Colonization and initiation. Beginning. Middle. End?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by Phine

My chapter just went through the (re)colonization process. We pledged and were initiated before we were rechartered. We actually had three pledge classes. My class was first (girls from the interest group and interview process), and then two additional classes after that. Another chapter on my campus was just chartered as well and they were initiated the same weekend as their chartering ceremony.

Hypothetically speaking, if for some reason the colony failed, they couldn't have revoked your membership, could they?

Also, who conducted your pledge process, the local alumnae chapter/association?

If I am getting too personal, please let me know. I'm just trying to compare best practices, I suppose.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Hypothetically speaking, if for some reason the colony failed, they couldn't have revoked your membership, could they?

They were recolonizing so the chapter had already existed, it was just dormant...i.e. there WAS a chapter to initiate her into.

We had a sister of a failed colony (not a rechartering, at a school where a chapter never existed) become an alumna initiate.

[breathesgelatin]

Senusret, my impression is that most of the larger NPC sororities use the process that several people have described: a standard new member period (8 weeks, 10 weeks, whatever the organization prescribes or the campus allows) and then initiation/installation on the same day/evening. The new chapter will continue to be supported by a consultant for another year or two. This procedure is what is followed by my own org (Pi Beta Phi).

Of course, a potential problem would arise if in the first 8 weeks the colony was already experiencing major problems (de-pledging, numbers issues, or something). I'm not sure what sororities who follow this pattern (including mine) would do then - maybe go on and initiate and hold the charter for a while?

Some NPC sororities use the same method mentioned by the NIC fraternities so far on this board. I guess this is shown by Phine's post about AEPhi. They have initiation for the first member classes after the standard new member period, but do not necessarily receive their charter at the same time. They must wait until certain requirements are met or the "provisional" period expires (if it is a standard amount of time in that org). My sense is that the "provisional" period for NPC sororities who use this method is usually probably shorter than that for NIC fraternities. I think it's interesting in Phine's post that you can see the different NPC philosophies about chartering on the same campus.

(ETA: I believe that there are some NIC fraternities, particularly the ones with values-based 4 year membership programs that they're converting chapters to, which follow procedures closer to the ones I've described the majority of NPCs following - initiation and chartering after the standard new member period. I don't know enough about it to elaborate more.)

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if more NPC groups move to the first method over time (chapter chartering at initiation, unless there are already major issues apparent).

I think what you're really getting at here is are members initiated before chartering? My impression is that that's often the case for NIC as well as a few NPC sororities. In the rest of the NPC, initiation and chartering happen at the same time. I've never heard of a org revoking membership to individuals who were already initiated because a colony failed. In fact, as others have mentioned, more often those who graduated before the colony was initiated are offered opportunities to initiate later, as alums.

Now there may be some cases where a group realizes the failure to get an initial new member class is so complete that they just give up and the new members are just SOL. I'm thinking of a time on my campus in 1991. There was an NPC group that arrived to colonize and due to the procedures they used to get new members, they got a tiny pledge class. They quickly realized that it was a lost cause and got the heck out of dodge, I think within a matter of weeks/months. As in they colonized in January and they were gone by May, possibly before. As far as I know, the new members in that organization were never initiated whatsoever, although I have noticed that on the W&L alumni website, you can choose that org as a Greek affiliation. I have sometimes wondered if some of those women went on to join my chapter, which was colonized successfully in 1992, but I never thought to ask any of my chapter's founders...

[33girl]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

think what you're really getting at here is are members initiated before chartering? My impression is that that's often the case for NIC as well as a few NPC sororities. In the rest of the NPC, initiation and chartering happen at the same time. I've never heard of a org revoking membership to individuals who were already initiated because a colony failed.

I think that maybe the difference between the NIC and NPC is that once you initiate into one NPC, you cannot initiate into another ever, no matter the circumstance. With the NIC, some fraternities will bid men who have been "released" by another fraternity - even if they were initiated - and I can't imagine an NIC who wouldn't cut men loose under those circumstances.

But of course, the NIC also is of the belief that if the men work hard they can eventually get the members they need. They don't have to deal with quota, total, bid matching etc etc like the NPC groups do.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

Senusret, my impression is that most of the larger NPC sororities use the process that several people have described: a standard new member period (8 weeks, 10 weeks, whatever the organization prescribes or the campus allows) and then initiation/installation on the same day/evening. The new chapter will continue to be supported by a consultant for another year or two.

My sorority follows the same process with our colonies. The selected women become new members (with the rights and privileges that all NMs have), have the standard new member period, and work toward meeting the installation goals, once the goals are met (typically within one semester), the women are initiated and the chapter is installed.