[Ottor 246]

First, consider my frame of reference. This was my first big Lambda Chi gathering, so I don't know how much different it was from previous ones.

That said, I agree with Brother Foltz. TBI doesn't seem like the same old B.S. I know we've all seen our share of last year's product in a new box, but this really seems like more than that. For example, the staff referred to the last 20 years as the "Risk Management Era," implying that they are ready for things to change.

True Brother isn't really a program, as in, "do everything on this check list and you'll have a great fraternity." If I had to sum it up, it would go something like this: Lambda Chi Alpha is a values-based fraternity. You can't teach values; you have to find members who already share them and then help those members to fully develop them. As they develop, the will become better men, better leaders and better brothers.

In other words, TBI doesn't just focus on what we do, but on who we are. There are new manuals for High Delta, (accompanied by a workbook for all brothers called the Warren A. Cole Recruitment Institute,) the High Kappa, High Iota (I think,) and a workbook for the Associate Members. They're supposed to be available on the web "soon."

The "Outer Circle" is the program for A.M. development. Chapters that choose to implement it will be eligible for the "Inner Circle" program, which will help members to continue to develop after initiation instead of resuming "business as usual." Then, there's a third facet, known as the "Mastery Circle," which is intended for the transition from U/G to alumni.

TBI is based, in large part, on the character development program developed by the US Army to develop cadets at West Point. Also, HQ is collecting social science data on everything that will be compared to data on the "average" non-fraternity student of the same age. This data collection is planned to continue tracking these individuals for decades into the future to see what effect TBI has in the long term. There are some really smart, committed people working on this.

In other words, it seems like we, as a fraternity, have our ducks in a row and are ready to shape our circumstances, rather than letting circumstances shape us.

The idea is sound. If you recruit great brothers, rather than "good guys," and then you help them do develop their character, you can't help but end up with better brothers and a better fraternity experience. Maybe not right away, but within a year or two.

It seems to me that it will come down to us as members. If we embrace TBI and put it into practice, and if IHQ vigorously supports our efforts, it will work.

P.S. The new web site looks like it will be cool, too!