Intermediate Chapters..and "such"

[Blackwatch]

Lately here on GC there has been talk about what to do about incidences of hazing what what we can do to protect the fraternity from future lawsuits and "such". Once, I was at a district convention and had a chat with the district director about the possibility of reinstating the intermediate chapters. For those of you that do not know, two intermediate chapters were established , one in 1952 at Howard University (Omicron Lambda Alpha) and one in 1954 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Omicron Lambda Beta) to try to establish chapters for recent college graduates who maybe attending graduate and professional schools or who were not quite comfortable with the climate of a traditional alumni chapter (with 'grey hairs' as a criterion for credibility, high dues structure and the "such"). I suggested to the District director that this maybe a way to encourage college brothers to continue to remain active when they graduate, with a chapter that was on a university campus, with younger brothers who were not so settled into family life and career that they couldn't "kick it" every once in a while, and also who understood that though you were a college graduate or alumni brother so to speak, you still were not a "grey head" and therefore had different interests than the average active alumni brother.
His response was that it would be defeating the purpose of alumni chapters to reinstitute intermediate chapters because the push with nationals is to get the recent college grads to re-up with a local alumni chapter. He thought resources would be better served if younger alumni brothers such as myself and about 70% of the brothers in my chapter, made an effort to try to change the culture of alumni chapters in general. Try to make the alumni chapter experiences more conducive to younger alumni brothers with things such as step teams and allowing the younger brothers to have more responsibility in the chapter. I thought that this would be hard to do if you are not a "grey head" then you don't have much clout in the alumni chapter, unless the chapter is hard up for workers, which is the case in many chapters. What do you brothers think? Also, to open the debate up to all of the D9, has anyone in the other orgs. have documented history of "intermediate" chapters such as these in Alpha Phi Alpha, and if so, do you think they could serve a useful purpose today?
I say this because I think that if you had intermediate chapters, you can have more people active with the general organization, which has benefits on several levels. If you have more people active with the organizations, then maybe they will care more about the general org., and be less likely to advocate for the underground, ghost stuff that is crippling all of our orgs. today. With intermediate chapters, you'd have a better chance of snagging some people before they become disgruntled , inactive old heads who only contribute to the org. when it comes to "being out" at parties and picnics and showing up for the "underground sessions." Intermediate chapters would work well as transition grounds for people, slowly weening brothers out of the "college yard culture" into to the more reserved, and sometimes more political alumni culture, which is necessary to pull off the things that nationals is trying to pull off with corporate sponsorships and political action conferences and "such". Also, this helps with college and alumni brother relations, so often the college brother gets jaded by the thought of being in an alumni chapter due to the image of the alumni chapter as being "soft" because of it's stance aginst pledging and many college brothers feel that the alumni brothers sold the fraternity out with the moratorium and the institution of MIP in the early 1990's. (I know that the "feelings" didn't start then, but I think that it was a pivotal time in alumni-college brother relations.)
I made this post long enough, I have other points that I will bring up if people are interested.
Blackwatch!!!!!!

[lazarus]

" A house divided will fall ". What does this have to do with hazing ? Are you advocating that we allow hazing to continue underground. The reason these chapters never flourished was because they served no real purpose but to divide. Get active with a Alumni chapter because you want to continue to serve your fraternity, not because you want to run things. Fraternities need more workers and will always welcome younger brothers into the Alumni chapters, you can still have your step teams, you can still hang out, you can still party." Get you House in order before you try to build a new one.

[Blackwatch]

Lazarus,
I thank you for finally replying to this thread. I think that your point is well taken as I stated in my first post, that the push is for recent college grads to join the alumni chapters. You state:

" A house divided will fall ".

I do not see how an intermediate chapter woud be analogous to dividing the "House of Alpha". Unless you have some knowledge of them dividing the House that you would like to share, I think that the intermediate chapters could do more to unite the House. With talk going around in all D9 orgs. about the problem of underground hazing and the abolition of college intake all together, I think that there is ample evidence that there is a divide between alumni brothers and college brothers. The intermediate chapters would not be a way to allow hazing to continue, but I think it would help to eliminate it. Let's be real, hazing occurs more frequently when a brother has no "official" ties to the fraternity (in other words, when he is "inactive" or in some instances a "renegade" which I am defining as a brother who chooses to be inactive due to a jaded view of the general organization and/or the "alumni culture", but still has "love" for his college chapter). Sure, the national org. can strip you of letters, but you still have Alpha in your heart, and for some of the "renegade" brothers, that's all that really matters. I am saying that with an intermediate chapter, maybe some of those "renegade" brothers will still see "active" affiliation as viable, and then will be able to see a different side of the alumni culture, and not have such a jaded view, as many have.

One of the biggest barriers for younger alumni brothers as far as maintaining active membership is membership dues. Some traditional alumni chapters will probably have no problem requesting dues as high as $500 to $1,000 a year to stay active with a chapter. One alumni brother at the same district convention I talked about in my first post proposed making every brother pay the lifetime membership fee as a requirement to remain active (I belive now it is $2500 ). Now imagine asking a grad student to pay that before Nov. 15th!!!! I am sure many alumni brothers can pay this, but a younger alumni brother probably can't. There needs to be a stronger voice for these brothers within the fraternity, and I think it can be found in intermediate chapters.

