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I'm using the magazine as an example because it is the public/official "voice" of the organization.

I can participate all I want in informal routes of communication such as Facebook comments or wall posts, but, as an alumni, a "lifetime member", a stakeholder, I'm not given any official routes to participate in the shaping or the direction of the organization as time goes on. I haven't really seen any big "discussions" on those Facebook pages, either. Its basically just news and announcements from Nationals, and undergrads who comment and cheer them on.

Perhaps I have ideas about programs or policies, or see things in my line of work, or in reading, that could help my fraternity reach its goals. Maybe my ideas are good, maybe they're not. Maybe other alumni, and other undergrads have ideas as well. But no one in our national is soliciting ideas. The way things are set up, I don't have a voice, there isn't a participative process, and there are no routes for me to communicate with leadership other than sending a random letter and perhaps getting a response. Or going to a golf outing or drinking event (which seem to be the only two things that I ever get invites for) and maybe talking with someone who knows someone and passes my idea on.

In 12 years I haven't been sent a single survey asking my opinion or asking me to rate my experience as an undergraduate or as an alum. The leadership hasn't done a single Q&A or webinar. If you're asking me to expand my view to include technology, those are three things that could be done - that my national has not done. I've certainly never been asked to vote on anything.

I just don't feel this is a very democratic or participative organization as it stands right now. My chapter when I was in it, was run democratically. National isn't. Some group of executives in Indianapolis is deciding everything about the direction of the fraternity, and not formally asking anyone else for input, but still expecting me to "support the fraternity" no matter what they come up with. I don't know how they make decisions, and no one has really ever told me.

All I'm saying is that if you're a member of something... and fraternities lock you in for life, you can't change your fraternity membership ten years later... then every member should have an equal opportunity and an open door to share their input in some kind of appropriate way, and its the organization that has the responsibility for creating that door so it can have as much good quality interaction as possible with its stakeholders.

And, if there's going to be an official publication that depicts what the fraternity stands for, it should be more representative of all of its membership.

With these things maybe alumni of all kinds would be more motivated to stay involved, to contribute time, and contribute money... if they knew they were valued.