Suspended..what to do??

[KD4Me]

It doesn't sound right that an advisor could make the decision to suspend you. To have to turn in your pin is a very BIG deal...it happened to a girl in my chapter when I was in school and, although I was a pledge at the time, I am aware that there was a lot of paperwork involved and it is my understanding that the actual decision was made by our National Council. This may be a special circumstance because your chapter has come under fire for violating alcohol policies recently, but it still doesn't seem quite right.

My advice would be to find out what the exact procedures are for suspending a member. Your chapter should have some sort of policy and procedures handbook that you can look at, to make sure that the right steps were taken. If you don't get the answers that you need from the chapter, contact the National Officer that your chapter reports to.

It is important that, if you are suspended, it is clear that it is because of something that you did, and that you did not decide to turn in your pin. I would think that it would be easier in the future to appeal for reinstatement if you can prove that you have matured and learned your lesson, rather than having to try to explain why you elected to leave the membership.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by KD4Me

It doesn't sound right that an advisor could make the decision to suspend you.

I agree, especially since in some sororities and chapters, the main advisor is sometimes not even a sister. And you should have had the chance to appeal before you were terminated/suspended. Simply because you were arrested doesn't mean you're guilty.

If you get forms sent to you, do not sign them.

I'm sorry but I don't care what the charge is, advisors making decisions about members without input of the collegians is a super bogus move. If the sorority approves of that kind of in loco parentis garbage, she might be better off without her membership.

Not to mention, if it wasn't at a sorority event or the OP wasn't wearing letters, how did the campus police even know she was in a sorority and why was the advisor contacted? That would be kind of like my landlord getting a call if I got a DUI. Something's rotten in Denmark....I wouldn't be surprised if it was not the campus police that called the advisor, rather a sister that has it out for you. Did this new advisor actually get notification in writing from the police or just a phone call?

Originally Posted by 33girl

Not to mention, if it wasn't at a sorority event or the OP wasn't wearing letters, how did the campus police even know she was in a sorority

I'm from a small campus, and even without wearing letters, people know who's greek. Our campus security especially knows us from our late night rock painting. So, if she is also from a smaller sized campus, and she's not a freshman, it wouldn't surprise me if the security knew she was greek.

You said you were going back to your DORM, correct? So, you weren't going back to your chapter's house, and this adviser is not a house director? If she were a housing director, that would be more of a reason to call her. I would definitely request something in writing from your sorority.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by violet_sigma3

I'm from a small campus, and even without wearing letters, people know who's greek. Our campus security especially knows us from our late night rock painting. So, if she is also from a smaller sized campus, and she's not a freshman, it wouldn't surprise me if the security knew she was greek.

I'm from a small campus too, but I can't imagine the campus cops knowing anyone's affiliation. They could identify if a jacket or shirt had Greek letters on it, but that was about it. Like I said this just smells funny and I don't think it was really a cop who called the advisor to inform her.

[HuskyAlum]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Not to mention, if it wasn't at a sorority event or the OP wasn't wearing letters, how did the campus police even know she was in a sorority and why was the advisor contacted?

It's a VERY common practice for the Greek Advisor or other student affairs representative to receive a copy of all police reports on Monday in order to specifically look for incidents involving fraternity or sorority members. The Greek Advisor could have easily contacted the Chapter Advisor so the issue could be handled within the organization.

Also, I'm sure most sororities have under their causes for discipline (or whatever) a clause about violating federal, state, local, or university/college laws. That's a no-brainer that your membership would be removed for that, IMHO. Finally, it doesn't suprise me that a Chapter Advisor has the power to discipline members. Sure, we would rather defer to the chapter members to self-adjudicate, but sometimes the situation calls for swift and/or severe punishment. This could have been a case where chapter officers or judicial board was unwilling to take this action but since the chapter was previously under fire, the Chapte Advisor had to step in and override their decision. Pefectly acceptable.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by HuskyAlum

This could have been a case where chapter officers or judicial board was unwilling to take this action but since the chapter was previously under fire, the Chapte Advisor had to step in and override their decision. Pefectly acceptable.

As I said, sometimes chapter advisors are not members. Nonmembers should not have the power to terminate members. And at any rate - calling the member on the phone and telling her is COMPLETELY unacceptable. If this new advisor makes a practice of doing that, the chapter is going to end up in trouble somewhere down the line.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

Suspension is NOT the same as Disaffiliated. A suspension is temporary. Disaffiliation is forever. So I don't get that either.

Originally Posted by amanda6035

Not true my organization. If you are suspended, you are no longer a member - whether it's voluntary or forced suspension. Some suspensions can be appealed (such as academic - you can petition to be reinstated if you get your grades up) but suspension is permanent for us.

*edit* to clarify, probation is temporary, suspension is permanent.

Different sororities/chapters might call it different things. The reason it's so confusing is because the actual definition of suspension is a postponement or TEMPORARY removal. Like when in school, if you're suspended, you're not allowed to return for a set amount of time, but if you're expelled, you're removed from school permanantly.

But anyway...

Originally Posted by 33girl

I agree, especially since in some sororities and chapters, the main advisor is sometimes not even a sister. And you should have had the chance to appeal before you were terminated/suspended. Simply because you were arrested doesn't mean you're guilty.

If you get forms sent to you, do not sign them.

I'm sorry but I don't care what the charge is, advisors making decisions about members without input of the collegians is a super bogus move. If the sorority approves of that kind of in loco parentis garbage, she might be better off without her membership.

Not to mention, if it wasn't at a sorority event or the OP wasn't wearing letters, how did the campus police even know she was in a sorority and why was the advisor contacted? That would be kind of like my landlord getting a call if I got a DUI. Something's rotten in Denmark....I wouldn't be surprised if it was not the campus police that called the advisor, rather a sister that has it out for you. Did this new advisor actually get notification in writing from the police or just a phone call?

I completely agree. My understanding is that advisors are to oversee the workings of the chapter. But the advisor has no voting rights whatsoever. How can she then choose to remove a member without consulting with any active members of the chapter? Unless there is a by-law indicating that the advisor has the authority to do this, I don't understand how this could happen. And I highly doubt there is any national organization that has written in their constitution, "An advisor can remove any member from the chapter if he/she thinks she is justified in doing so." But hey, I could be wrong.