Initiated, Transferring to a School with a Colony

[justgo_withit]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

You don't have to rush again. You are a true blue Alpha Xi Delta until you die. And I really can't imagine the scenario where they wouldn't take you in as an active collegiate member. Just relax and beat the bushes until you make the contact you need. Remember, sororities are run almost exclusively by volunteers. There are a few paid jobs at FHQ, but in general it's all women who have busy lives outside of the double blue and gold, and now we're going into summer. Keep at it and don't get too frustrated if others don't respond with the same amount of intensity as you feel this merits.

Oh no I know I don't have to rush again- I meant that I feel like I'm familiar with recruitment at this school from reading GC threads, and I hope no one (be it the consultants/PHA/whoever) is weirded out that I've been doing my research haha. I guess at my small school we'd be really surprised to hear someone had looked into us before arriving?

In other news, I may be staying at my first school for a semester longer, but that's a whooole 'nother story. Thank you everyone for the great advice!

[naraht]

I know that in my fraternity, you'd be in a *very* select group of people who would wear brother and Petitioning Group (our equivalent of colonies) pins side by side. I know that my advice to someone in your position is to *not* let the colony push you into becoming president of the colony, but perhaps to be willing take a more minor office (treasurer or a membership position (the pre-pledgemistress?)). I'd also suggest talking with whoever Alpha Xi Delta has that is running the extension effort before you talk to the members of the colony.

[excelblue]

Second the responses about pushing away top official positions. It helps the colonizing chapter with their own sense of identity. Plus, the fact that you're initiated while others aren't means that others will still come to you for advice; that's where you'll really shine and be able to have the most useful influence.

It's not weird to do research at all. I've seen that most people in Greek Life have very little contact with their (inter)national headquarters / alumni group. It's usually only the exec-board officers, and only because they are obligated to. This is a great opportunity for you to get acquainted with what happens upstream.

[DubaiSis]

excelblue is right. I would guess the vast majority of collegiates really don't have any idea what is involved with the sorority at the national level, what it means to be a sister in a different chapter, how things are the same and different, who the national officers are, etc. Those who attend conventions and leadership training hopefully get a clearer picture of that, but that's usually not more than a handful of girls per chapter every year.

[Sciencewoman]

I do think it's very smart for the OP to be contacting headquarters/the extension team, because I do know that in the case of the extension I was involved with, the members who had transferred from other chapters were not automatically offered affiliated status in the new colony. They had already gone "alum" when they transferred away from their original school, so it was up to the extension team to invite them to affiliate with the colony. Of course they were still Gamma Phis and always will be, but affiliating with another chapter does require good standing with the original chapter (as someone else mentioned) and the approval of the new chapter or, in this case, approval of the extension team. Other NPC groups may be different, but it's wise to check on this procedure ahead of time.

I transferred and affiliated back in the day myself...I arranged this the spring before and moved right into the house at my new campus the next fall. I didn't know anyone, but they made me feel right at home from the first day. I loved both chapters, and my new chapter surprised me with my affiliation ceremony later in the fall. That's one of my fondest memories, and I still have the card that everyone signed and wrote little notes on. The next year I went to Convention the first time with two other sisters from my new chapter. The year after that, my new and old schools were playing each other in football, and several of us took a road trip and stayed at my former chapter house. I'm still in touch with women from both chapters. Best of luck to the OP!

[HQWest]

Not to be a Debbie Downer - but some groups do not allow transfer students to affliate with a colony or new chapter. I guess they dont want someone to pledge at one school expecting to transfer to a bigger school?

[AOII Angel]

There are NO groups that prohibit all member transfers. Some groups require the member to be accepted by the new chapter, but that is completely different than "some groups do not allow members to affiliate with a colony or new chapter. I guess they don't want someone to pledge at one school expecting to transfer to a bigger school?" BTW, Debbie Downer, a member of her organization has already chimed in...doesn't seem like Alpha Xi has a big problem with members transferring from one school to another as long as they are in good standing.

