Serious Question

[Turtles1116]

I am currently an inactive member of a Fraternity. I went inactive right out of pledgeship due to academics and personal issues, and I was never initiated. It's been a year since I went inactive and after getting myself together, I really miss Greek Life. I planned on talking to my chapter and getting back into it during the Summer and helping with Summer Rush. However, I've talked to a lot of the guys (older, my pledge class, as well as met a couple of the new guys) and all I hear is negative things about the chapter. Basically, a lot of the older guys are going inactive, and our social/formal fund (for the next few years) is being taken to help pay for a new house.

I never got to experience formals or socials because I went inactive and my Fraternity didn't plan any socials or anything during my pledgeship semester. Someone told me that since I was never initiated, I could re-rush if I wanted to. I was wondering if this is true, and if so, what's the process? Also, if it is true, does anyone know anyone who had to go inactive before initiation and ended up re-rushing?

Thanks, y'all.

[33girl]

Technically, you could rerush, but you might not get a bid if other fraternities look at you as "damaged goods" - whether you initated or not.

However, if you still would like to be a member of the original fraternity, and it kind of sounds like you would, I would talk to the advisor or an alum who has an advisory role about this formal fund paying for the house business. That doesn't sound right.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Turtles1116

I am currently an inactive member of a Fraternity.

I think the first thing you need to do is to talk with someone reliable about your status with the fraternity you pledged. Obviously different fraternities do things in different ways, but I've never heard of a pledge going "inactive." Initiated brothers, yes, at least in some fraternities. But my hunch is that if your pledgeship ended prior to initiation, and unless the chapter told you they were carrying you over as a pledge until the next semester to give you a chance to resolve the personal and academic issues, you have no membership status of any kind with the fraternity.

If that's the case, then I think the fraternity would have to offer you another bid for you to pick up where you left off with them. And if that's the case, it means you could rush other chapters, though as 33girl said, they might not open to considering you.

All the more reason to talk with someone who can give you accurate information about your status and about what's going on with the chapter.

[Turtles1116]

Mystic Cat, I went inactive right after our pledgeship ended, causing me to be a "neophyte."

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Turtles1116

Mystic Cat, I went inactive right after our pledgeship ended, causing me to be a "neophyte."

Turtles, I'm afraid I'm still a little confused. I'm assuming from some of the details you gave—pledging, formals, social fund and a house—that you're talking about an NIC (IFC) fraternity. Like I said, there could certainly be some fraternities that do things in a way I'm not familiar with, but I've rarely, if ever, heard an NIC fraternity use the term "neophyte." In my experience, the fraternities that do use "neophyte" use it to mean a newly-initiated member. Again, in my experience, I've never heard of a pledge going "inactive." I'm wondering if this is something the chapter did, but that the national organization does not know about and would not recognize.

What exactly were you told about your status with the fraternity, and by whom were you told it?

And please understand, I'm only asking because I think it's important that you know exactly what your status is so that you can assess your options. The degree to which you might still be considered a "member" of the fraternity you pledged has a direct bearing on whether you might be able to rush other fraternities.

[33girl]

I've heard this, albeit many moons ago. Neophyte in NIC/NPC terms is what you are in the time between the completion of your pledgeship (usually with a "hell night") and when you are initiated. I was a neophyte for 2 days in ASA and I think a week in APO.

If he didn't make grades or it was clear he wasn't going to make grades that may have been why he didn't initiate.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I've also heard of IFC groups doing it without sanctions from the national org.

[MysticCat]

Interesting. I've never heard the term used that way, but that certainly doesn't mean it hasn't been.

And I've certainly heard of pledges being held over rather than let go because of grades. But (in my experience), when that happens, the pledge remains an active pledge and is expected to make grades and initiate the next semester. He says he's been inactive for a year.

And I did consider the possibility that the chapter is doing this without national knowledge or approval. That's one reason I suggested talking to someone reliable. Of course, it's possible that he could become active as a pledge again and all would go well. But it also seems possible that if this isn't consistent with national policies, then a problem may arise when paperwork is reviewed. I just don't want him to be taken by surprise if there is a problem, or think he's still bound to the fraternity if he's really not and would like to rush other fraternities.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

And I did consider the possibility that the chapter is doing this without national knowledge or approval. That's one reason I suggested talking to someone reliable. Of course, it's possible that he could become active as a pledge again and all would go well. But it also seems possible that if this isn't consistent with national policies, then a problem may arise when paperwork is reviewed. I just don't want him to be taken by surprise if there is a problem, or think he's still bound to the fraternity if he's really not and would like to rush other fraternities.

Oh, I absolutely think you gave him the right advice; I was just chiming in on the perceived IFC/NPHC discrepancy.