Question from someone I intitiated in 1974

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by winnie_tuck

Ok well, I bet the girls who did quit your chapter aren't who you want at alum events! They technically can come because they are sisters for life. If joining takes time then you shouldn't be allowed to participate in things as part of the chapter if you quit, drop out of college, or go alum sophomore year. I don't want others to agree with me , it's how I feel. Sorority life is correlated with college, you quit college and the correlation is negated.

I would think that a sophomore going alum would be extremely - extremely - rare. It would have to be due to some extraordinary circumstances.
Now, a fifth-year senior with 3 to 4 years of membership under her belt - that's entirely different.

I know many, many alumnae (often older ladies) who went alum when they got married, or transferred to a different college, who are active alumnae members. I even know some who were busy with family matters for years, and returned to active alumnae membership after one or two decades' absence.
Overall though, I've observed that out of any group of alumnae in a geographic area, you're lucky to have 5% respond to a request for dues or a Founders Day invitation.

Clearly, we all need to do a better job of emphasizing the "membership for life" aspect to our new members AND members during their college years.

[phimusam]

By the time one reaches her senior year, it is not unusual to be involved in work, research, applying for grad school, etc. I would support transition toward alum status for those who need it.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by phimusam

By the time one reaches her senior year, it is not unusual to be involved in work, research, applying for grad school, etc. I would support transition toward alum status for those who need it.

The problem is that sometimes that goes too far and it turns into "anyone active as a senior = loser." IMO you really need to ascertain that the person is going to be that swamped, not just that they want to save their senior year dues money to spend at the bar.

For example, in my major, a lot of our really tough classes could be taken junior year. If someone would have said "I have to go alum as a senior because it's sooooo hard" we would have known they were full of poo. A special ed/eled major who has to do multiple student teachings and can't do them till senior year, that's different.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by 33girl

The problem is that sometimes that goes too far and it turns into "anyone active as a senior = loser." IMO you really need to ascertain that the person is going to be that swamped, not just that they want to save their senior year dues money to spend at the bar.

For example, in my major, a lot of our really tough classes could be taken junior year. If someone would have said "I have to go alum as a senior because it's sooooo hard" we would have known they were full of poo. A special ed/eled major who has to do multiple student teachings and can't do them till senior year, that's different.

I think a lot of us were just bored of mixers and stuff by senior year, so we did stuff like have senior mixers and go to the bars that were actually 21+. I have a picture of the vast majority of my pledge class at formal, though.