"Founders" vs. "Charter Members"

[RU OX Alum]

So, funny that I read this today.

I am a Founding Father of Theta Chi at Radford University, the Iota Zeta Chapter. (There are secret reasons we say it like that. SShhh)

It is my chapter's 8th anniversary today.

[Thetagirl218]

Originally Posted by LucyKKG

I'm a charter member, but we've never called ourselves founders. I can't even think of anyone saying "founding members of the Eta Mu chapter." It's "charter" for us. Technically, Kappa doesn't call NM classes by Greek letters but instead by the year and term (fall 09), but we do it anyway. I'm a charter member and also in Alpha Class. Beta came the fall after we were installed.

I was also a charter member of my chapter, but we were always called Founding Sisters of the Eta Omicron Chapter. This title was used loosely by those even in HQ, but we all we knew we were "charter" sisters.

This was never meant to demean the amazing women that founded our fraternity! It was simply what everyone called us.

Our NM classes are also called by year and term, but we also use the letters. The class after the founding class was the Alpha class for us.

[aephi alum]

I've seen the terms "founder of (insert chapter designation)", "chapter founder", and "charter member" used to refer to the AEPhis who signed a chapter's charter. I usually refer to myself as a chapter founder, even though it's highly unlikely anyone would take me for one of AEPhi's original seven founders. (I'm old, but not that old!)

[aopirose]

Originally Posted by Xidelt

You are only a founder if you establish a new chapter of an org on campus and your average is ABOVE the all Greek women's average. If you are establishing a chapter of a new org and your average is BELOW the all Greek women's average, then you are a charter member. If you are trying to establish a colony and your average is BELOW the all women's average for campus, then you are just SOL.

Just wanted to clarify that for everyone.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

I've seen the terms "founder of (insert chapter designation)", "chapter founder", and "charter member" used to refer to the AEPhis who signed a chapter's charter. I usually refer to myself as a chapter founder, even though it's highly unlikely anyone would take me for one of AEPhi's original seven founders. (I'm old, but not that old!)

I say chapter founder for the women who founded my particular chapter and signed the charter. That could be because some of us are from chapters that still have original charter signing members and can say that, where as some chapter don't have any living.

I'm pretty smart and can figure out what people are meaning without getting my fourteen pearls tangled up in my bushy tail.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by Xidelt

You are only a founder if you establish a new chapter of an org on campus and your average is ABOVE the all Greek women's average. If you are establishing a chapter of a new org and your average is BELOW the all Greek women's average, then you are a charter member. If you are trying to establish a colony and your average is BELOW the all women's average for campus, then you are just SOL.

Just wanted to clarify that for everyone.

thanks! im so relieved!

[honeychile]

While I tend to agree with the OP, I will also agree that each GLO has its own terminology.

Just recently, and in other organizations, I had to qualify for which organizations my mother was a founder, and for which she was a charter member for her obituary. It was somewhat fun to see the glazed look come over my brother & sil's eyes! (hey, take your giggles where you can!)