchased by the individual, such as tshirts and license plate covers, are more difficult to recover from the person but many chapters collect them from the person. Some chapters have had to "steal" them back from the person. So what a person paid $20 for a shirt? The letters and symbols always belong to the organization and not the person, which is why members are expected to adhere to certain protocol in displaying every item they purchase.

For some reason, many people want to denounce an organization but still want to be able to own a piece of the organization and claim the organization when they feel like it--usually to fit in with a certain crowd or say something negative. They have no real love or respect for the entity and sometimes want to do stupid stuff to disrespect the entity (i.e. sell certain items on ebay or give a nonmember symbols to wear).

[ProPhetic1]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The official items of the organization always belong to the national headquarters because they represent the entity. The person chose to pay to become a member but revokes all rights, responsibilities and ownership when he or she chooses to disaffiliate. This is why we ask for people to return all of those official items (i.e. ritual, pins, membership booklets) to the national headquarters. Many people fail to do so which only makes them look simpleminded.

I understand returning ritual or membersip booklets, membership ID cards but it just seemed crazy to take away tee-shirts, jackets hats etc.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ProPhetic1

I understand returning ritual or membersip booklets, membership ID cards but it just seemed crazy to take away tee-shirts, jackets hats etc.

Would you still wear the items if you deactivated?

If yes: Then WTH did you deactivate? If you still want to be a member (and it was your decision to deactivate), be a member or loose the privilidges. If you were forced to deactivate, then your National has expressed that they belive you are not worthy to wear the letters.

If no: Then WTH keep the stuff if you're not going to wear it? (And no, selling it on eBay is not a good answer either).

[MSKKG]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Would you still wear the items if you deactivated?

If yes: Then WTH did you deactivate? If you still want to be a member (and it was your decision to deactivate), be a member or loose the privilidges. If you were forced to deactivate, then your National has expressed that they belive you are not worthy to wear the letters.

If no: Then WTH keep the stuff if you're not going to wear it? (And no, selling it on eBay is not a good answer either).

Sometimes the reasons behind resigning membership are not so cut and dried. A friend's daughter pledged a GLO as a soph. (she had rushed at another college and didn't pledge and then transferred to the 2nd college and pledged). She is a 5th-year senior and wanted to take alum status. They wouldn't let her because she hadn't been a member for 4 years and was still in school. She was basically forced into the resignation, not because she was "unworthy" but because of financial reasons. Her mom had bought her badge off eBay, so her mom said the badge belongs to her (the mom). She will probably resell it.

[ProPhetic1]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Would you still wear the items if you deactivated?

If yes: Then WTH did you deactivate? If you still want to be a member (and it was your decision to deactivate), be a member or loose the privilidges. If you were forced to deactivate, then your National has expressed that they belive you are not worthy to wear the letters.

If no: Then WTH keep the stuff if you're not going to wear it? (And no, selling it on eBay is not a good answer either).

The only time I wear paraphernalia is @ Group Pojects or meetings. But to answer your question if I denounced my membership I would not continue to wear my orgs stuff. My point was that if a member drops/denounces we want all the main stuff back, membership manuals, ritual manuals, Id cards, etc. We are not going to chase someone down about what they purchased with their own money. Now if we see them with the stuff on we will request it. But i am not gonna show up on your doorstepp and say hand me back everything you purchased.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by ProPhetic1

it just seemed crazy to take away tee-shirts, jackets hats etc.

Not if you really read my entire post.

[DGMarie]

Do you sign something where it is explicity written and in terms upholdable to contract law, that you must return your pin? I have always wondered the actual legality of this. No Fraternity is going to send legal action against you in the real world. A lot of this is playing on fear and inexperience.

As for other personal items purchased by or for a member who has resigned, these are property of the owner, not the Fraternity. The excuse of "what does she need them for" does not hold any water. You cannot go around demanding things from people, regardless of your intentions. It is tantamount to harassment. And what if they don't comply? Do you continue to ask, demand, maybe escalate this? Give me back that pencil! Selling them or giving them away, no matter how much you don't like it, is up to the owner.

[Buttonz]

Originally Posted by ProPhetic1

Do you take away memoribilia that was purchased by the former member

My chapter didn't, as it was thiers that they brought. Did I agree with this? No, but in some cases it turned out ok, like when an ex-member (and a good friend) sold some of her lettered stuff that her big gave her on ebay, and her big wound up being the one hat brought itfrom her without realziing at first who it was.