[Sciencewoman]

I also wouldn't assume that these rules, when they exist, are always to prevent someone from joining at less competitive/smaller school and then transferring to a larger/more competitive recruitment school. In my case, the schools were both flagship state universities, but my original chapter was "stronger" on campus than the chapter I transferred to. At my new chapter, we had another affiliate who transferred in and her original chapter was very strong on campus. And, she was always reminding us of this. This did not win people over.

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Originally Posted by HQWest

Not to be a Debbie Downer - but some groups do not allow transfer students to affliate with a colony or new chapter. I guess they dont want someone to pledge at one school expecting to transfer to a bigger school?

This isn't true at all. Please stop speaking for other groups when you haven't a clue.

Some chapters of sororities make it a policy to not affiliate transfer students due to their individual situations at their specific campuses.

[AZTheta]

And some (IMO progressive) GLOs will let anyone affiliate anywhere at any time (provided that they are members in good standing and meet academic requirements, for example).

After all, if you are an initiated member of your fraternity/sorority, you've already gone through one membership selection process, and you shouldn't ever have to go through another, correct?

*sits back and waits for it...*

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

And some (IMO progressive) GLOs will let anyone affiliate anywhere at any time (provided that they are members in good standing and meet academic requirements, for example).

After all, if you are an initiated member of your fraternity/sorority, you've already gone through one membership selection process, and you shouldn't ever have to go through another, correct?

*sits back and waits for it...*

I like it in theory, but sometimes in practice things can end up messy and tear a chapter apart.

I'm not talking about the superficial situations where "Nancy Nu is way too fat and ugly to be one of us." More of the situations where Sally Sigma had to leave her previous school primarily because of behavioral and reputation issues and continues right down that path at the new school.

Also, there really are chapters in the south where dozens of women would continue to come in through the back door via a "lesser" chapter were there not these rules in place. Those kinds of deliberate transfers can have a horrible effect on the originating chapter, both numbers and morale wise.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

And some (IMO progressive) GLOs will let anyone affiliate anywhere at any time (provided that they are members in good standing and meet academic requirements, for example).

After all, if you are an initiated member of your fraternity/sorority, you've already gone through one membership selection process, and you shouldn't ever have to go through another, correct?

*sits back and waits for it...*

I agree.

[AnchorAlumna]

There's a theory that you can't affiliate with a chapter that doesn't exist, and a colony is not a chapter.
Unless, of course, you've got language in your regulations and policies that allow affiliation with a colony.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

I also wouldn't assume that these rules, when they exist, are always to prevent someone from joining at less competitive/smaller school and then transferring to a larger/more competitive recruitment school. In my case, the schools were both flagship state universities, but my original chapter was "stronger" on campus than the chapter I transferred to. At my new chapter, we had another affiliate who transferred in and her original chapter was very strong on campus. And, she was always reminding us of this. This did not win people over.

Another reason why transfers should not rush to affiliate. Hold off a semester...visit the chapter, get friendly. If it's a match, then affiliate (assuming the feeling is mutual, of course). If not, don't affiliate and keep your membership. Because if you do affiliate, and are unhappy, your only recourse is to resign from the sorority.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Another reason why transfers should not rush to affiliate. Hold off a semester...visit the chapter, get friendly. If it's a match, then affiliate (assuming the feeling is mutual, of course). If not, don't affiliate and keep your membership. Because if you do affiliate, and are unhappy, your only recourse is to resign from the sorority.

I could not agree more with this, AnchorAlumna! Know of a situation where a member affiliated and hated the chapter. She was on the hook for dues for 2+ years.

Yours is (IMO) the smart solution to what Greek_or_Geek described. I'll add this: for those members with behavioral/risk issues (and yes, I've seen those), holding off a semester allows the potential affiliate to demonstrate that (a) she's turned over a new leaf or (b) she's still the same old, same old and the chapter is prepared to deal with that from the get-go.

I have stories, stories, stories that can never ever see the light of day...and I bet the rest of you do as well.

Was expecting to get flamed; everyone must be out enjoying their Saturday.