High Percentage of Inactive chapters...

[naraht]

While there is quite a bit to be commented on in KAPital PHINUst 's post, I'd like to comment on the fact that we have a high number of inactive chapters.

While there are schools such as Lafayette College and University of Kansas where we have inactive chapters, and yet have active chapters at schools which are *very* similar culturally to them (Lehigh/Bucknell and Kansas State/U of Oklahoma, I don't think that schools such as Lafayette and UofK represent the primary area where we have large number of inactive chapters.

Areas that do represent much larger percentage of the inactive chapters include: (and yes, some of these overlap)

1) Two year schools. The Fraternity has at least 20 two year schools with charters, of those, only *one* is currently active as far as I can tell (Georgia Military College).

2) Geographical issues. For various reasons, certain areas of the country have higher and lower percentages of inactive chapters. If the entire country were like Western Pennsylvania we wouldn't be having this conversation. If the entire country were like New York City or the Intermontane West, we'd be talking about how to keep the fraternity from shutting down. There are four areas of the country that have a significantly high percentage of inactive chapters, though some are getting better. New York City (Section 97), Wisconsin (Section 27, though getting better), Louisiana/Mississippi (section 45 getting somewhat better) and the Intermontane West (Sections 7, 10 & 13). Some of these are due to lack of staff in the area, but for some (NYC), I'm not sure the answer is that clear)

3) Related to #1. APO has been willing to go to some campuses where the national social fraternity concept from which to some degree APO originally sprung is missing, has been killed or has been caged (requiring local GLOs and not allowing connection to national GLOs). While we have had some of those chapters thrive (see Mu Alpha @ Georgetown), regaining those chapters once they have gone inactive is more difficult. While I haven't worked out the numbers, I would believe that APO's inactive chapter percentage at schools with more than half a dozen National Social Fraternities is pretty small. (10-15%?)

4) HBCUs. I think the total number of active chapters at HBCUs is under 10 out of probably 40(?) or so with charters. I agree that an attempt to found "Circle K with a ritual" isn't going to work there. The culture at the HBCUs just isn't going to allow it. But the gender issue is even more significant. As best as I can tell, Alpha Phi Omega is the *only* GLO at an HBCU that would be likely to have a co-ed line. Even other nationally co-ed organizations such as Gamma Sigma Sigma, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma don't generally have co-ed chapters at HBCUs. I'm not counting true honoraries where GPA & classes taken equals automatic membership. Do I think that APO might be able to recharter more chapters if they allowed all-male recolonizing groups, maybe, but that changed almost 25 years ago.



BTW, personally, within 60 miles of my house (just north of Washington DC), I have four inactive chapters.
1) A four-year dormed school whose administration isn't interested in having APO expand there and which I don't know the language that the students communicate in. (Gallaudet University- Omega Omega)
2) A two year community college. (Northern Virginia Community College (Annandale-Phi Lambda)
3) A four-year dormed HBCU (Morgan State University -Mu Gamma)
4) A four-year dormed school with no social fraternities and sororities. (Mt. St. Mary's University - Alpha Alpha Upsilon)

Note, the situation for extension to new schools in my area isn't much better. The only Division I school in my area without a charter is the US Naval Academy and unless the NESA chapter decides to apply to become an APO chapter...

[KAPital PHINUst]

Naraht, your post eloquently illustrates why I think APO should be more selective in what schools they issue charters to: not every school is conducive to maintaining a chapter long term for a variety of reasons. The mere presence of students that want to petition for form a chapter does not change this.

It is for this reason I am for APO reinstating extension membership for such schools to form either a city-wide or a swing chapter (a swing chapter is essentially an annex of a stronger chapter located nearby). Issuing charters to such schools without consideration of whether its environment is conducive for long-term survival further reinforces the service club mentality. Just as not every student is fit for Alpha Phi Omega (contrary to popular belief), not every school is fit for an APO charter. Our high inactive chapter rate makes that very clear.

[Brother Joseph]

Does anyone think that APO's rather weak (though it is improving) Alumni system has any affect on the number of inactive chapters?

Though my chapter never talked to our alumni and made no attempt to while I was there I could see how a strong alumni base either from a given chapter specifically or from a geographical area could possibly help keep a chapter going during difficult times. Of course there are schools where chapters will never work or have to overcome tremendous difficulties to survive (like two year schools) but those are and should be few and far between.

On another note I didn't know the Mount (Mount St. Mary's) formerly had a chapter. I was down there this weekend and was wishing there would have been some brothers around to visit with.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by Brother Joseph

Does anyone think that APO's rather weak (though it is improving) Alumni system has any affect on the number of inactive chapters?

Yes.

Although it seems that very few people agree with me, alumni associations can be great starting points for greater alumni involvement down the road.

It takes almost no work to start an alumni association. Find five brothers, pay $25, write bylaws (from a template), and have a meeting. One can develop the most basic of service programs, with one project every three months. For the sake of argument, let's say five alumni in Prince George's County, Maryland decided to do this. Two years later, the Region Director learns of an interested student at Bowie State University. The PG County Alumni Association would be a very good place to draw a potential sponsor and community advisors.

ETA: Although that example doesn't work because Bowie has never had a chapter. Let's think instead, about Gallaudett, which has an impenetrable administration, but might listen to an Omega Omega Alumni Association who can speak on behalf of the fraternity.

I also think alumni associations are good places to retire once one is finished being an alumni volunteer. At some point, one gets tired of college students, but one doesn't get tired of being a brother.

Anyway... I've made it my personal mission to inspire greater alumni involvement among alumni I know.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by KAPital PHINUst;1852500[COLOR=#8b0000

It is for this reason I am for APO reinstating extension membership for such schools to form either a city-wide or a swing chapter (a swing chapter is essentially an annex of a stronger chapter located nearby).[/COLOR]

While I think Extension membership may be useful if redone with the M&E Director who believes in it, I'm not sure that the city-wide or swing chapters are the way to go. To wind back time a little, I'm not sure that a chapter at Howard that was a swing chapter of George Washington University's chapter or for that matter a city-wide chapter including both schools. Culture differences between APO chapters at HBCUs and non-HBCUs are significantly greater than those between the Kappa Alpha Psi (to pick an HBCU) at the two schools.

Ouch. Trying to imagine what it would be like for a biological little brother of an APO brother at Howard to pledge at George Washington or vice cersa.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Brother Joseph

On another note I didn't know the Mount (Mount St. Mary's) formerly had a chapter. I was down there this weekend and was wishing there would have been some brothers around to visit with.

Yes, active from 1981 to 1987.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

..but might listen to an Omega Omega Alumni Association who can speak on behalf of the fraternity.

speak and listen should be in quotes, I think. But otherwise agreed.

I wonder how many active chapter based alumni associations we have for chapters which are inacitve.