The culture of the fraternity is what qualitatively distinguishes it from the other frats and simply community service organizations. It is also the culture of the chapters that distinguish them from each other. The college culture is vastly different from the alumni culture. A 50 year old lawyer with wife and children will have different interests and motivations than a 22 year old single, childless graduate student. They maybe fraternity brothers sure enough, but their views of the fraternity as well as there experiences with it maybe different, and at their seperate stages in life, they may see the role of fraternity in their lives differently. In an intermediate chapter, you have an opportunity to meet the particular needs of a recent college graduate brother by giving him a taste of both college and alumni affiliations. I know that alumni chapters will welcome workers, any chapter would, but is that all a brother wants to do in a chapter? Manly Deeds are an aim of our fraternity, but the "fraternal spirit" (what some might say commonality or relativity) binds us as brothers. Do not get me wrong, I cherish the moments that I have shared with brothers like Dr. Thomas Pauley, past national historian with over 60 years of active fraternal affiliation and Bro. Dr. Arvarah Strickland, one of the founders of my Chapter, Xi Epsilon Lambda, with over 50 years of active fraternal affiliation. They have given me an education in Alpha that no pledging process could have ever taught, but these men are in their 70's. Because the history with the fraternity that they have and respect that I have for them, I almost feel unworthy to just say, "yeah. Bro. Strickland is a chapter bruh" he is so much more than that, he is a legend in Alpha, and he is still active. It is a positive aspect of alumni affiliation that I could say that these great men are in my chapter, but in reality they are not, even though they are in my city. They feel that the chapter has too many younger brothers and they have chosen to remain active with an alumni chapter in a nearby city with an older mix of brothers because they felt more commonality with them, which is understandable. These men crossed in the 1940's, while 90% of the brothers in my chapter crossed after MIP was intiated. I am sure brothers like Dr. Stricland and Dr. Pauley don't want to step or A-walk, to "Jungle Love" at the next "Black and Gold Gala" which is understandable, nor do I expect them to. Nor am I suggesting this is all the college brothers want to do. I am just saying where is room for that in a chapter full of brothers like Dr. Strickland and Dr. Pauley?

While in theory and on paper, there are no big chiefs in Alpha, every brother is a brother. There are in reality those power struggles that Alumni chapters are famous for. Like I said in my first post, Alumni chapters are necessarily political. It is this reality that precludes a recent college grad brother from really contributing in a viable, more substanitive way in the traditional alumni chapter (my "grey hairs" theory from my first post). I am not saying that they need to run things, but they shouldn't be treated like they have to proove themselves all over again, like many younger brothers I have talked to feel who are trying to be active in traditional alumni chapters. The scope of influence and action of an alumni chapter in a city and within Alpha are very different than in a college chapter. The alumni chapter has to be more cautious of its image (not too many alumni chapters are gonna call themselves "Killa KH(L)" or "Bloody BT(L)". There are brothers who may have political aspirations one day or hold high profile positions within a community who cannot afford to be associated with any controversy or political "incorrectness", while it is some of these things that college brothers find endearing about the college culture. True, college brothers grow out of it, but it takes time, not a degree, to grow out of it. An Intermediate chapter will allow the college brother to grow out of the college culture while maintaining an active membership in a chapter (possibly curbing some of the "renegade-ness") with a culture that will be more similar to what he is used to. I am not saying replicate college life for the brothers in an intermediate chapter, but I think that there is a need for a transitory period in Alpha. BGLO's are unique in that membership is expected to be a lifelong committment. If we truly expect this, than I think we have to recognize the need for transitions in life, and respond accordingly.

To sum it up, I think that it is the renegade culture in the BGLO's that will continue to pose a serious threat to our existance in the 21st century. I think that we ought to seriously consider intermediate chapters to help combat the renegade culture by serving as a transitory period in the lives of brothers, to help facilitate a lifelong "active" affiliation with Alpha. Maybe some brothers would then begin to appreciate the scope of Alpha, and think again about putting Alpha in jeopardy over something as petty as hazing.
Blackwatch!!!!!!

[sphinxpoet]

This is a good topic actually Frat! I agree with you in practice each brother should be a brother but in reality there are those that have more power than others! BUT Thruth be told if more younger brothers became active in Alumni chapters then the chapter would have to take the culture of the younger brothers (ie the younger brothers would be more than the senior brothers) Know this that there is a stigmatsim that comes with Alumni chapters that are sometimes fair and sometimes not. If we want more college brothers to join Alumni chapters we need to make something appealing to them. And that is more than intake. Phirst dues for alumni chapters must be adjusted accordingly. If you have a grad student his dues should not exceed 50 dollars(IF THAT MUCH) in an Alumni chapter. Second when you are a college brother Alumni brothers should help, not dictate to college brothers. I got an e-mail today from a college brother about something that was needed for the chapter I said no problem. Being in an Alumni chapter now does not give me the right to dictate to another brother what his chapter should be doing. More joint programs on and off campus(Charles H. Wesley Award). Bring back the spirit of brotherhood and if college brothers know what Alumni brothers are and what they do a handle of trust can be built. An Alpha Advisor that went to college as a college brother no more than 10 years ago and no less than 3 year ago(in order to feel like they are that far detached from college chapters but they realize that some college experineces are best left behind) or at least works at a college so that they know what is going on in terms of adminstration. TRUST is the #1 problem that people of African descent have. We do not TRUST each other but by doing these things we can begin that trust relationship!

