MRABA Binding / Age of Majority
I've long gone alumna, but a similar thread on Reddit posed an interesting question.
Is the MRABA truly binding in states where the PNMs are not the age of majority (i.e. a 17 year old PNM) or in my case being 18 when the age of majority in Alabama is 19? |
As far as I know, MRABA is not a legally binding contract as such. It is a condition of joining a private organization. So, even if a 17 year old said, "I don't like the bid I got! You can't make me wait until next year to re-rush because I was too young to be held to a contract to start with. I'm going to do informal rush!" the organizations would just be like, "That's nice. You're not invited to our event."
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Is someone on Reddit trying to get out of her MRABA?
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The MRABA isn't a legally binding contract - there's no offer and acceptance of something or an exchange of something of value for the performance of the contract ("consideration"). It's basically the PNM's signed acknowledgement of NPC's rules and procedures. No, the PNM doesn't have to sign it, but the NPC member groups are still going to abide by those rules and procedures.
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Interesting. I love hypotheticals.
So if a woman refuses to sign her MRABA, she can't get a bid or be a quota addition on bid day. She won't get a snap bid on bid day. But she can accept a bid the next day from a chapter on campus, right? Through the informal process? Even though she has not agreed to the MRABA conditions? Or am I missing something? |
DGTess, you're right. If you refuse to sign your MRABA, no bid and no snap, but you can be a COB.
As I like to tell my advisees, sorority rules aren't laws you can take to court. They are the accepted policies of being in a sorority, and as a PNM or a member, you follow them as part of joining a private organization. In today's litigious society, PNMs think they can pull the "freedom" of something card out, and I always say you knew what you were getting into when you signed up for recruitment, so too bad, so sad. |
Sure but what guarantee do you have that the group you want will have an opening AND offer you a COB spot? Russian roulette if you ask me!
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Agreed. It's an agreement, not a contract. The PNM isn't getting married or buying a house. The agreement is, "If you want a bid, sign your MRABA and understand that you're bound to whichever chapter bids you for the next year, or take your chances with informal. If you don't sign your MRABA, you're not getting a bid through formal recruitment."
Financial obligations are a different matter. AEPhi's financial obligation note requires a parent to co-sign if the new member has not reached the age of majority. But I digress. |
We had a situation where a NM signed the MRABA, only stayed in the chapter for a month. It was explained that she would still be responsible for any due she would accumulate in that time. She tried fighting every way to get out of paying. She went as far as contacting the Dean of Students. He stated by signing the MRABA she was agreeing to all terms, conditions, and financial responsibility while part of the chapter; no matter how short of a time she was in it.
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During formal recruitment, two sororities told PNMs to drop out of recruitment, and they would COB them. It worked because the number of PNMs going through was around 100 and there were 10 sororities. Those two chapters took quota of like 8, and then each had around 4-6 COBs of these women. If NPC doesn't do a stupid move like this, you're right, but it does happen! |
I love the sororities subreddit!
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If a woman goes through informal recruitment/COB, don't most schools still require them to sign a type of MRABA binding agreement once they accept a bid?
At IU, the COB-MRABA form is part of the recruitment materials given to the chapters. |
The difference with that is if you sign an open bid,you obviously know what you are getting. When you sign your MRABA you could get one of three.
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My experience has been that they do sign some paperwork for the Greek Life office so they can be added to that chapter's roll. Usually it has been a statement that they are accepting a bid from that chapter.
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GCU holds formal rush in fall 2019. Zsa Zsa signs an open bid from ABC shortly after formal rush is completed. It turns out ABC and Zsa Zsa are not a good fit so she depledges 3 weeks into her program. Zsa Zsa is eligible to rerush in fall 2020. Magda didn’t go through formal, but met a lot of sisters in ABC in fall 2019. ABC is well under total and decides to have a pledge class in spring 2020. They give Magda a bid and she accepts, but ABC doesn’t work for her either and she depledges too. However, per NPC rules she did not join through the “primary recruitment” at the school, and is allowed to go through formal rush in fall 2020, even though it has not been a whole calendar year. I’m not sure how it works if you sign a bid to a colony and then quit. |
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