After Initiation Chapter Shut Down... Now What?

[gee_ess]

This happened at a college in my state about 4 years ago and for the same reason.(blindfolds). I feel so sorry for the new members who get swept up in the 'clean sweep' of the chapter when something like this happens. If I am not mistaken, at the school I am referring to, the pledges were also unaware of the probation status of the chapter. Of course, that is not confirmed.

It would seem, though, that the chapter(and'/or) national headquarters would be obligated to make new members fully aware of their status, including possible outcomes of violation of the probation, etc. Does anyone know if the green book speaks to this?

btw - I am pretty sure blindfolds are no longer allowed in most sorority rituals.

[agzg]

Right right I don't assume the OP knew everything. My point was that they were probably already in trouble prior to the blindfold incident (which the OP might not have known since New Members generally don't), or the blindfold incident was a lot worse than just using blindfolds (which hits the "OP is lying" bit).

It sucks that New Members and new initiates get caught up in this type of thing.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by Deal the Cards

I can get a full refund and my membership and alumni status will be removed but although I will no longer be a member of that sorority does this still prevent me from joining another sorority?
Is there a by-law for special circumstance?

Really? Was that given to you in writing by an Officer of the Fraternity/Sorority?

Jumping on the bandwagon and agreeing with many of the posters who've replied. Please contact your sorority's headquarters. Each sorority has its own Constitution and Bylaws and they will answer your questions.

IMO DeltaBetaBaby may be right; but we here on GC don't know. And once more I agree with MysticCat.

Looking into the future, I see all sorts of potential difficulty for the OP. She's already been through one New Member period and Initiation. No way I would be convinced that she'd never talk about that with anyone for the rest of her life, should she pledge another GLO. I know one GC member who was a pledge of one GLO, was not initiated, and subsequently pledged and initiated another (I've read her story) but she did not initiate into the first GLO. Quite a different set of circumstances.

Bottom line, this is messy.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

Really? Was that given to you in writing by an Officer of the Fraternity/Sorority?

Jumping on the bandwagon and agreeing with many of the posters who've replied. Please contact your sorority's headquarters. Each sorority has its own Constitution and Bylaws and they will answer your questions.

IMO DeltaBetaBaby may be right; but we here on GC don't know. And once more I agree with MysticCat.

Looking into the future, I see all sorts of potential difficulty for the OP. She's already been through one New Member period and Initiation. No way I would be convinced that she'd never talk about that with anyone for the rest of her life, should she pledge another GLO. I know one GC member who was a pledge of one GLO, was not initiated, and subsequently pledged and initiated another (I've read her story) but she did not initiate into the first GLO. Quite a different set of circumstances.

Bottom line, this is messy.

Yeah, my line of thinking is that there is a (very small) chance that what took place was not a "real" initiation. The whole thing is obviously odd, from the details we've been given, so contacting HQ is the only way to sort it out.

[Kevin]

With regard to blindfolds, if that's really the reason your organization shut down the chapter, that is totally and completely ridiculous.

Frankly, it's not even really all that believable.

[DrPhil]

Jazing, the freemasons are not the first organizations around the world to use blindfolds in rituals.

Some traditions (which may or may not include rituals) of NPHC sororities and fraternities (founded in early or middle 1900s) are often directly and indirectly linked to African traditions, freemasonry, and what Black men brought back from the military.

Just food for thought.

[DubaiSis]

I'll go on record saying Alpha Xi Delta does not use blindfolds, unless someone is hazing, and of course that would be against FHQ policy. Regarding the sequined cat suits and the levitation machines, I plead the 5th.

[DrPhil]

Which GLOs do or do not use blindfolds is really not the point. The point is that it is probably safe to assume that not all GLOs use blindfolds. I strongly discourage GCers from announcing what their GLOs do or do not do everytime someone makes a statement such as jazing's. That is a slippery slope as far as I am concerned. There is a difference between the running joke of killing goats and sequined cat suits versus feeling the need to dispute other statements.

As has been said numerous times on GC, different GLOs do different things and it is not automatically hazing just because "your" GLO (or conference/council) does not do it. Moreover, do random people really need to know what to expect or not to expect in a GLO's ritual or should that be reserved for members and those who will be initiated?

[knight_shadow]

I agree, DrPhil.

jazing has been a brother of his organization for less than a month. He's still in the learning phase, so a simple "That may be the case in your organization, but..." should suffice when sweeping generalizations are made.

[gee_ess]

I wish the OP would come back and give us further info on her situation...maybe since she has posted, she has contacted headquarters, etc.

[melindawarren]

Originally Posted by gee_ess

I wish the OP would come back and give us further info on her situation...maybe since she has posted, she has contacted headquarters, etc.

Agreed! This is such an unusual circumstance, and I hate to see so much speculation.

OP, I'm new, too, but I agree-call HQ! They will, at the very least, break down your options for you.

[jazing]

I plead the fifth in what I know. Thanks for the insight

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by Deal the Cards

I paid for an entire semester's worth of membership and a pin and did not receive either. I can get a full refund and my membership and alumni status will be removed but although I will no longer be a member of that sorority does this still prevent me from joining another sorority?

If you "get a full refund" and lose your alumni status, you won't be an alumna member of your NPC and you won't be eligible for another sorority. You cannot join another NPC sorority if you have been initiated into one NPC sorority. One initiation per woman is the rule. I wouldn't do that.

Contact your Nationals to get your pin. It sounds like it was lost in the shuffle.

If you transfer to a school that doesn't have a chapter of your sorority, you can join a local sorority that is not affliated with the NPC, a service organization, a professional society, or other extra-curricular group. You should check out what other options there, because there are a lot of them.

[AOEforme]

Originally Posted by KDCat

If you transfer to a school that doesn't have a chapter of your sorority, you can join a local sorority that is not affliated with the NPC, a service organization, a professional society, or other extra-curricular group. You should check out what other options there, because there are a lot of them.

Be careful if you plant to join a non-NPC social sorority. Some (including my sorority) will not allow you to join if you currently hold membership (including as an alumna) in another social sorority, NPC or not.

However, (for my organization) you are allowed to resign your membership and join. You just can't concurrently hold the memberships.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by AOEforme

Be careful if you plant to join a non-NPC social sorority. Some (including my sorority) will not allow you to join if you currently hold membership (including as an alumna) in another social sorority, NPC or not.

However, (for my organization) you are allowed to resign your membership and join. You just can't concurrently hold the memberships.

This is true. I know at least one other that has that as a rule.

OP, ask your nationals if you can join a non-NPC social sorority.