CAUSE SPHINXPOET SAID SO!

[Professor]

Fist off - let me say that I'm really working and have not had time to post in a few weeks but I do monitor the site.

There has always been somewhat of a struggle between younger and older Brothers. I think that we can agree that the young guns and the old heads do not always have the same agenda. Because I'm somewhat in the middle of things as far as age is concerned, I tend to take different sides. However, the issue of dividing the house is not the answer. Older Brothers should take into account funding issues for younger Brothers. I think that is a given! However, younger Brothers that really want to show commitment to Alpha can find a way to pay chapter dues regardless of the fee. I contend that Brothers must work jointly to resolve issues - - - this can't happen by creating another chapter.

[Blackwatch]

In what way would intermediate chapters divide the House? Would they drive the multiude of younger alumni brothers away from alumni chapters and into intermediate chapters? They wouldn't because there are no "multitudes" of alumni brothers under 30 who are active. I was saying that I think that intermediate chapters would bring younger alumni brothers back to the fold much sooner. For example, In my chapter, we are in the midst of a progressive reclamation project. Our problem is that there are quite a few alumni brothers in the city who are early in their careers and are recent graduates of the local university, at which they were made. Because of a questionable relationship with the alumni chapter recent years, they are apprehensive about being active with us now. I do not think it is a money issue, because several of the brothers have become life members since they have graduated. But, they see traditional alumni chapters as "too political" and feel that they will not be respected like they were in college (which they won't and shouldn't due to their lack of experience in an alumni chapter. Like I stated before, intermediate chapters are not college chapters nor traditional alumni chapters, so it would be different, therefore a learning curve should be expected). But the culture would be more conducive to a younger alumni brother, and he probably could have more responsibility than he would in a traditional alumni chapter (an in our chapter, he could have all the responsibility he wanted).
As far as the point about more younger alumni brothers in traditional alumni chapters, the point is well taken. But the question is how do we get there? If the alumni culture was as open as it could be to younger alumni brothers, then would we be having these issues with reclamation? This is not a new issue, the fraternity has been struggling with reclamation and inactive brothers for decades. It is refreshing to see that brothers do care though, and let's continue to think of ways of making younger alumni brothers more of a presence in the fraternity. I like the idea of Bro. Sphinxpoet with the age range of college advisors. I think this can serve as a way to get the college brothers to trust the alumni brothers more, and ease some tension between both. I also like the notion of more joint ventures. I know that our chapter and the local college chapter are in the process of helping eachother out on several of the national projects this fall and in the spring. I hope we can keep it going.
Blackwatch!!!!!!

[PrettyKitty]

This is an interesting discussion and debate. If we had intermediate chapters in Zeta, I guess my chapter(Nu Xi Zeta) would fall into that category because the average age is about 26-7. The chapter I used to belong to before re-activating NXZ was an older chapter but still not "old" in the traditional sense. I think that anytime you have such a large difference in age ranges you are going to have clashes. And quite frankly, the younger members often lose out. We(our orgs) have a huge gap/disparity between our older and younger members. Many have talked about bridging the gap...but can it really be bridged?...esp. when you have older members who rely on deference to put younger members in their "place"...honestly, when I joined the grad chapter, I thought I was pledging all over again...although I was up to meet the challenge, many of our other younger member are not...and we lose them...and sometimes they never come back...
But to answer your question, I was told that the Omegas had quite a few intermediate chapters and they were phased out and transitioned to graduate chapters in either 98 or 00.
Also, please note that Zeta gives a discount to Sorors who transition to graduate chapters up to 3 years after their collegiate degree is conferred.

[APA4LYFE]

I believe we should leave the intermediate chapters be. As that District Director said, it would be defeating the purpose of the Alumni Chapters. As graduates, we should go ahead and affiliate with a Alumni Chapter and get in, build your way up! With Intermediate, you would be in graduate school and would have no time to run the chapter properly because grad school is tough and time-consuming! We should just keep it the way it is: College and Alumni.

Onward and Upward

[Professor]

APA4LYFE,

We all know that college chapters are very different from grad chapters. I see college chapter as the precursor for instilling the idea of community service, manly deeds, etc. Graduate chapters continue to build upon the need for community service and expand the development of Alphamen. Brothers leaving college chapters should be prepared and accept the challenge of transition. I can only liken the transition of junior high school to high school. In these cases the responsibility and maturity continues to increase. To that end, Brothers leaving college chapters should be able to move on to graduate chapters with the outlook of a new phase in life. For me, to imply that Brothers new to graduate chapters can't cut it implies that they are neither prepared for the work world. Alpha is a growing process. As men of our beloved organization we must always be mindful that we grow in Alpha just as we do in life.