Lesson 4: Standards
Why are Standards important?
Our Founders shared similar goals, a common pursuit and a shared focus. Today, Delta Zeta has endured because it consists of women who are committed to upholding the standards set forth by our Founders.
Standards encourage the personal growth of each member and are based upon the expectation that you will uphold your pledge to Delta Zeta in the areas of financial, academic, moral and secrecy, and lifetime commitment.
Each member is obligated to fulfill her financial commitment and strive for the highest academic achievement possible.
In the area of social and moral conduct, each member must live within the Sorority's expectations and follow all National policies.
Last but not least, your obligation of secrecy is an important one. The business of Delta Zeta and its Rituals are to remain "For Sisters Only".
What does Delta Zeta expect from me in terms of Standards?
"Good standing is the fulfillment of all moral, academic, financial, or other obligations required of a Delta Zeta member or chapter."
The Code of Regulations,
Reg. II, Sec. 1.
Initiation requirements
A new member must be in good standing with her chapter and the institution. Good standing involves:
- Meeting all financial requirements of her new member period and Initiation as required by her chapter and National Council.
- Meeting all requirements stated in her chapter Bylaws that are in accordance with national policies.
- Attend and participate in the following:
- All new member meetings
- Formal Pledging and all Lamplighting activities
- Chapter activities as required
- Attain a score of 100 on her New Member Education exam.
As a new member, you are expected to understand Delta Zeta's rules and policies, and follow them. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action, including being depledged (terminating your relationship with Delta Zeta prior to your initiation), or, as an initiated member, bad standing, social probation, suspension or termination of your membership.
As a collegian
Delta Zeta membership is a privilege and with the privilege of membership comes certain responsibilities that you accept when you become a member.
As stated in the Constitution, Article III, Membership, Section 3: Qualification:
"All members of the Delta Zeta Sorority shall be chosen for moral, social and intellectual worth. Membership shall not be denied because of race, color, religion, national origin or handicap. It shall be the duty of each member to exemplify in her daily conduct the noble principles of this sorority, to promote the welfare of the whole by every means consistent with a high sense of honor, to obey its laws, to avoid all conduct which may be criticized among acquaintances or be offensive to her fellow members, and to exert herself to promote and maintain the harmony and prosperity of the sorority."
Along with pride, loyalty and commitment to Delta Zeta, you have a responsibility to adhere to the rules. As you will learn, Delta Zeta's rules range from behavior expectations to financial commitments.
It is important to note that Delta Zeta's responsibilities are expected to be met, her rules are meant to be obeyed, and her policies are to be observed and followed. This is not to hinder your actions, but to ensure that every Delta Zeta, both new members and initiated members, have a positive sorority experience.
What are the Standards of Delta Zeta?
Responsibilities and Obligations of Membership
The obligations of membership have an underlying value to the Sorority as a whole and to each member. It is important you understand that membership in Delta Zeta is a privilege and only those who fulfill the obligations of membership shall become initiated.
The obligations of membership are outlined in the governing Code of Regulations of Delta Zeta Sorority.
- Good Standing. Fulfillment of all moral, academic, financial or other obligations required of a Delta Zeta member.
- Standards of Conduct
- Strict compliance with all university regulations, and local, state and federal laws.
- Observation of all regulations while residing in or visiting chapter housing or attending a function given in the name of Delta Zeta.
- Members are responsible for their invited guests.
- Requirement and encouragement of maintaining high standards in proper living, good health habits, personal conduct and service to others.
- All members of Delta Zeta shall abide by all federal, state, local, college and Sorority regulations regarding the use of alcohol.
- Strict observance of the property right of members by other members.
- Academic Obligations. Each member is to strive for high academic standing and to maintain the minimum academic standards for her chapter as defined by National Council and the college or university.
- Financial Obligations. Each member is to fulfill the financial obligations as adopted by the Sorority and the college and alumnae chapters.
All initiates and new members of a chapter maintaining housing shall be required to live in the house up to the capacity under the discretion of the College Chapter Director, after approval from the Regional Collegiate Coordinator, unless prohibited by university regulations or for reasons of health or to serve as a Residential Advisor. - Obligation of Secrecy. Each member shall be obligated to the pledge of secrecy made when initiated. All proceedings of a chapter meeting shall be secret and shall not be revealed.
- Term of Obligation. Obligation to the Delta Zeta Sorority is for life. Membership is granted by National Council with the recommendation of college chapter and will remain on all record until removed.
Financial Responsibilities
"It is the duty of each member of Delta Zeta to fulfill the financial obligations as adopted by the national organization and the college and alumnae chapters. All initiates and new members of a chapter maintaining housing shall be required to live in the house up to the capacity under the discretion of the College Chapter Director, after approval from the Regional Collegiate Coordinator, unless prohibited by university regulations or for reasons of health or to serve as a Residential Advisor."
Code of Regulations,
Regulation II, Obligations of Membership, Section 4.
Delta Zeta is, first of all, a Sorority, an organization of friends, founded upon ties of mutual interest and enduring friendships.
As the Sorority has grown, however, it has also become an efficiently managed national business organization. Your chapter is a part of the whole that makes up Delta Zeta, and so, too, is a business. Whether your chapter has a chapter house accommodating 100 sisters or meets in a classroom on campus, it operates within a budget that is based on revenue and expenses. Revenue collected from each member pays for the expenses of running your chapter and the national organization.
