Rushed colony & Transferring schools

zxd · #1 10-05-2006, 04:10 AM

Dear Greeks,
I transferred schools this fall and in the spring of 2006, I rushed a fraternity who has a chapter at the school I'm at now, the fraternity I rushed at my previous school was at the time a colony and still is a colony as they lost their charter before and are in the process of getting it back. They are due to be rechartered in December at which time I will be initiated, having already pledged and rushed. Being very confused, I went to rush the chapter at the school I'm at now, and they had everyday of rush where you would talk to random brothers one on one, I explained to all of them how I was in another chapter of the same fraternity before, a lot of them took it as just whatever, but higher ranking members asked me more about it and understood what I was saying. So pretty much, the last day of rush I didn't go because of class and bid day works where you go to a booth somewhere near campus to see which fraternities, if any, gave you a bid. I only rushed that one fraternity as I wasn't even thinking of joining anyone else, and at bid day I realized I shouldn't even pledge again and go through the whole process again, and instead wait till initation, but bid day comes and I go check anyways to see, and I see I didn't even get a bid from this fraternity. So now I'm totally just lost and don't know what to do, it seems to me to be a message that I'm not even really wanted at this chapter, maybe the guys are different here than at the previous chapter, I was thinking of waiting till my old chapter gets chartered so I'd get initiated but also thinking what's the point if this chapter at the new school won't accept me, so now I'm considering just quitting the old chapter too and joining a whole new fraternity, please give me input.

-John

LPIDelta · #2 10-05-2006, 09:19 AM

Maybe they are assuming that you will be initiated with the old group/colony and that you do not need a bid to their chapter. Given your situation, it may not have been clear that you were seeking a bid. You should ask the president or the Rush Chairman if this is the case.

TSteven · #3 10-05-2006, 10:35 AM

You may need to confirm with the chapter on your previous campus your status and if you are to be initiated with them. Otherwise, you may be dropping through the cracks here.

As Heather17 said, the current campus chapter may think you are going to be initiated into the chapter on your previous campus. However, that may not be the situation as the 'old' chapter may think that since you are no longer a student on that campus, you aren't elligable to be initiated into *that* chapter.

adpiucf · #4 10-05-2006, 10:57 AM

If you received a bid at a fraternity colony or chapter, were not initiated and transferred schools, your bid is void. Pledge membership does not transfer.

You did not receive a bid to a chapter of the same fraternity at another school.

You should go through fraternity rush again and maximize your options by visiting several chapters. You will stand a better chance of receiving a bid if you don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Fraternity chapters vary from campus to campus and from year to year. You were not a good fit for the chapter you did not receive a bid from. It's disappointing, but you will get over it and move on with another campus activity or another opportunity at Greek Life.

NebraskaDelt · #5 10-05-2006, 11:46 AM

Usually colony members are not initiated. So the assesment that he would need to go through rush again is probably wrong. Perhaps the current chapter thought that this was your way of getting an easy bid. I've had students come to our chapter saying they were a pledge at another CHAPTER. This is a red flag usually. Did they drop out of the previous school, why didn't he initiate then, etc. But since the case is that the guy transfered from a colony things are extremely different.

You may need to contact the fraternity's headquarters and tell them the situation and whether you can have your membership transfered to the new school or if you do not feel comfortable with what happened, ask if you will still be allowed to initiate if/when the colony gets it's charter.

TSteven · #6 10-05-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adpiucf

If you received a bid at a fraternity colony or chapter, were not initiated and transferred schools, your bid is void. Pledge membership does not transfer.

IFC/NIC fraternities do not work the same as NPC sororities. So that may not be true.

I know of a recent situation where a student pledged an IFC/NIC fraternity on one campus, completed his pledge training (program), and then transferred to another campus. All before he was initiated. He was given the option to initiate with either chapter. And as I recall, he was initiated with his "original" chapter. It may be he was allowed to do so because of special circumstances. Or it may have been a simple case of paperwork on the part of him and and the two chapters involved. I don't know. Regardless, my understanding is that this was all on the up and up with his IFC/NIC fraternity HQ.

So again, I would advise you to check with your previous chapter (or HQ) to confirm your status. To be clear, it may not be possible. However, you won't know unless you get confirmation one way or the other.

NebraskaDelt · #7 10-05-2006, 02:14 PM

I forgot about this example when I made my previous post. We had a guy who pledged with us, but did not make grades. We kept him on and he would have initiated but for family reasons he moved to another Nebraska chapter and was initiated there. I don't recall if he had to go through pledging with them or if he was initiated outright.

