Delegate Strength

[Senusret I]

At your national conventions, is each chapter given the same amount of delegates?

Are your number of delegates dependent upon the size of the chapter?

Do alumni chapters/associations have a vote?

Discuss.

[12dn94dst]

yes, each chapter, alumnae and collegiate, is given the same number of votes: one.

at different points, i've heard individuals rumbling about changing the number of votes/delegates to be based on the size of the chapter. it would be interesting to see, particularly if a chapter is split on an issue.

[RU OX Alum]

each chapter gets two votes and two delegates: an alumnus and an undergrad

no alumni chapters (i don't think alums should get to vote at all)

[33girl]

Each collegiate chapter gets a vote.
Each alumnae chapter gets a vote.
A chapter advisor from each collegiate chapter (must be an initiated sister) gets a vote.
Each national councillor gets a vote.
National volunteers "in accordance with national procedure" - each gets a vote.

Anyone who's a paid employee (i.e. HQ staff or leadership consultants) cannot vote.

The size of the chapters (alum or collegiate) doesn't matter - each gets one vote.

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

no alumni chapters (i don't think alums should get to vote at all)

I'm curious as to why you think that way.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

each chapter gets two votes and two delegates: an alumnus and an undergrad

no alumni chapters (i don't think alums should get to vote at all)

The NPHC and other GLO's as well hold their alum chapters in high esteem. For us, our membership and involvement is for life.

[BlueNYC2]

delegates dont matter...chapter size does...that determines the votes...

[Senusret I]

By "delegates" I of course mean "voting delegates."

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

each chapter gets two votes and two delegates: an alumnus and an undergrad

no alumni chapters (i don't think alums should get to vote at all)

I think some would argue the other way around. Alums have the time and experience with org as a whole, not just the small collegiate chapter. If anything, the collegiates should be limited. But, the sorority belongs to both so why shouldn't everyone get a vote?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I think some would argue the other way around. Alums have the time and experience with org as a whole, not just the small collegiate chapter.

Wellll....not necessarily. Some alums settle down to live where they went to school and join the alum chapter that's almost completely made up of graduates from the same school, and it's pretty much like still going to collegiate meetings only they meet a lot fewer times a year, and they really don't know/care about national issues as a whole. I guess what I'm trying to say is that alum involvement does not always equal seeing the bigger sorority picture.

I'm totally surprised that in some groups the bigger chapters get more votes. That would be very very interesting if we did that - I'd be curious to see the results.

[AKA2D '91]

Each chapter's (UG and Grad) delegate strength is determined by the number of members on the chapter's roster. If my chapter, based on it's size can have only 7 delegates, but only 4 members attend the conference, then, my chapter will only have 4 votes for that conference. We vote individually, but usually the delegates are given the directive from the chapter prior to attending the conference. If an issue arises, then the delegates discuss the issue immediately and vote accordingly on behalf of the chapter.

We are also allotted alternate delegates in case something happens. I remember one conference, a soror had to fly out almost as soon as we got there because of a family emergency. One of the alternates was then certified as a voting delegate.

Even our active members not in a chapter have delegates. All actives are part of the decision making process.

[Senusret I]

In APhiA, chapters receive voting delegates based on their numbers by a certain time. Bigger chapters receive more delegates. National Board members also vote, and there are about 20 of them -- five are undergrads.

I personally would rather see all chapters get two delegates, as the current system unfairly advantages alumni chapters, which are greater in number and membership in the first place.

In Alpha Phi Omega, each collegiate chapter gets two votes, each board member gets one vote, and each alumni voting delegate (one from each of the 11 regions) gets one vote. In this case, I feel that each active alumni association should get two votes since at this point it would not unfairly advantage them.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Wellll....not necessarily. Some alums settle down to live where they went to school and join the alum chapter that's almost completely made up of graduates from the same school, and it's pretty much like still going to collegiate meetings only they meet a lot fewer times a year, and they really don't know/care about national issues as a whole. I guess what I'm trying to say is that alum involvement does not always equal seeing the bigger sorority picture.

I'm totally surprised that in some groups the bigger chapters get more votes. That would be very very interesting if we did that - I'd be curious to see the results.

I don't disagree with you 33girl. The difference is that most older adults are able to make more rational decisions than youger adults whose brains have not fully matured or been fully educated. It's the same reason we have alumnae serve as National/International officers not collegiate members. Alumnae who are active enough to attend conventions usually do have the whole group rather than only their alumnae group in mind when they vote. Let me be clear, though, I think collegiates definitely should have a say in ALL decisions. I said SOME think the alumnae should make all of the decisions. The sorority represents both alumnae and collegiates so both should be allowed to vote!

[neosoul]

depends on size of the chapter

[gtdxeric]

from http://www.deltachiconvention.org/Delegate/index.htm :

Each undergraduate chapter shall cast a number of votes based on its membership, defined as the number initiated and dues-paying members including those initiates who are not yet required to pay dues, as follows: if its membership is less than the average chapter membership, three (3) votes; if its membership is equal to or greater than the average chapter membership, four (4) votes; if its membership is equal to or greater than twice the average chapter membership less ten (10), five (5) votes.

There's info in that link on colonies and alumni chapters too: they get votes proportional to size, and all the past International Presidents in attendance form a committee that also gets two votes.