Membership, therefore, includes certain financial responsibilities, and it is the aim of Delta Zeta that its new members have clear and simple financial information.
Where does your money go? The majority of your dues and fees stay in your own chapter to meet chapter expenses such as recruitment, New Member Education Programs, college programs, social activities, rent or mortgage payments and local Panhellenic dues.
The money that your chapter sends to the national organization comes from these sources:
- National New Member Fees
- Initiation Fee
- National Membership Dues
- College Auditing Fees
- Insurance Fees
- Payments for chapter supplies
- Convention and Leadership Conference Registration Fees
- Jewelry, Affinity and Merchandising Program Revenues
Nationally, the Sorority must make the following disbursements:
National Headquarters: Ordinary business expenses such as salaries, supplies, mortgage payments, utilities, insurance, telephones, computers and maintenance.
Publications: Online, the New Member Web site, Enriching Each Other’s Lives. Initiated members receive a lifetime subscription to The LAMP, the national magazine of the Sorority.
Insurance: College chapters are covered by the Sorority's liability policy. It insures against any losses that result if a member or group is sued for causing injury or property damage to another person while involved in a sorority-related activity.
New Chapters: Expenses of starting a new chapter, including presentations, colonizations, installations and colony supervision.
Travel: Visits to chapters, transportation and other expenses related to travel.
Membership Services: Educational Leadership Consultants, officer manuals, mailings, networking and college chapter program development.
Your Chapter Treasurer will provide you with further information on national and local chapter finances. Every Delta Zeta chapter is required to explain to its new members, and to inform the parents of the new members, about the financial costs of membership and to provide an itemized statement of billing.
When a member fails to uphold her financial responsibilities, she directly affects her chapter as a whole, her sisters and even the national organization. Out of respect for other sisters and the Sorority itself, members should meet their financial obligations in a timely manner. If a member does not meet her financial obligations, she is subject to losing her membership.
A new member must be in good financial standing to be initiated. It is unfair to the Sorority, and to its new members, to allow women to drift toward Initiation if they truly cannot afford its costs. If they must face constant worry over how to meet their financial obligations, they will lose much of the real joy of membership.
Chapter Involvement Responsibility
When you joined Delta Zeta, you pledged your best self. In doing so, you have a responsibility to your chapter to be an involved and active member. Your enthusiastic and active involvement, with the participation of your sisters, is the key to a successful chapter. Your involvement leads to deepening friendships and allows you to learn skills in leadership and group dynamics while helping your chapter achieve their goals.
How can Delta Zeta help me uphold these Standards?
The members and chapters of Delta Zeta should be an important integral part of the whole educational process on each campus and shall exert initiative and leadership in developing and maintaining high ethical standards of conduct based on sound judgment, moderation and good citizenship. The membership as a whole will not tolerate abuses of the following:
Alcohol
Strict compliance of all university regulations and local, state and federal laws shall be observed by all members of the Sorority.
Alcoholic beverages shall not be served, kept or consumed in Delta Zeta chapter houses, lodges, suites, meeting rooms or on surrounding property or in any housing or meeting space and on surrounding property represented by the Delta Zeta chapter to the public as being the official Delta Zeta house or official Delta Zeta property, even if said property is not leased or titled in the name of Delta Zeta Sorority.
Hazing
As a Delta Zeta new member, you can expect to be treated with kindness, humanity and dignity. The Sorority has a strong stand on hazing and absolutely will not tolerate hazing of any kind. Hazing has been mistakenly thought as a way to build unity in a new member class. This type of mentality only breeds more hazing.
Hazing of any kind has no redeemable value and does not belong in Delta Zeta Sorority or in any part of your New Member Program. Hazing is a potentially dangerous activity that only gives the perpetrators a sense of power over their victims.
Respect for Ritual
Our Delta Zeta Rituals are special ceremonies for Delta Zetas only. The secrets of Delta Zeta, which we learn through Ritual, as well as the ceremony itself, are kept strictly confidential and are not shared with anyone, except our Delta Zeta sisters.
We show our respect for our Ritual by entering and departing Ritual ceremonies quietly to better experience their beauty and dignity. No smoking, drinking, eating, gum chewing, reading, crafts or other distractions are ever allowed in the Ritual room. Proper dress for each Ritual ceremony must be observed. Each sister further shows her respect and understanding by memorizing whatever speeches, responses or songs are required.
When you have a deeper understanding of the Ritual, you will want to act consistently with its values.
What happens if I don't uphold the Standards?
Delta Zeta has high standards for members' conduct. Each chapter is expected to uphold them. The Constitution of Delta Zeta entrusts certain powers and privileges of discipline to the college chapter, and the chapter is expected to use this power wisely.
All members, new members and initiated members alike, are expected to remain in good standing with their chapter. Good standing means the fulfillment of all moral, scholastic and financial obligations of a Delta Zeta.
A member's behavior can negatively affect the well-being of her chapter. Her actions, which are inappropriate and inconsistent with the ideals of the Sorority, lessen the quality experience that Delta Zeta attempts to provide all of her members. The causes for discipline recognized by the Delta Zeta Sorority are outlined in the Code of Regulations.