Gamma Phi Beta changes legacy policy

[navane]

Originally Posted by NYCMS

I read the post on Instagram and it appeared that the vast majority support this change. One thing of note - which perhaps is being voiced by other sororities' members although I don't know - was a frequent request to change the financial requirements of membership so that those with fewer resources could afford to join.

It depends on what we mean here. The last time I checked, the annual dues/fees for membership (IHQ) are surprisingly low. What kicks up the cost are the local chapter dues and house fees.

The house fees I can understand - having served on AHC for 14 years, keeping a modest-sized facility running is an expensive endeavor. I assume the costs for one of the mansion-sized places is astronomical. But, "most" of those costs are borne by the live-ins via room and board, which they would usually be paying for anyway as college students (unless they were living at home). In some (many?) instances, it's *more* affordable to live-in.

It's the local chapter dues that probably kick a lot of people in the pants. It seems that many chapters of GLOs are playing a game of one-upmanship. Who can have the better blow-out formal at the local resort, or who can spend big $$$ on professional grade recruitment videos, or designer recruitment outfits, etc. Sure, members like to have event t-shirts, etc; but there are a LOT of local costs.

It would seem to me that, if the members wanted to make their membership more accessible, they could start by taking a red pen to their own chapter budgets.

[NYCMS]

Originally Posted by navane

(edit) It's the local chapter dues that probably kick a lot of people in the pants. It seems that many chapters of GLOs are playing a game of one-upmanship. Who can have the better blow-out formal at the local resort, or who can spend big $$$ on professional grade recruitment videos, or designer recruitment outfits, etc. Sure, members like to have event t-shirts, etc; but there are a LOT of local costs.

Agree. Not sure collegians are seeing the difference between international dues and local costs. The houses! The big sister/little sister gifts! The outfits! The Bid Day parties that look created by a top party planner...when I read about chapter goings-on and see pics of various chapters, it seems clear that a lot of these high costs are due to 'lifestyle' items, not their national/international membership fee.

[carnation]

Most of my daughters went to medium-sized state universities with no or small houses (the kind only the officers live in) and then one went to a big university and WHOA! Major dues!

There is a HUGE difference in dues between campuses.

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by navane

It would seem to me that, if the members wanted to make their membership more accessible, they could start by taking a red pen to their own chapter budgets.

Agreed. The chapter I've worked with for over 20 years has been diligently reducing its chapter budget in each of the past three years.

This year the biggest financial problem for their collegians is meeting individual national dues, which unfortunately have not shrunk yet thankfully did not grow. A lot of temporary forgiveness and flexibility in all categories of dues collection has been the norm.