Has anyone ever advised a chapter besides their own?

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by Just interested

Interesting topic. I serve on the House Corp of one of the chapters of my sorority and our House Director is a Kappa. She is wonderful and brings a lot of knowledge to the table. She even served as a chapter advisor for Kappa at one time in her life. However, our housing leadership is divided from the collegian end of things. We are two very different organizations with different agendas. How would a member of another group deal with the national organization, etc? Just asking.

Why would the campus advisor have to deal with the national organization? Probably NPHC and NPC orgs handle this differently since with us the campus advisor is just that, the campus advisor. They only exist because the campus requires that we have them and this person (usually a faculty member or administrator) doesn't have to be a member of our organization or any organization for that matter. The real advisement comes from the alumnae chapter responsible for advising a particular undergrad chapter. This advisor is the one that has to deal with Nationals and since she is a member of the sorority, there is no issue.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

Why would the campus advisor have to deal with the national organization? Probably NPHC and NPC orgs handle this differently since with us the campus advisor is just that, the campus advisor. They only exist because the campus requires that we have them and this person (usually a faculty member or administrator) doesn't have to be a member of our organization or any organization for that matter. The real advisement comes from the alumnae chapter responsible for advising a particular undergrad chapter. This advisor is the one that has to deal with Nationals and since she is a member of the sorority, there is no issue.

NPC groups don't always have an alumnae chapter that "corresponds" (for lack of a better word) to each undergrad chapter, so we wouldn't be able to do things in that way. (It would be nice, though.) Even if a group has a housing corporation for that chapter or a chapter association, they don't deal with day to day collegiate advising.

The chapter advisor often has to get involved with issues of standards, recruitment, etc. so he/she pretty much should be someone who's on campus (or really near) and easy for the members to access.

In answer to JI's question, she just has to use the parts of her sorority experience that make her a good advisor, and put aside the things that conflict with the national/local goals of the group she's advising. Maybe Annie ASA Alum is advising a Kappa chapter and she thinks it's ridiculous that (made up example) seniors can't take a little, because that rule doesn't exist in her sorority. It doesn't matter, she has to tell the collegians to follow it. She's not there to advance ASA goals, she's there to help the collegians achieve their goals in Kappa. If she can't do that, she shouldn't accept the advising position.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by 33girl

NPC groups don't always have an alumnae chapter that "corresponds" (for lack of a better word) to each undergrad chapter, so we wouldn't be able to do things in that way. (It would be nice, though.) Even if a group has a housing corporation for that chapter or a chapter association, they don't deal with day to day collegiate advising.

The chapter advisor often has to get involved with issues of standards, recruitment, etc. so he/she pretty much should be someone who's on campus (or really near) and easy for the members to access.

In answer to JI's question, she just has to use the parts of her sorority experience that make her a good advisor, and put aside the things that conflict with the national/local goals of the group she's advising. Maybe Annie ASA Alum is advising a Kappa chapter and she thinks it's ridiculous that (made up example) seniors can't take a little, because that rule doesn't exist in her sorority. It doesn't matter, she has to tell the collegians to follow it. She's not there to advance ASA goals, she's there to help the collegians achieve their goals in Kappa. If she can't do that, she shouldn't accept the advising position.

Yes, this is a major difference. For NPHC groups, there has to be an alumnae chapter nearby to advise the undergrad chapter or the undergrad chapter cannot be active. Also our alumnae chapters do not comprise members of a particular school. Instead they represent cities/areas such as the alumnae chapter of Chicago. Another major difference is that our alumnae chapters are not a part of any alumni association but are actually voting chapters within the sorority and undergrad members are expected to transfer into an alumnae chapter once they graduate. Hence the idea that membership is for life.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

undergrad members are expected to transfer into an alumnae chapter once they graduate.

I absolutely think that this is where most NPCs dropped the ball.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I absolutely think that this is where most NPCs dropped the ball.

But if we did that, we would definitely have to make chartering an alum chapter more like chartering a collegiate chapter.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by 33girl

But if we did that, we would definitely have to make chartering an alum chapter more like chartering a collegiate chapter.

I'm not seeing the downside to that....

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by 33girl

But if we did that, we would definitely have to make chartering an alum chapter more like chartering a collegiate chapter.

That's exactly how it is for us. Most alumnae chapters are chartered by undergrad members who graduated (not necessarily from the same school but living in the same area) and/or by transfers from another alumnae chapter(s). We also initiate new members at the alumnae level so alumnae chapters are comprised of members that initiated as undergrads and grads. Ofcourse all members must possess a bachelor's degree.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I absolutely think that this is where most NPCs dropped the ball.

Be fair though, that would entirely change recruitment of members to bring them into alumna chapters. Not something that has a ton of support.

Honestly I'd like to see our organizations treat alum chapters much the same as NPHC chapters. More as fully functional chapters if you know what I mean.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Be fair though, that would entirely change recruitment of members to bring them into alumna chapters. Not something that has a ton of support.

Honestly I'd like to see our organizations treat alum chapters much the same as NPHC chapters. More as fully functional chapters if you know what I mean.

Even though we induct new members at the alumnae level, the majority of alumnae members are transfers from undergrad chapters because our undergrad members know that they are expected and highly encouraged to stay active and honor their lifetime committment. Also our alumnae chapters don't actively recruit (neither do our undergrads). Instead most people that seek grad membership wanted to be a part of the organization as an undergrad or was interested but didn't pursue at that time for whatever reason.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

Even though we induct new members at the alumnae level, the majority of alumnae members are transfers from undergrad chapters because our undergrad members know that they are expected and highly encouraged to stay active and honor their lifetime committment. Also our alumnae chapters don't actively recruit (neither do our undergrads). Instead most people that seek grad membership wanted to be a part of the organization as an undergrad or was interested but didn't pursue at that time for whatever reason.

Indeed, your entire style of recruiting is completely different, and I'm not suggesting "grown up rush" for NPC alum chapters. However, the current GC view of "AI should be offered not sought" would need to change if we were pushing our alum chapters into being more active. (IMO it should be sought as well as offered (or denied).)

Part of the reason, again IMO, there's such disconnect between NPC collegiate and alum chapters is the fact that they're too often a generation removed from the members who just graduated college. It's become systemic.