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Whether or not a member has sufficiently violated the Laws of the Fraternity to warrant expulsion is a matter to be decided on a case by case basis at the Chapter level. Just make sure the Chapter follows the appropriate process as set forth in the Constitution and the Statutory Code.
There is often confusion about the various classes of membership in our Fraternity. The following guidelines might help:
You cannot become an alumni member as long as you are an undergraduate student. In other words, there is no provision for an undergraduate member “going alum” just because he has lost interest. As an undergrad, your choices are limited to associate, active and inactive. Note that at the 2006 General Assembly legislation was adopted to provide that graduate students now have the option of remaining active members with their chapter provided they continue to support the chapter in the form of dues and they satisfy the other obligations of active membership.
If an undergraduate member ceases involvement with the Chapter and/or ceases paying dues, he cannot automatically become “inactive.” There are only four ways someone can become inactive:
1. if he is an undergraduate active member at an institution other than the one at which he was initiated and he does not contribute to the support of a Chapter in the form of regular dues (Article VI, Section 1(b)); or
2. if he is an undergraduate active member who has been granted inactive status by the Grand High Zeta because of undue financial hardship (Article VI, Section 7(b)); or
3. if he is an undergraduate active member who is married, or is classified as a graduate student, or who has the equivalent professional status at the institution in which he is enrolled (Article VI, Section 7(c)); or
4. if he is an undergraduate active member who has paid dues and other charges for each of eight full semesters, 12 full quarters, or the equivalent thereof, and shall have exercised the option of declaring himself inactive (Article VI, Section 7(c)). Study abroad students can also elect to become inactive during their period abroad.
If an undergraduate member ceases paying dues, he will become automatically suspended under Code X-15. The discipline is automatic. The Chapter need take no action other than to so advise the Headquarters. The member’s status does not become “inactive,” it becomes “active – not in good standing.” If he ceases to be an undergraduate and he has not made good on his financial obligations, be becomes “alumni – not in good standing.”
“Good standing” is defined in Code VI-23 and is wholly separate from the classes of membership. For example, an alumnus can be in good standing or not. An active member can be in good standing or not, etc. Suspended and expelled members are, by definition, not in good standing.
I know this is confusing, and in our review of our Laws we will be looking at these classes of membership to make sure they all still make sense.
ZAX,
Lynn Chipperfield
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