After being initiated, transfering and joining another soro

[dekeguy]

May I ask a question regarding Sorority practice in such a situation? On the Fraternity side we have the same or at least similar rules about not joining a national if you have been initiated into another national. (I understand that there are some very rare exceptions in one or two fraternities, but those are irrelevant here). Anyway, when I was an undergrad we had a transfer student who had been to high school with a couple of our guys. He had been initiated into a national that had no chapter on our campus. Since he got along well with all of us we invited him to hang with us (wearing his pin, letters, etc). He was not a member but was considered more than a visitor, not a brother but sort of a cousin. He participated in everything except closed chapter business/ritual and that sort of thing. He contributed prorata for any social events and always pulled his own weight in any activity he could join in with us. We had an informal composit photo showing the brothers and one "cousin". We thought of him as "one of the extended family".
Would an arrangement something like that be possible in the case you all are discussing?

[Drolefille]

Potentially. It depends on the rules for social activities which tend to be stricter for NPC than for fraternities. Hanging out at sisterhood or philanthropy events or even just at the house wouldn't be uncommon, IF she's good friends with the sisters. Clearly ritual would be out. But that's not the sort of arrangement that you can ask for as the person from the outside.

[dekeguy]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Potentially. It depends on the rules for social activities which tend to be stricter for NPC than for fraternities. Hanging out at sisterhood or philanthropy events or even just at the house wouldn't be uncommon, IF she's good friends with the sisters. Clearly ritual would be out. But that's not the sort of arrangement that you can ask for as the person from the outside.

Thanks for the info. The case I spoke of was unique in my house during my undergrad time, but it worked out well. We would have bid this guy if he had been eligible and as it turned out he was a very good non-member member. We had some guys who used to hang with us fairly regularly, but it was a much looser and much more informal arrangement than with our "cousin".
I understand that years ago there used to be a fairly common practice of inviting people in that sort of situation to become SA's or Social Affiliates where they were sort of cousins to the chapter. I think that has mostly died out as an official program but I think it has merit since there seem to be rather a lot of people stuck in the same situation. Much more undergraduate mobility perhaps?
As to the person in question, since she is an initiated member of XYZ couldn't she check out the orgs on her new campus, see if and where she seemed to fit, and if she found a really comfortable fit ask if she might (as a member of XYZ) be accepted as a "cousin", with the appropriate limitations, of course?
That way she would retain her XYZ identity, share close friendship with her ABC cousins, and have the chance to pull her own weight by actively helping out in all appropriate areas?

[Drolefille]

I think it's still an awkward question. But it's not impossible. Also, risk management rules are still strict enough to cause issues. But I don't know that there aren't NPC sororities that allow honorary/associate members either.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

May I ask a question regarding Sorority practice in such a situation? On the Fraternity side we have the same or at least similar rules about not joining a national if you have been initiated into another national. (I understand that there are some very rare exceptions in one or two fraternities, but those are irrelevant here). Anyway, when I was an undergrad we had a transfer student who had been to high school with a couple of our guys. He had been initiated into a national that had no chapter on our campus. Since he got along well with all of us we invited him to hang with us (wearing his pin, letters, etc). He was not a member but was considered more than a visitor, not a brother but sort of a cousin. He participated in everything except closed chapter business/ritual and that sort of thing. He contributed prorata for any social events and always pulled his own weight in any activity he could join in with us. We had an informal composit photo showing the brothers and one "cousin". We thought of him as "one of the extended family".
Would an arrangement something like that be possible in the case you all are discussing?

I think this used to be much more common for sororities, but now that the risk management rules are so much stricter, I don't think it happens as often. Not only that, if you have a campus with not the best Panhellenic regulations, another sorority could get wind of it and possibly use it as a rush infraction (even though the girl in question can't join). "Closed parties" (aka mixers) are much more closed than they used to be.

[dekeguy]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I think this used to be much more common for sororities, but now that the risk management rules are so much stricter, I don't think it happens as often. Not only that, if you have a campus with not the best Panhellenic regulations, another sorority could get wind of it and possibly use it as a rush infraction (even though the girl in question can't join). "Closed parties" (aka mixers) are much more closed than they used to be.

Thanks for the update on current limitations. It has been a few years since undergrad so I am not really current in my info. Would it still be a problem if her "special status" was officially disclosed to the Greek Life office and any other appropriate group? In our case, we notified the Dean of Students, whose office supervised Greek orgs, to see if there was any difficulty. We were advised that he was covered by our umbrella insurance policy and they had no heartburn about it. He then volunteered to kick in for his share of the premium since he spent a lot of time with us. A happy result all around.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

Thanks for the update on current limitations. It has been a few years since undergrad so I am not really current in my info. Would it still be a problem if her "special status" was officially disclosed to the Greek Life office and any other appropriate group? In our case, we notified the Dean of Students, whose office supervised Greek orgs, to see if there was any difficulty. We were advised that he was covered by our umbrella insurance policy and they had no heartburn about it. He then volunteered to kick in for his share of the premium since he spent a lot of time with us. A happy result all around.

It's not so much the Greek life offices - it's the sororities' national offices and the way insurance policies are worded. They would probably be more likely to not budge than the school.

There's been mention on here of a "displaced Greeks" sort of group, but I forget where it was & I'm too lazy to search.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by 33girl

There's been mention on here of a "displaced Greeks" sort of group, but I forget where it was & I'm too lazy to search.

"Greek Club" for transfer students

[AEPhiSierra]

I will definitely have to check my manual but I feel like AEPhi might have (or at least use to have) some social member status which is rarely if ever used. If I remember correctly i think it was meant for unaffilated women that lived in houses because the chapter didn't have enough sisters to fill the house. I guess the idea was if you live in the house we might as well invite you some of our non-ritual events.