[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by GMUAPhiOAdvisor

I can tell you, from experience, that A Phi O no longer allows students to pledge if they do not attend the school where the chapter is. I know this because 12 years ago, I WAS an extention brother, attending Dekalb College (a 2-year school with no chapter) and became a pledge at Oglethorpe University. Shortly after, I was told that my membership was invalid because National no longer recognized "extention" brothers.

At the time, that wasn't true, but after talking to my current Region Director, I know it is true now and that my membership is/was valid but I would not be allowed to do the same thing today.

While I don't whole-heartedly agree with the decision of National, I understand why they chose to eliminate extention membership in the fraternity. I'm just thankful they chose to eliminate it AFTER I pledged!

Well, IMHO Alpha Phi Omega needs to do a better job at deciding what schools can be allowed to charter a chapter. I think the extension membership was a good thing, although it deviated from its original intent (to allow existing members who pledged through another school to serve as a catalyst to starting their own chapter). While it did not work the way they intended, perhaps the school's culture and climate was the reason. Furthermore, if any given school has few Greek letter student organizations, or if student orgs tend to have a short life span or suffers from "9-Lives syndrome" (dies out, get reactivated a few years later, rinse, repeat), then perhaps that school really isn't conducive to have an Alpha Phi Omega chapter there.

If extension membership is not an option (and I accept the brotherhood doing away with it), then at a minimum, APO should no longer allow chapters at community colleges and 2-year schools; it's track record of longevity (or rather lack thereof) speaks for itself. Other non-traditional 4 year colleges and universities (like commuter schools), should be researched and scrutinized to assure chapter survival beyond the charter group (campus culture).

For an organization to issue close to 750 charters and have less than half of them active is rather embarrasing. I think we issue charters just a little too freely. Treat 'em like Harvard degrees over business cards and they will retain a higher value in the public eye. I'd rather have 300 charters issued with 285 of them still active than 800 charters issued and only 300 active.

But I'm rambling. Lemme off the soapbox.