This question is for GREEKS only!

[AKA2D '91]

I appreciate everyone's responses.

At a meeting last month, when looking forward as to what we wanted to do within the chapter, we came up with the notion of sending Sorors who are not participating (though paid dues) and Sorors who were members, but have not paid their dues a survey/questionnaire/opinionnaire or some type of COMMUNICATION as to why they are not "active". Are the meeting's day and time a factor? Is it the location of the meetings? JUST WHAT IS IT? Here, we want to get some feedback as to WHY NOT? Maybe, just maybe, we can accommodate YOU.

Even after we do all that, peeps still will WANT to remain INACTIVE.

I was a GM from January '94 to January '01. After I graduated from college, I couldn't afford the dues that one of the chapters at home had. The graduate advisor at the HBCU at home lived down the street from me. I asked her what should I do, Grad or GM, she told me GM. She brought me my transfer papers I did what I had to do, and I became a GM. HOWEVER, that did not stop me from PARTICIPATING. After I completed Grad school and my certification, I KNEW it was time to transfer into a Graduate chapter. Since that time, I was welcomed with open arms. I didn't know ONE person there. And since then, the Sorors have gotten me TRULY involved, sometimes TOO involved. LOL ( I have 2 committee meetings THIS week.) I said all that to say to the Soror who is a GM, it's better to be a GM, than NOT active (IMO). At least you will have your membership card AND access.

Anyway, like Soror HD91 said, "people do what they want to do". Last year, I finally accepted that. McCoyRed, you were on point too, as well as everyone else.

Excuse the length. I was kind of apprehensive at this thread in the beginning. I'm glad there are others out there who also share the SAME concen.

[prayerfull]

Good Morning Sorors -- I just wanted to make sure that I clarified something that I said previously in this thread....

I don't see anything wrong with maintaining General Member status. I love all of Sorors - no matter what membership status they have (including non-financial). The point that I wanted to mention is that we should also encourage Sorors to be active and financial at the chapter level and to be involved in the work of our sisterhood at the local level. If it's a financial reason that a Soror is not active, perhaps the Sorors of the chapter may be able to help her out. Or, perhaps the chapter will implement a payment plan for dues and assessments. Or, perhaps if a Soror can't pay a specific assessment, maybe they can work on some fundraising activity.

Anyway, I just wanted to mention that because I don't want anyone to think that I look at General Members in a different light. My sister maintains General Member status for her own reasons and I will continue to encourage her to get active again in the city where she lives.

Soror AKA2D'91 - I love that survey idea for inactive Sorors.

[DableST_1]

Happy New Year!!!

This is a GREAT topic!!!!! I was just talking to my soror about this last month. The thing that I find suprising is that how people would scrape, and do what ever it takes to pay the money to join (AKA, DST, SGRho, etc...) and then they become inactive sometimes RIGHT after they pledge while they are still in school, or right after they graduate. Now I will say that every one has thier reasons....(money problems, relocating, etc), but what I don't understand is people that STAY inactive. Plus is it just me or do you find that the people that join alum chapters tend to stay active than those who join undergrad???? Now I am still in school and I made a promise NEVER to become inactive. Now although I am saying this now, only God knows what is instore for my future especially since the economy is so bad right now and jobs are so hard to find.

We also need to realize that there are some people who join these orgs for the wrong reason. And because of that, that will cause them to become inactive right after they join. A person must have the burning desire to WANT to remain active. And if you can't afford to become active through a local chapter than you can still be active Nationally through Member-at-Large, or as they AKA's state General Member!!!

That's just my 13cents

[sphinxpoet]

The other part of reclamation is remember to be Brotherly and Sisterly to all greeks. I think a lot of people get turned off because of the petty stuff people get caught up in and we do not help it by talking bad about our fellow bros and sorors in our chapters or in other chapters to non-greeks and others!

Sphinxpoet

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by sphinxpoet
The other part of reclamation is remember to be Brotherly and Sisterly to all greeks. I think a lot of people get turned off because of the petty stuff people get caught up in and we do not help it by talking bad about our fellow bros and sorors in our chapters or in other chapters to non-greeks and others!

