Graduate Students as Collegians

[roqueemae]

You are right about not posting about other organizations rules. I wasn't thinking so clearly. My point of reference was from a chapter who HAD invited a grad student so I assumed (and I hate saying that word because you know what they say about assuming...) that it would be ok.

Also, I swear I tried to do a seach before starting this thread. I must have not used the right words because all I found was some threads from 2002 and I wanted new information.

[Tom Earp]

Lambda Chi Alpha.

Active only as an undergraduate. Reaching 5 th year may opt for Alum Status.

AI is done on a very selective basis and has to be approved by the Grand High Pi (Letter for Advisor), one of our International Board members.

[Beryana]

Originally posted by roqueemae
You are right about not posting about other organizations rules. I wasn't thinking so clearly. My point of reference was from a chapter who HAD invited a grad student so I assumed (and I hate saying that word because you know what they say about assuming...) that it would be ok.

Also, I swear I tried to do a seach before starting this thread. I must have not used the right words because all I found was some threads from 2002 and I wanted new information.

See, there lies the problem. A collegiate chapter is BOUND by the regulations of the college/university with regards to whom they may invite for membership (usually only undergraduate students) - meaning Graduate Students who are NOT already alumnae members of AOII are not allowed to pledge - but can go through AI. These are different programs and different requirements, etc. This is different than a collegiate chapter allowing a graduate student who is an alumna to be an active collegiate member of the chapter (but the grad student is still technically an alumna!).

Once again, don't post policy statements for an organization that you do not belong to - especially since you'll usually find a member of that org that has a copy of the constitution, by-laws, policies and procedures to prove you wrong - or in this instance show you that the information you gave is not exactly correct.

Sarah

[PhiPsiRuss]

We require that the gentleman be a full time degree seeking student at the host institution. That means that grad students can pledge, and be active.

Our most famous case of this involves Woodrow Wilson. He attended Davidson as a freshman, and never joined a fraternity. He transfered to Princeton where he stayed out of the fraternity system. He attended law school at the University of Virginia where he joined Phi Psi, and served as chapter president. Later on, he attended Johns Hopkins where he transfered his membership, and again served as a chapter president.

[33girl]

Originally posted by BetaRose
This is a topic that has intrigued me for quite a while because so many sororities claim to put an emphasis on getting an education, while holding policies that demonstrate otherwise. Its seems that by not allowing grad students to join, what they really mean is education is important, as long as you don't get too much education...

I don't think that's what they mean at all. I think their reasoning is that grad school is harder and more time consuming than undergrad and dividing your time between that and a sorority would be too difficult. Of course that's kind of assuming but I would guess that groups who specifically prohibit it have a reason...that there's been a bad experience in the past. Also, housing policies might factor into this.

I know that ASA offers scholarships specifically for members doing graduate work, and the majority are available to undergrads OR grad students.

[adpiucf]

BetaRose, I don't think that is entirely fair. NPC is for undergraduate women. The creed even begins, "We, as Undergraduate Members of women's fraternities..." It is understood that sororities joining the NPC follow its bylaws. What is so wrong about a group of organizations formed to support undergraduate students? If you start allowing huge numbers of graduate students and doctoral candidates into the collegiate membership, you will drastically change the culture of that collegiate membership.

My 2 cents is that a graduate student is surrounded by different influences, priorities and pressures than an undergraduate, and is at a different place in her life. Certainly a graduate student still has a need for the friendships one might find in a sorority, but typically, that grad student's priorities are less on the Thursday night social and more on writing a dissertation, balancing a full time job and/or family with school and a considerably more aggressive courseload. A grad student has different needs than an undergrad. ETA I believe NPC recognizes that, and that is why collegiate membership is, for the most, part restricted to undergrads. Graduate students could not be as hugely involved, for the most part, as collegiate members, and it wouldn't be fair to place the same expectations of time on them as on the undergrads. Most graduate students get very close to their classmates and study groups, and that forms the basis for their social circle through those grueling years of graduate work, as well as joining pre-professional societies and organizations. If there is a need for fraternal organizations to support graduate students, I say go for it. If there truly is a need and an interest, it will catch on.

All the NPC sororities offer alumnae components, and their scholarship programs endow undergrads, grad students and those returning to school for continued learning.