Multiple school chapters

[emb021]

You whole story is tragic, and I really wonder who started that 'attack' on you back with your second chapter.

The person you later spoke to at the National Office is Judy Mitchell, our Director of Chapter Services. If there was ANY problem with your membership, she would most likely have been the person to have dealt with it. She was obviously not involved with that attempt to 'de-member' you, so have to wonder who was behind it. (I doubt anyone in the National Office...)

the national by-laws were very unclear about the intentions of the category.

Oh? I figured it was pretty clear when I read it. Here is what it said in my copy of the 97 Nat Bylaws, when I joined: "In order to grant membership the chapter shall first obtain the written authorization of the National Membership & Extension Committee" (did your chapter do that? This MAY have been the basis for the claim you were never approved. HOWEVER, as you received a card/shingle, etc, you're a Brother. So unless someone was going to try to remove you from membership, its too late.). "Such authorization may be given for up to four students from an institution without a chapter. Upon the application of a fifth student for extension membership, these student must form a Petitioning Group at the institution without a chapter". Gee, sounds real clear to me that this is a means to jump start a chapter by getting 5 Brothers on that campus to form the nucleus of a chapter. Further, "Extension members shall have all rights and privileges and responsibilities of active members of the chapter until a chapter is established at their institution". Thus these Extension Members can't be treated like 'second class citizens' in their initating chapter.

[GMUAPhiOAdvisor]

Originally Posted by emb021

You whole story is tragic, and I really wonder who started that 'attack' on you back with your second chapter.

I wish I knew. I spoke to one of the brothers from the second chapter and he had no knowledge of anyone in the chapter being angry or upset that I transfered in or joined Exec. One thing I remember them saying was they were happy to increase the size of their chapter and, as nobody had wanted to be secretary, they were thrilled I was willing to step in right away.

Originally Posted by emb021

The person you later spoke to at the National Office is Judy Mitchell, our Director of Chapter Services. If there was ANY problem with your membership, she would most likely have been the person to have dealt with it. She was obviously not involved with that attempt to 'de-member' you, so have to wonder who was behind it. (I doubt anyone in the National Office...)

I asked Judy about that and she said as far as she could remember, there was never a question about my being in good standing with the National Office. She remembered me being an extension brother and said as far as she knew, everything had been handled properly. I take her to be a fair and honest woman, so I believe her when she said nobody at the National Office had anything to do with this incident.

Originally Posted by emb021

Oh? I figured it was pretty clear when I read it.

Sorry....I'm a bear of very little brain. Please understand that for a very long time, I tried to wipe all memory of A Phi O out of my head. I didn't remember the explicit details and no longer have any official documents from back then.

Originally Posted by emb021

Here is what it said in my copy of the 97 Nat Bylaws, when I joined: "In order to grant membership the chapter shall first obtain the written authorization of the National Membership & Extension Committee" (did your chapter do that? This MAY have been the basis for the claim you were never approved. HOWEVER, as you received a card/shingle, etc, you're a Brother. So unless someone was going to try to remove you from membership, its too late.).

Yes, they did. As I said before, I recall some resistance from whoever I spoke with at the National Office back in late '94, but I can't recall who that was. Maybe Judy, maybe not. But I know that all requirements were followed to the letter.

Originally Posted by emb021

"Such authorization may be given for up to four students from an institution without a chapter. Upon the application of a fifth student for extension membership, these student must form a Petitioning Group at the institution without a chapter". Gee, sounds real clear to me that this is a means to jump start a chapter by getting 5 Brothers on that campus to form the nucleus of a chapter.

As I said, poor memory on my part. I'm sure I knew this back then and did make it clear to whomever I spoke to that my intention was to transfer to this particular school.

Originally Posted by emb021

Further, "Extension members shall have all rights and privileges and responsibilities of active members of the chapter until a chapter is established at their institution". Thus these Extension Members can't be treated like 'second class citizens' in their initating chapter.

Be that as it may, my story is what it is. One would have hoped that I would have been treated as an equal, but it wasn't that way.


Whatever happened back then, I can't continue to dwell on it, but wanted to tell my story so that if, for some reason, National Counsel wants to try and bring something like extension brother status back, maybe my experience can help them write it in such a way as to prevent something like this from happening again.

One thing I do remember was the issue of my being covered by the school's insurance. As I was not a student, they weren't sure if I'd be covered, but they later said that I would be covered as any other guest or visitor would be at a school function.

[naraht]

Wow. Lots of info, and glad that you have come to terms with most or all of it.

You *are* my brother.

Randy

[GMUAPhiOAdvisor]

Originally Posted by naraht

You *are* my brother.

Randy

Thanks, Randy......it feels good to be loved!

[naraht]

Originally Posted by GMUAPhiOAdvisor

Thanks, Randy......it feels good to be loved!

Yup. The closest I ever got to that sort of left behind feeling was when I got my National id card. I was Kappa chapter brother 890A. (For some reason, when assigning chapter numbers for my chapter, my pledge class went 893, 894,...,899,890A,891A,...899A,900,901,902,903.

*still* have no idea what caused the hiccup.