Category:Visiting Members

A member may vouch for another only if he has attended his initiation or sat in a closed Theta Tau meeting with him. Whenever a member for whom the Vice Regent cannot vouch wishes to attend a closed meeting, it is necessary that the situation be handled strictly in accord with the Ritual section entitled "Visiting Members." If no member present can vouch for the visitor's membership (in accord with the Ritual), then he must be able to prove his membership in Theta Tau by properly answering questions put to him by an examination committee before the meeting begins. This procedure should be followed even when the visitor for whom no one can vouch is a national officer. As a part of the opening ceremony for the meeting, the visitor is asked to record his name, etc., in the minutes. The Scribe should be sure this is done immediately following the meeting, if it was not done before the meeting convened. The visitor should be in invited to speak before the meeting closes. It is appropriate for one visiting another chapter to bring a small gift for the chapter or to send a thank-you note to the chapter following the visit. Over the years, some student and alumnus members have developed a habit of “borrowing” things from other chapters. This may seem harmless enough, but it too quickly leads to problems. Some think that this practice builds brotherhood, encourages visits to other chapters, and that no ill feelings have resulted. They are wrong. Overwhelmingly, this is just not the case. The evidence is clear that over time it degenerates into misdeeds, accusations, vandalism, hard feelings, and bad blood. Instead of building brotherhood, it builds resentment; instead of encouraging visits to other chapters, it leads to breaking and entering; eventually it results in a member being injured or worse. These words mean a great deal to us so refrain from this so-called “borrowing” activity at all times and actively prevent others from doing so as well: “In a machine, if one gear is out of sync with another, it stops the machine.... if a chapter is out of sync with another, it disturbs the harmony that exists among us.”