Sphinxpoet

I'm not going to totally agree with you here. I think that people are "caught up" in some stuff, but I think it may occur INTERNALLY, internally with themselves and possibly with the PEOPLE in the organizations they came in contact with.
My priority lies (is that correct grammatically?) with Alpha Kappa Alpha, point blank. All the other stuff is very, very trivial. People will be people. For some, it is NOT easy to let stuff go. I have been bitter etc, etc, but I have gotten over it! Many sorors, in fact, many of my lss have not. It's a shame, but hey, we gotta let go and let...

[Wonderful1908]

As a recent college grad, I think that the transistion to grad chapter from undergrd can be mindblowing!
We all share the same sisterhood, but it is not the same. Out of all my sorors who are still in town who have graduated in the last three semesters NONE have transferred into a grad chapter. That saddens me. I made a commitment to Alpha Kappa Alpha, not to my chapter. When I inquire why, they say either money or they (grad chapter) are all to old. The sponsoring chapter of my undergrad chapter has even waived some fees in order to influence undergrads to transfer in. I am going to miss my undergrad chapter dearly! However this Monday I will be at the grad chapter meeting with my dues, ready to work for them. If more focus was made to help sorors or any greek make the transtition I think we wouldn't lose as many. I know for me and probably everybody what I thought about my prior organizatin was was NOT what was waiting on ther other side. It is hard work and sometimes I am still shocked about what I thought Alpha Kappa Alpha was going to be like, and I laugh. I wouldn't trade it for the world though! I love my twenty pearls!

[Jody]

I wanted to touch upon something some of the sorors mentioned about being a Boule member (I like that term soooo much better than general member!). I'm a Boule member and will probably stay a Boule member as long as my two young children, well...as long as they are young! I have, since my almost 20 years in the sorority been extremely active at times (I helped charter a grad chapter and an undergrad chapter and had two officer positions before I was 27!

I was at a boule meeting in August (I live in Florida) and a soror who is active in the local chapter asked me was I still boule while her eyeballs were floating toward the sky! If she could have read my mind she would have known I was thinking that the last time I checked I had 20 and they don't come in 21!

I would encourage any soror that is not active, that if she can become a Boule member. When I was active in the grad chapter I would encourage sorors who weren't active to come and work when we had volunteer projects.

ooo this was kinda a long...sorry!

[Professor]

Hi All - I know I'm late but want to also add that for some BGLO there is an issue of cost. For example, to be active in good standing in my chapter one must pay chapter dues AND $1200 for housing. Many of my Brothers say they can't afford to pay such amounts especially young Brothers that are in the process of buying homes, having kids or getting married. The other thing that I know is an issue for some is that many grad chapters don't do enough in the community. Personally, I'm tired on serving on every committee. I becoming burned out and want some other Brothers to step up to the plate. Especially those Brothers that only show up at chapter meeting to critique but never volunteer.

Nonetheless, perhaps the answer to the question is that orgs need to solicit its memebership and encourgage participation. I often ask inactive members to serve an judges and screeners for my chapter's programs. It is my hope that Brothers then again feel the fraternal spirit and see that they are also needed to hold up the Light of Alpha.

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by Jody
I wanted to touch upon something some of the sorors mentioned about being a Boule member (I like that term soooo much better than general member!). I'm a Boule member and will probably stay a Boule member as long as my two young children, well...as long as they are young! I have, since my almost 20 years in the sorority been extremely active at times (I helped charter a grad chapter and an undergrad chapter and had two officer positions before I was 27!

I was at a boule meeting in August (I live in Florida) and a soror who is active in the local chapter asked me was I still boule while her eyeballs were floating toward the sky! If she could have read my mind she would have known I was thinking that the last time I checked I had 20 and they don't come in 21!

I would encourage any soror that is not active, that if she can become a Boule member. When I was active in the grad chapter I would encourage sorors who weren't active to come and work when we had volunteer projects.

ooo this was kinda a long...sorry!

Soror Jody, this reminds me of a soror in my area, slightly younger than me, who is a Boule member. She's got a 3-year-old daughter. This soror attends our meetings, participates in activities and went to FWRC last June.

[Happydaysf91]

Nicely put sorors...there is a reason that we have a category termed 'Boule'/General'.....

We know that because of dfferent life events, everyone cannot always 'actively' participate. I think our directorate realized that 'back in the day' and came up with this category.

