Good post Tom. You are right, it is alot more difficult to make a case against a small group using our name than it is for a retailer producing and selling merchandise with our copyrighted information.

I stated before, if they are willing to come back into the LXA family, why not have them? Would it really be any different than incorporating a local fraternity into LXA?

SOS, knew I read that somewhere, Must have been You!:D

I am thinking about presenting this to IHQ.

Considering this converstion, it might be something to persue.

Maybe, the Underground Groups are of the same hopes?

Has anyone been in contact with These Under Ground Groups?

Wow, what a great idea! Hey, while you're at it, would you please tell the IRS I've been evading my income taxes for the past 10 years and would they please grant me complete amnesty? Of course I can't pay any back taxes but they should be happy to welcome me back into the family anyway, don't you think? I'm a very patriotic American, I really am. :rolleyes:

ZAX,
Jono

Jono,

In all seriousness, what are the TKE's and Sigma Tau Gamma's doing with their underground chapters? Ive seen them both work with and re-recognize underground chapters at my college.

Somehow they are able to work it out, maybe someone should ask them

Lenoxxx

Jono, I'll even say HQ isn't as bad as the IRS! LOL! But I do think the IRS had some amnesty programs a few years back with tax evaders.

Hey Tom, maybe you and I could work on this together? I have some ideas and am pretty experienced when dealing with bylaws for groups.

I mean what do we have to lose? Some man hours and travel expenses to check up on the chapters? I've seen HQ waste more money than that on sending dozens of the old C and C to the chapter house. At best, we will have some chapters already in place and paying dues and upholding our standards. We will be able to expand with alot less effort than starting from scratch at these schools. And if I remember correctly, many of them have old alumni already pushing to get some charters back.

So Bro why not look into it and ask questions? What could it hurt? You skated that long!;)

Sounds like fun visiting the underground chapters, but I
wouldn't get my hopes up.

No one has tried to answer the question posed by many:
"Why not charter the underground chapters?"

With our HQ's readiness to expand, there has to be some
serious reason why re-chartering these undergrounds isn't
being done.

I think you'd find on your visits some reasons why acting
as a local (without all the national rules and dues) while
claiming national affiliation has alot of advantages that
someone (the local or IHQ) wouldn't be willing to
"meet eye to eye on". Ex:

- Rush drenched in alcohol....oh, IHQ has a policy against that???
- Hazing pledges....oh, IHQ has a policy against that??
- INSURANCE DUES??? Are you kidding me??
- Approval from IHQ on every major event?? What's a High Iota?
- We love our little sister organization....free sex for the rushees.

Could go on and on. The kind of guys who join these groups
aren't going to want the extra expense and burden of rules
that come with being "officially recognized", especially if they
think they already have all the benefits (except an annual
visit by an ELC, and we know how all chapters love that!!!)

Of course, you never know until you ask! Good luck!

Posed this same question to IHQ and have heard nothing back yet.

As JoinerLXA stated, visitations may not be the thing unless you want to do it on Your own. Would be interesting to hear of Your expliots to say the least!:)

Will keep You All Posted if hear anything back.

BUMP...

A lot of wind was spread on this thread and all of us speculated on How HQ would or wouldnt recognize a group.

This fall, LXA will be recognizing the group that has operated underground at James Madison University. They lost recognition in 1997 and had been operating underground since. They were operating way apart from our standards. One brother even jottted down what he remembered from Rit and they have been performing some version of it since. About two years ago they decided to contact HQ and begin discussions to bring them back 'in the fold'. This fall an offical colonization will occur.

I dont have any other specs - about what will happen to the brothers that were intiated in that time, amnesty, etc. I'm just grateful to have that info.

Basically that is the only solution that makes sense. Otherwise NOBODY is satisfied with the outcome, underground chapter keeps going on, nationals has another headache.

As much as I thought TKE and Sig Tau were a bit weak in this area, they have always handled the underground chapters of their fraternity at Shippensburg this way.

Glad to see we are being a bit more open minded now.

Lenoxxx

Actually the Beta Gamma Zeta chapter never ran as an underground Lambda Chi Alpha Chapter. After pressure from both the IHQ and the School (IUP), the Beta Gamma Chapter withdrew their charter and decided to go Local as Beta Gamma Alpha. This new fraternity went threw a number of accusations of theft because of the Beta Gamma being used in the name. "Beta Gamma Alpha, how original!". It was completely new. I know because I was in the eight class to pledge BGA after LCA.

During the first few years, due to a prime location, the fraternity actually grew to the largest on campus. During the 1996-1997 academic year, the school helped the sale of the house to a faculty member who wanted to tear down the house and build an apartment complex. After the loss of the house, the local Fraternity, BGA, tried desperatly to regain its footing. However, as has been noted here, due to strict (actually near-prohibition) style laws within the township and the school, they were targeted.

The numbers dwindled until a very fateful and angry meeting on which the remaining brothers decided to find a new National. Thats how they became the PA Beta Gamma chapter of Pi Lambda Phi. The Beta Gamma goes to the first letters of the local and not the LXA designation. I know it looks strange but trust me, the BG in BGA meant something different then the BG in Beta Gamma Zeta.

There were completely different rituals and oaths written for the new fraternity. Just as there were rituals and oaths for the local that existed before LXA founded the chapter. Everything was changed and to this day, not ONE of the members of the Beta Gamma Zeta will divuldge the secrets of LXA to anyone within BGA or PLF.

I hope this explains some questions.

well everyone, sorry but there's no funky breakdancing at the end of the ritual. you would be surprised how well an organization can function based off of tradition. I was actually one of the members when that article was published in the Slippery Rock newspaper. Nothing ever happened though.

That is very good news to hear that you are not getting in any trouble. My fraternity is in the exact same situation. I was a bit worried when i first read this. I dont know what I would do if all of my brothers were getting sued and expelled. We also have the exact same rituals of my national fraternity.