Dealing with "bad apples"
 

Hey guys, my chapter is currently going through a lot of changes, this will be the second year that we will have strong leadership since we got our charter back in 2002. We are now enforcing rules to keep the wrong people out of our chapter. We have suspended four guys because of grades, two that are taking classes right now or will be in the fall. Those two I am not worried about because I know they are getting their act together and are good guys that do have something to bring to the table. The other two on the other hand, well are worthless. After they were initiated last fall, we found out they had both made a 0.0 gpa. We gave them a chance two get their act together second semester, same result. Neither are coming back to UAB. One claims that he will attend community college to get his grades up so he can come back, but I highly doubt that. They have shown complete disrespect to brothers and others as well, so grades is not the only problem. The problem is that even though we suspended them, nothing seems to have changed. Everyone seems to treat them as if they were their best friends, even though they have completely used us and disrespected us. One still comes to events, which violates the punishment we gave him. I honestly don't know why we didn't just kick them out. We know now not to even bid people like this, but I need to know how to deal with something like this when even your pyrtanis seems to be passive about it.

1. Take down any identifying info about your chapter as well as specifics that can identify particular members. This is the sort of thing that should be handled within the chapter and/or IHQ/HQ.

2. Contact your chapter advisor, your standards or academic board, anyone who has power to move this up the flagpole and/or take immediate action.

3. Do whatever you need to get the ball rolling to revoke or suspend membership. If the person(s) attempt to gain entry to an event, you can call campus security. If they are not students there, or not invited guests, then they are tresspassing.

4. Notify your school that the members are no longer allowed to attend events.

5. Update your bid standards.

6. Be discreet.

I can't agree with this more.

You're not supposed to a bid a guy who you can't see as your brother. A bid isn't supposed to be a "chance" for a guy to prove himself or "see if it'll work out."

If the guy is an idiot/douchebag/socially inept loser/etc., but you think he has potential, DON'T bid him... Potential doesn't mean shit.

About the bad apples..check your bilaws, and if a brother hasn't maintained the standards to be active, he can be descrolled. Not that being descrolled is something to take lightly, especially with the brotherhood our Fraternity values, but how good of a brother are YOU and your eboard if they keep a guy around who is obviously not able to keep up with school because of TKE?

When it boils down to it, just recruit better men. Have your best brothers recruiting, because good men recruit good men and vise versa.

And check your PMs.

I know from experience that sometimes it's hard not to bid the "bad apples". Our chapter has had a couple instances where girls were excellent during recruitment. They seemed interested and motivated. They asked a million questions. Their grades were above the chapter average. And they would get along with everyone.

And then something changed.

Suddenly they're not showing up for new member events. And when they do, they're coming late. Their grades go down, and papers and homework are no longer important. Respect for the other members of the organization is non-existent.

And sometimes, these things happen after they become sisters.

In the past year, I watched my chapter take someone's letters because of this.

But try and control what you can. If you come across someone during recruitment that you're uneasy about, DON'T BID THEM. Trust me, it's not worth it. You're better off maybe hurting someone's feelings a little than bidding them and having them ruin your Greek experience... and your chapter's experience as a whole.

Get your prytanis on your side. Without him, nothing in the chapter really happens. If he doesn't respond, move it up the flag poll as advised. However keep in mind that the most important man is the next one you recruit. Older fraters who were bad influences eventually move on and move away. They are the types who will one day say, "I was a Teke back in college" completely missing the point of Fraternity for life. Only the really good guys stick around and stay in contact for more than a few years.

Now, if I might caution you with a word. Make sure that this person really is a 'bad apple', and not just an 'apple you don't particularly like' before you go trying to have him descrolled/blacklined.