But I do think it is pretty much up to each individual fraternity. I see no reason why they wouldn't want to keep you if you are a proven dedicated member.

Tom Earp · #8 10-05-2006, 04:12 PM

Many times while it may seem harsh, the new chapter has the option of accepting a member from another chapter let along a New Associate who has not been initiated and needs to be verified by both the National and the new chapter.

zxd · #9 10-06-2006, 04:34 AM

The issue isn't whether or not I'll be initiated at my old chapter, I'll be initiated but not until the chapter receives its charter which is in December, so basically, in December, I'll be initiated.

The issue is whether this new fraternity will accept me or not, or if they even want to accept me.

amanda6035 · #10 10-06-2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zxd

The issue is whether this new fraternity will accept me or not, or if they even want to accept me.

Have you made an effort to meet them, get to know them, see who the brothers are, etc etc. I know you went through the rush process, but as other people said, you might not have gotten a bid because they didnt think you needed one.

If you're going to initiate with the colony, then your main concern with the new chapter should be affiliation.

TSteven · #11 10-06-2006, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zxd

The issue isn't whether or not I'll be initiated at my old chapter, I'll be initiated but not until the chapter receives its charter which is in December, so basically, in December, I'll be initiated.

The issue is whether this new fraternity will accept me or not, or if they even want to accept me.

You said that during the rush parties, you had talked with "higher ranking members" who understood what was happening. That is good. However, your situation may not be something that is the norm for them. They - the new chapter - may not know how to proceed or handle this situation. Doing some of the leg work may be beneficial to both you and the new chapter.

As such, I would check with HQ regarding your affiliation. Remember that there are no IFC/NIC regulations that restrict the number of members a chapter can have. i.e. no quota and no total. As such, most likely most IFC/NIC chapters do not have restrictions regarding affiliation either. And often, some IFC/NIC fraternities expect (even require) undergrads to affiliate when they transfer. Once you know this, you can pass this information on to the 'new' chapter.

At the same time I would contact the chapter's president to let him know you wish to affiliate as soon after your initiation in December (with your old chapter). Let him know what you know from HQ and ask him what the chapter needs from you to get this moving forward so that you can affiliate as soon as possible. It may be that the campus or chapter requires certain documents confirming your status.

In the meantime, since you are not an initiated member yet, I would also suggest that you ask the president about your role in the chapter now (this semester). Ask the president what he (and the chapter) expects from you. You might want to suggest that you be considered part of the current pledge class. This would allow you time to get to know the chapter better. You can offer to serve as a mentor to them since you have already been through pledgeship etc. This will help to build bonds between you and the current pledge class. And will show the chapter the dedication you have toward the fraternity as a whole.

Best of luck with all of this.

Tom Earp · #12 10-06-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSteven

You said that during the rush parties, you had talked with "higher ranking members" who understood what was happening. That is good. However, your situation may not be something that is the norm for them. They - the new chapter - may not know how to proceed or handle this situation. Doing some of the leg work may be beneficial to both you and the new chapter.

As such, I would check with HQ regarding your affiliation. Remember that there are no IFC/NIC regulations that restrict the number of members a chapter can have. i.e. no quota and no total. As such, most likely most IFC/NIC chapters do not have restrictions regarding affiliation either. And often, some IFC/NIC fraternities expect (even require) undergrads to affiliate when they transfer. Once you know this, you can pass this information on to the 'new' chapter.

At the same time I would contact the chapter's president to let him know you wish to affiliate as soon after your initiation in December (with your old chapter). Let him know what you know from HQ and ask him what the chapter needs from you to get this moving forward so that you can affiliate as soon as possible. It may be that the campus or chapter requires certain documents confirming your status.

In the meantime, since you are not an initiated member yet, I would also suggest that you ask the president about your role in the chapter now (this semester). Ask the president what he (and the chapter) expects from you. You might want to suggest that you be considered part of the current pledge class. This would allow you time to get to know the chapter better. You can offer to serve as a mentor to them since you have already been through pledgeship etc. This will help to build bonds between you and the current pledge class. And will show the chapter the dedication you have toward the fraternity as a whole.

Best of luck with all of this.

Excellent advice!

Since you know that you can and will be Initiated in your past colony, then they may be willing to Initiate you in the chapter in your new school.

Get the ground rules set first.

Now, if you wear a slide rule, wear thick glasses, have bucked teeth, a big wart on your nose, and act like a nerd, well, that is another can of fish bait isnt it?