[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by arvid1978

Here's the thing, though: It doesn't work, at least not for us.

According to whom? On what basis? Do you know this for a fact and/or have you even tried to institute it?

In my experience, the chapters that are faltering are the ones who forget what we're about and spend more time looking at the NPHC, NIC, PHC, etc and saying "we should do that". The chapters I see that are successful are the ones that put their message of Leadership, Friendship and Service out there every semester and run a solid pledge program that focuses more on preparing pledges to be functional and active members of the fraternity (which is less about "know your history" and more about learning how the chapter actually operates, how to develop new and exciting projects, and how to grow as leaders), and extend membership to those who lived up to the expectations placed before them.

Oh, get the fuss outta here with that empty canned rhetoric! Like I said before, one of the key element of a true FRATERNITY lies in its exclusivity and selectivity, usually through a rigorous thorough vetting process. Will it be foolproof or failsafe? Not at all. But it will definately show prospective members that APO isn't an organization which you can shuck and jive you way into joining.

I'm sorry that APO ended up not being what you thought it was, but you knew what you were joining and had plenty of opportunity to back out if you didn't feel it was a good match. Your pledge period was 6-10 weeks long, surely at some point you realized that this wasn't what you were looking for, right?

For the record, I was on line 11 weeks (I later found out that I was supposed to cross on April 30, but the Rodney King riots had the campus in an uproar and initiation took a back seat to campus programming which we volunteered for to address issues to that effect).

And I'm sorry, but I'm not going to take serious anybody who talks about how we as a fraternity need to step up our game and that we're when he's continually repping another organization.

Do you, then....

When was the last time you actually worked with a chapter outside of your little Viking scope? Or went to a conference instead of cookout? Or volunteered as an advisor to a chapter? How about joined an alumni association other than MOTRS?

Oh, so you want my resume? Trust, it isn't Viking/MOTRS only:

Chapter Historian, Alpha Gamma Theta Chapter, 1992-94. Helped organize a weekly service project where we would help a local community development program assemble fresh fruit and vegetable packages to issue to low income families.

Brother of Rho Theta Chapter, 1995-97. Assisted the Pledgemaster and Assistant Pledgemaster in the training and indoctrination of pledges. Initiated the Last Rites March where pledges and brothers would march across campus by candlelight.

BTW, these chapter are most definately NOT Viking chapters.

As far as attending workshops and conferences:

Chapter Presidents Workshop, 1992
Section 57 (later 56/59) Conference, 1993-97, 2000.
Region V Conference, 1995
National Convention (non-voting) delegate, 1996
Submitted legislation for the 2000 National Convention.

And I hadn't even mentioned that I helped get some women to organize a local chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma in 1999 to help build synergy with Alpha Phi Omega.

As for joining an alumni association, all they did was have a monthly dinner and socialize, and that was when I was an undergrad. When I finally graduated, the association had faded out.

Why haven't you become an APO LEADS presenter or presented a workshop...

In 2000, I offered my services as a member of Sectional Staff and no one would contact me to follow up with me. Later that year, I presented a proposal for a workshop I would facilitate for the 2000 National Convention and the Convention co-ordinator refused. At that point, I said that I was done; if APO has that much of an issue with me being pro-all male and pro-Viking (all the while respecting brothers of chapters that wish to be co-ed and being a team player in the process), then I pretty much earned the right to b**ch about Alpha Phi Omega.

In other words, what have you done for Alpha Phi Omega as a whole lately other than bitch about it online?

(see above)

You talk a big game and like to throw around "Circle K with a Ritual", but you really don't know what you're talking about.

BULL$#!T!! I have been in this organization for 17 years, I know exactly what I am talking about!

You're clearly unwilling to work within the existing structure to change it, and frankly that rings hollow with me.

As you can see, it wasn't for lack of trying.

Frank Reed Horton didn't find the standard of manhood he was looking for in SAE. He didn't take what he developed in APO and tried to change SAE to be more like that, nor did he try to make APO more like SAE. What makes you think it's ok if The Lightbearer wasn't willing to do it?

FRH also wanted a fraternity that functioned like a fraternity in substance, not merely in form. When the basic requirements began to be eliminated (had to be a former Boy Scout, etc.), APO went into a whole new direction which permanently changed its image and structure.