Question

Suppose you are in charge of a fraternity, sorority, or other group (such as a club sports team) on campus.

What would be the approximate marginal cost to the group of another member joining? Explain your calculation.

Answer 1

A new member period may last anywhere from one weekend to several months. During this time new members might participate in almost all aspects of the life of the fraternity or sorority, but most likely not be permitted to hold office in the organization. At the conclusion of the new member period a second vote of members may sometimes be taken, often, but not always, using a blackballsystem. New members who pass this second vote are invited to a formal and secret ritual of initiation into the organization, advancing them to full membership.Membership in more than one fraternity or sorority is almost always prohibited. Recently, some Greek-letter organizations have replaced the term "pledge" with that of "associate member" or "new member". Sigma Alpha Epsilon, in 2014, abolished pledging altogether. Potential members are now immediately initiated into the fraternity upon accepting a bid.