Adios CS- Chico
 

Fraternity closes up shop

The Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity announced Monday they would be closing their Chico State University chapter because of a recent poor review by their national consultant.

The review resulted in several members being put in poor academic or financial standing with the university. Lack of membership and funds to operate the fraternity were he main reasons for the closing of the fraternity.

This is the second fraternity the Chico State Interfraternity Council has lost in the past year. IFC President Bobby Armstrong said Lambda Chi Alpha's house was sold by the landlord last year, and the fraternity was struggling to keep up their membership numbers.

A F***ING BUMMER!!!!!!!

Question, could not International have worked with them closer or was a real lost cause?

Wow, that's a bummer. I've met a few guys from that chapter, too. Too bad.

I would assume that for Nationals to step in here they would also become more responsible for other lambda chi chapters every time something goes wrong. Therefore, I doubt they have the resources or man power to help out in these situations.

Although, I wouldn't mind hearing about other chapters near-by (if any) that were willing to lend a hand to them and help them establish rush goals, etc.

From what I've seen here at UMBC and other local universities, whenever a Greek organization is closed down, the chapter either reestablishes themselves as a local variant, or once they all graduate the alumni get the chapter chartered again.

What this tells us in the end is that no organization or bureaucracy can tell us what brotherhood is. That's something that comes from our hearts and lives on forever.

Best wishes to the Brothers of Chico State.

Could you please post the link to the story. It is written in a journalistic style, so I assume it came from a print/online source. I'd liek to forward it to the undergraduates of my chapter, however I will need to cite the source before I do so. It leands credability.

Thanks in Advance.

What is not mentioned above is that the chapter faced mounting debt and declining membership. Also, the House Corporation disbanded after not being able to work with the active Chapter. After careful consideration, the members of the Chapter voted to close themselves. Since this decision was supported by the university, there is a chance to recolonize at a later date.

With regards to support form the Headquarters, the staff, to include the Risk Manager and the Educational Leadership Consultants made numerous visits to support the chapter work through its issues and improve their standards.

in ZAX,
Eric
=================================
Eric D. Berger, A888
High Pi, Alpha Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha

Eric, what you said about recolonizing. Could you be a little more specific.

I do not understand if they voted to close themselves, why then cannot International come back at a date in the future?

Tom,

That is what I mean...the HQ could go back and recolonize in some future date (we can't just go back and create a chapter; they would need to be a colony first to ensure membership and standards). The issue at this campus is whether there will be a Greek system to go back to. I think this campus had an alcohol/hazing related death last year, which has brought a lot of scrutiny on the Greek system.

ZAX,
Eric

There were other mitigating factors, also...they'd been on some sort of probation since 1999 & had nine ELC visits from 2/01-2/03.

That's not including visits from risk management staff members & the fact that they weren't financially stable. This is part of the reason the housing corp. was dissolved in 5/02 & the house was sold.

This is scary stuff...any chapter's just a couple of semesters away from problems like this. It's up to us as alums to help where we can.

Obviously, all problems can't be solved simply by having "the old guys" show up on the doorstep, but having a good alumni board to back things up definitely helps.

ZAX,
Bill Foltz
BOZ 130
Illinois State '77