The initiation period in Phi Sigma Pi is what bonds us together so closely as brothers. It is not necessarily true that if you don't achieve all those things you are not initiated. At the end of the process each initiate turns in a folder and the class turns in a scrapbook. The brothers vote on an initiate's admission into the fraternity. We had people this past semester not complete their folders who got iniatated. It's a very different process and I think that it is to the beterment of the fraternity. As I said, my pledge class started out at 25 people. Only 3 people were asked to leave-all the rest dropped out. We had one guy drop out a week before initiation!
It's a process that weeds out undedicated people and therefore, only proven members are initiated. It's not really about the folder or the events, it's about becoming a part of the brotherhood. We are a very large chapter-over 60 brothers (only 2 of us in other greek orgs) and had it not been for that process I am sure that I would still be searching for my home. I would not have been able to navigate such a large fraternity and find my niche had it not been for that process.
It's also a process that prepares each initiate for the brotherhood. Each semester, every active member is judged on a point system. You have to attend 2 social, 2 service, 2 fundraising, and 2 initiate events each semester to remain an active brother. If we just took in initiates without attempting to prepare them for what we are about we would be doing the initiates and the fraternity and grave injustice. We have very few mandatory events because of our points system. You pick and choose what you go to. It works especially well for me and my busy schedule.
Without this process, the Fraternity would not be able to stand firmly on our tripod of scholarship, leadership, and fellowship.