Why would anyone?

[aoiikristi]

Originally posted by IvySpice
The difference is that everyone knows the words to the wedding ceremony long before they get engaged. No one knows what the ritual will be like, or what promises they will be expected to make, until they go through it. Maybe you make the promise because there are a hundred women in white robes kneeling around you holding candles and you don't want to make a big scene saying "No."

Maybe they don't know what the ritual will be like, but part of new member education is making sure that the new members know it is a lifetime commitment prior to ritual. If that isn't part of the education process, then maybe therein lies the problem--the chapter needs to make sure that the new members understand this. While I didn't know what ritual was prior to being initiated, I knew "AOII is for Always".
I guess maybe I take promises/pledges to heart more than some people do!

[adpiucf]

Originally posted by ariesrising
My main question is why deactivate and not just take alum status?

...

I think that NMs need to be educated more on what comes after collegiate membership. You may not want to be a part of the organization after initiation because of internal problems in your chapter, but if you're educated on the fact that collegiate membership is not the only way to be involved in the organization, maybe it would allow people who don't feel like they fit with their chapter to consider keeping their membership internationally, as there's so much more out there than one chapter.

ariesrising, good points made!! The problem is that if everyone could just go alumna when they didn't like their chapter, no one would be a dues-paying collegiate member and much revenue would be lost. Most of the sororities I know of will not allow you to go alum unless you are graduating or leaving the university to transfer schools, get married or start a family. So if you don't meet those criteria, and you are disatisfied with your membership, you have the option of remaining a dues-paying undergrad member or voluntarily cancelling your membership and no longer being a sister. In cases where you have an unforseen financial hardship or family emergency, or you are taking a semester to study abroad, you can take advantage of a one-time "inactivity" status that saves you from paying your dues for the remainder of that academic year.

And sadly, sororities do a great job of promoting the undergrad experience, but alumnae associations exist primarily as a support group. There is no huge push to recruit alumnae members, nor requirements for alumnae chapters to stay in operation (number of service hours a year, etc)... nor motivation to require a new or older alumna to remain actively involved in the sorority. I call again on the great Junior League model-- there are requirements that you must fulfill and after a set number of years, you take on a voluntary sustainer status where you pay dues and have limited requirements that differ from active members.

If sororities actively recruited alumnae members for AI and made specific membership requirements, more women would be compelled to remain active post-college, IMHO. The reason we lose so many woman to volunteer groups like JL is that their numbers are larger and there is expecation for performance. In alumnae associations, your membership status is not in jeopardy for failing to show up to the annual meeting or completing service hours. If we hold our alumnae members to the same expectations as collegiate members, and foster that expectation from the time they are new members, you would see sororities having much greater success at both the collegiate and alumnae levels, as well as earning the support and respect of college adminstration. Again, IMHO.

[33girl]

Originally posted by ariesrising
My main question is why deactivate and not just take alum status?

Some sororities don't offer that option. You're either an active collegian or you're not a sister. I know that we only offer special status for things like illness and extreme family hardship. "I just don't like it" doesn't cut it. I think that special status was abused in the past (in lots of groups, not just mine) and that's why the requirements to get it are stricter than they used to be.

A 6 week pledgeship was plenty for me, but that was with a chapter of 30 sisters. I can't imagine having to get acclimated to an LSU-size chapter in 6 weeks.

[AChiOAlumna]

Originally posted by adpiucf
And sadly, sororities do a great job of promoting the undergrad experience, but alumnae associations exist primarily as a support group. There is no huge push to recruit alumnae members, nor requirements for alumnae chapters to stay in operation (number of service hours a year, etc)... nor motivation to require a new or older alumna to remain actively involved in the sorority. I call again on the great Junior League model-- there are requirements that you must fulfill and after a set number of years, you take on a voluntary sustainer status where you pay dues and have limited requirements that differ from active members.

As the president of our alumnae group, we've been working collaboratively with other alum groups to try to increase membership and work together to provide ideas and referrals for each other...

Yes, most of the active members are also the advisory board (I'm also an advisor...go figure!), but there are newer members who are coming out of the woodworks to join activities that are alum-only. We've incorporated events for the families, not restricted to one location (all over California to allow members to attend) and vary the types of events to connect to various tastes...

Ironically, when the alums aren't involved with the active house, they wonder where we are...when we are there, then they sometimes feel like we're there too much...still trying that healthy balance! LOL

[AUDeltaGam]

Originally posted by ariesrising
My main question is why deactivate and not just take alum status?

For DG, you have to be active for 2 years and be a 5th year senior in order to take early alum status. We don't have an inactive status.

[AChiOAlumna]

Originally posted by AUDeltaGam
For DG, you have to be active for 2 years and be a 5th year senior in order to take early alum status. We don't have an inactive status.

For AXO (unless something has changed?!), if you are holding less than 12 units, you will also be asked to go alum. I had to do this with a year-and-a-half of school left (I was on the 6-year plan as I was a transfer student). So I was already alum when my chapter closed, but I was still on campus and attended the last meeting as an alumna.