honest question, honest answer please!!

[Still BLUTANG]

you need to follow the chain of command within your organization. YES, you should be able to call HQ and speak with someone about your issues (from your post, im not sure what the issue even IS, and maybe you're not really expressing yourself coheseively when you call)... BUT...

if you have an area advisor or district officer or something that you need to speak with BEFORE things are escalated to the national office you need to go through the proper channels.

If you're not getting the response or information you need, ally yourself with someone else in the organization who CAN get through.

[James]

Well you withdrew from your college so there are only two things I can think you need to know:

1. Are you an initiated member?

2. Are you in good standing?

If you are not an initiated member then number 2 doesn't matter.

These are simple questions. Has there been ambiguity on whether you are initiated or not?

Also, did you end on bad terms with your chapter? Because it almost seems like you believe they may have terminated you or not filed your paperwork on purpose.

Anyway, without knowing the answer to the first two questions everything else is moot.

[PeppyGPhiB]

What are the questions you're asking them when you call?

Did you tell anyone at your chapter or HQ when you decided not to return to school? They may be annoyed if you diappeared without notice; they may have not known whether they needed to change your status to alumna/alumnus.

It is also possible that your chapter did not send in all of your paperwork, though I don't think you could have gotten a badge without it all in. You do have a badge, right?

[monko3]

Originally Posted by James

Well you withdrew from your college so there are only two things I can think you need to know:

1. Are you an initiated member?

2. Are you in good standing?

If you are not an initiated member then number 2 doesn't matter.

These are simple questions. Has there been ambiguity on whether you are initiated or not?

Also, did you end on bad terms with your chapter? Because it almost seems like you believe they may have terminated you or not filed your paperwork on purpose.

Anyway, without knowing the answer to the first two questions everything else is moot.

yes, I am an initiated member. initiated last spring. That is one of the questions that I have asked about my standing. At the start of the semester I was put on bad standing because my chapter forgot to turn in all that paperwork, but now I think that was fixed. I called them today to make sure my status was fixed, but she sounded hesitant and didnt really give me an answer thats why I'm not sure she was telling me the full answer. when I called my chapter before calling nationals, they didnt tell me either, they said "all you can do is call national to found out"

I dont think I ended on bad terms. I told them I was thinking about withdrawing, then over the summer contacted the president letting her know that I wasnt returning. One sister told me that people were upset when they found out I was leaving, but the reason I withdrew from school was not because of the sorority, but I feel like they think that is the reason and I have no idea why. this year I have visited some of my sisters over the weekends.

and yes, I have gotten my badge, but it was mailed to me about a week ago.

[gpb1874]

It could just be that HQ does not have all their paperwork updated, especially if the chapter just recently submitted it all. And that's not saying that they submitted paperwork correctly in the first place. Most chapters have to turn in oodles of paperwork, and multiply that times the number of active chapters and, well, you get the idea.

Maybe give them some time to get it all straightened out and call back in a few weeks. If they can't give you an answer, they can't give you an answer.

don't assume your friend's sorority sent the other chapter a letter unless she actually saw it. The chapter could be using that as an excuse for some other reason.

[adpiucf]

IMHO, they are hesitating when you are calling because you are calling too damned much. They hear your name and they grit their teeth. STOP CALLING. Be patient. The administrative arm of a sorority's headquarters has limited staff and support. They work very hard to process paperwork, and to plan and facilitate meetings and conventions year round. They have 1000s of new member names to update every year. Also, we are approaching the holidays. Try calling again in mid-January.

Do you owe the chapter any money? Only the chapter can answer this question. CC the chapter adviser and the chapter finance adviser on any correspondence with the treasurer. Get it in writing that you don't owe any money.

Owing money is the only reason you would be in bad standing at this point. Any standards issues would be resolved the moment you left the university. If they had terminated your membership, they would be obligated to tell you. But chances are that they will not terminate you without first trying to collect money owed.

If you "think" the membership issue has been resolved, you don't have any answer. Did you receive a membership certificate to prove you were initiated? A badge is not proof. It just means that they processed a jewelry order. Members order and upgrade badges all the time, so a badge order list is not the same thing as an initiate list.

If you're planning to transfer to another chapter, this is handled at the local level between the new chapter and your chapter of initiation. You must be voted in by the members of the new chapter and then there is a transfer of paperwork that then goes to nationals to be recorded.

Contact the president of the chapter you hope to affiliate with to start this process now. It is not a guarantee that you will be voted into the new chapter.

If you have not already done so, keep a log of all contact made with the sorority to resolve this issue. Include dates, names and what was said. Make a copy of a letter before you send it so you have it for your files. And send everything certified mail. This way, you will have confirmation of delivery. Follow-up with an email, if you like.

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

IMHO, they are hesitating when you are calling because you are calling too damned much. They hear your name and they grit their teeth. STOP CALLING.

ROFL

[ealymc]

You should find out, too, who your chapter's contact is with Nationals. We generally had one person that handled everything for us and typically the other staff members knew very little regarding anything specific to my chapter. Just a thought.

[sarasmile]

Originally Posted by monko3

I starting to become a bit fusturated

You have a much longer, more detailed thread from a few months ago under a different user name, don't you?

The spelling of "fusturated" was a dead giveaway.


Edit to add: Here it is http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=89945

[Leslie Anne]

Thanks for the link, Sara.

If this is giggle528 again, then I'd say you're up a creek. Planning on re-rushing after you've been initiated? I can't say I'm surprised at anyone's hesitation to respond to you.

Being accepted into another chapter of your sorority isn't generally a sure thing. (Some NPCs may differ.) I think they just don't know what to do with you at this point.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

If you "think" the membership issue has been resolved, you don't have any answer. Did you receive a membership certificate to prove you were initiated? A badge is not proof. It just means that they processed a jewelry order. Members order and upgrade badges all the time, so a badge order list is not the same thing as an initiate list.

Hey, I never got a membership certificate, and I was a colony member! There are other ways to prove membership. I know on our sorority's Web site members have access to the member roll - if the OP's sorority has the same, she should be able to even search for herself.