There's nothing wrong with being Boule'. You are financially active and 'aware' , through different vehicles, of everything going on in our illustrious org -- you know who the officers are/the new rules and regulations/etc. I know of Sorors who don't know who the current president is/where or when is the next Boule'/changes in the rules after they pledged and etc. Being Boule', you can attend all of our conferences, still receive publications and etc. I personally went Boule' this year because of career decisions as well as being burned completely out by my last chapter; however, I will be in attendance at Founder's at Howard, South Central Regional and Boule'.

To clarify...I think what Soror AKA2d was referring to members who aren't 'active' at all -- financially and/or physically. (Correct me if I'm wrong soror).

Also, to the Sorors/Greekmembers who aren't active....this is not an attack...we want you back! So there's no need to explain why you are not active.

Personally, I think a lot of Sorors are inactive because of money (agreeing with frat). At my last chapter, there was a $500 housing assessment plus dues (and any other assessments along the way). The chapter in my line sister's area doesn't like to fund-raise either and their dues are $600. That is a lot of money and we can say budget all we want, but for some there is just not enough money there. I think one thing we need to look at is maybe capping a reasonable cost for dues for chapters -- that is, I never understood why one chapter can charge $185 for dues, but the chapter down the street, around the corner charges $500 for dues. But I know, this is an invidual chapter call.

Well, I'm out...I'm in Chi for training...so you won't hear from me as much this week!

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by Happydaysf91

To clarify...I think what Soror AKA2d was referring to were members who aren't 'active' at all -- financially and/or physically. (Correct me if I'm wrong soror).

Right, Soror, you are correct.

assessment for housing? They better try to have meetings at a restaurant, member's homes, member's churches, etc.

[Happydaysf91]

It's an AKA house we purchased. I wasn't part of the chapter when the idea about such was passed. It's nice though...very, very nice house.

Another chapter that I was thinking about joining before going Boule' also had a meals and meeting assessment -- only $50 though.

"AKA is a luxury, not a necessity".......

[Wonderful1908]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91


Right, Soror, you are correct.

assessment for housing? They better try to have meetings at a restaurant, member's homes, member's churches, etc.

The chapter I am transeferring in to has a house and the assesment is $240 a year. I think it went up though because they just renovated, but they are waiving half my house assesment, since I just graduated.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by Wonderful1908


The chapter I am transeferring in to has a house and the assesment is $240 a year. I think it went up though because they just renovated, but they are waiving half my house assesment, since I just graduated.

My mother was a member of that chapter when it was purchased, that is if you are still in BR. I think the assessment back then was $300 or so.

I saw those renovations, now you all don't have to park across the street.

[IvyDeviness]

I feel like we are becoming like the white sororities with all the emphasis on intake.
AKA is an ELITE and EXCLUSIVE organization built with the crème of the crop women dedicated to sisterhood and serving the community. There is a certain aire about being an AKA. This exclusivity, elitness, and aire would all be non-existant if we let to many people in. Do we really want to be as over crowed with members as our white counterparts? AKA has servived almost a hundred years and we’re no way near as big as some of the other organizations, but our impact has been felt.

I personally don’t believe we should initiate at the Graduate Level at all. If you didn’t pledge undergrad then obviously something is suspect about you. Most people go grad because they didn’t get picked undergrad, or because they want to get in the easy way. Becoming an AKA is hard. I had to go through a lot in humbling myself to my sorors and making my self stand out. I resent it when someone has a friend who’s a soror who gets them in at the grad level. It takes away from the process and they could never appreciate anything that’s handed to them. I say that undergrads should be more selected and have a line atmost once every 4 years. That way, people only get one chance. I disagree with graduate intake, but once every 10 or 15 years is a good compromise. It’s hard to get anything done when your chapter is too big. We should focus on the people who are inactive….these are the examples of people who just pledged for the name AKA. It wouldn’t make any sense to initiate new people when we still have some old T-Shirt wears to deal with. If we could reclaim all the inactive sorors we have now, we wouldn’t need any new members for a very long time. I think an reclaimed soror will be a better asset to the organization than a new soror, because the inactive soror has already paid her dues to become a member and she knows what AKA is TRULY about from experience.

Besides, the top people woun’t be as interested in AKA if it’s too big. People want to feel like they are elite and a part of something that most people can’t get into. This makes the organization more close knit and looked upon with envy and awe. If we want to stay the premier African American Sorority, we must not open so many doors for outsiders and instead develop the close knit bond we have amongst each other.