OmegaFi

DeltaBetaBaby · #1 04-12-2011, 12:52 PM

Not to say you don't need a dues increase, but have you looked at doing payment plans that reward early payments/punish later payments? For example, if you pay the whole semester up-front, you pay $1500/semester, but if you don't pay up-front, you pay $400/month for 4 months.

I'm always amazed to see "payment plans" that really just let people spread their dues out over a bunch of payments but don't give anyone a reason to pay up front. I certainly understand working with women who hit a one-time financial bump, but letting everyone pay late with no consequences is a problem.

victoriana · #2 04-12-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I'm always amazed to see "payment plans" that really just let people spread their dues out over a bunch of payments but don't give anyone a reason to pay up front. I certainly understand working with women who hit a one-time financial bump, but letting everyone pay late with no consequences is a problem.

I fully agree with this. My chapter actually has a bylaw stating that payment plans may only be granted to "x" number of girls per semester. We do give people time to pay dues, though. They just have to be paid by the second business meeting of the semester. If a member doesn't pay dues, they go into financial poor standing, which means no fun stuff. If a member is in poor standing for two semesters in a row their membership can be brought up. This system works well for us. There are ways to make exceptions for women with extenuating circumstance, but it's not so lenient that we have a problem with everyone paying dues late.

TGTKPinkWhalepq · #3 04-12-2011, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnotherKD

Total side note- this happened when I was a freshman. The Treasurer didn't make grades, and I am 99% sure that she was told she was still in the sorority and still had her duties to perform, it's just that she couldn't do any of the actual "fun" stuff, including basically anything else that dealt with the sorority, for the rest of the semester. I'm sure you can all guess what her reply was.

We require members to make a semester GPA .2 higher than the chapter minimum in order to hold executive office or a judicial spot. If they don't we usually ask them to resign their position and we elect someone else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by victoriana

There are ways to make exceptions for women with extenuating circumstance, but it's not so lenient that we have a problem with everyone paying dues late.

The last member we allowed to have a payment plan racked up $587 in debt-only bought one shirt so the balance is odd

and our new VPF lost the copy of the plan for a while so we didn't know how bad it was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Not to say you don't need a dues increase, but have you looked at doing payment plans that reward early payments/punish later payments? For example, if you pay the whole semester up-front, you pay $1500/semester, but if you don't pay up-front, you pay $400/month for 4 months.

Oh we do need an increase. We increased a yearly total of $100 last fall to $900, and IMO we need to increase by another 150-200 so we can afford to offer those types of incentives. Everyone is griping about dues going up because they are used to paying out of pocket for events at their option, "nickel and diming," etc, and then COMPLAINING that our events are low-quality, instead of paying through their dues and having higher quality events b/c everyone would be pitching in. Granted, money doesn't = fun but it provides comfort, security, and an appearance of class. Paying bills and eating sardines while watching That 70's Show at the house isn't as fun as having formals, mixers, other events, though I have made some amazing memories here.

preciousjeni · #4 04-12-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGTKPinkWhalepq

We require members to make a semester GPA .2 higher than the chapter minimum in order to hold executive office or a judicial spot. If they don't we usually ask them to resign their position and we elect someone else.

I REALLY respect that.

AnotherKD · #5 04-12-2011, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

I REALLY respect that.

Ditto. I just remember my story as a side note- didn't think it'd actually be an option. Just thought it was somewhat amusing.

TGTKPinkWhalepq · #6 04-14-2011, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

I REALLY respect that.

It sucks sometimes in a small chapter, but people stay focused on the important stuff when we enforce standards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnotherKD

Ditto. I just remember my story as a side note- didn't think it'd actually be an option. Just thought it was somewhat amusing.

We did this to some actives a few years back. They didn't make grades again and both resigned from the chapter because they knew they'd be expelled for not making grades two semesters in a row. Don't like that bylaw either but when we follow it our GPA seems to improve/stay high.

DeltaBetaBaby · #7 04-14-2011, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGTKPinkWhalepq

We did this to some actives a few years back. They didn't make grades again and both resigned from the chapter because they knew they'd be expelled for not making grades two semesters in a row. Don't like that bylaw either but when we follow it our GPA seems to improve/stay high.

Wait, you throw girls out for not making grades two semesters in a row? Are you an NPC group?