Alpha Epsilon Sigma - A New Beginning

[Riah]

Hmm, where to begin?

In 1917 a male forensics society called Alpha Epsilon Sigma was created and stayed strong until 1998. It shifted from a literary society into an almost elitist society that included the brightest students, star athletes, and most popular socialites. In 1998 it, along with all but one society were shut down due to alcohol and hazing violations. The remaining society, AES's sister society, still stands strong today but AES for most of the campus has been a distant memory... dormant for over a decade.

Cue, ME! The low-down? A bunch of my friends were LDS girls and eventually I decided I wanted to start a male counterpart. Little did I know my school had a long history of these societies. So now I have the job of resurecting this dormant organization. LDS and AES are Greek Leadership and Service Societies due to our schools blatant opposition to applying for a charter.

So here I am seeking guidance to help me make this thing as legit as I can. I have 4 other guys helping me but we don't know where to go from here. We are holding an interest meeting to see if we can get any other upperclassmen help but the chances there are low because they have all found their niches in our over-grown high school of a college.

Yup...

Pretty much

[33girl]

Go to your school's alumni office.

Ask for old yearbooks - ones from back when AES was active.

Write down the names of AES members.

Find them on Facebook.

Ask them for help and support.

Good luck!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Riah

A bunch of my friends were LDS girls . . . ."

I thought you were talking about a bunch of Mormon girls until I realized you're at Concordia - Moorhouse.

So here I am seeking guidance to help me make this thing as legit as I can. I have 4 other guys helping me but we don't know where to go from here. We are holding an interest meeting to see if we can get any other upperclassmen help but the chances there are low because they have all found their niches in our over-grown high school of a college.

Follow 33girl's advice. (Your alumni office may be able to help you contact AES alums.) You can't "make this thing legit" if you don't have the blessing and support of alumni who are already members of the organization you want to see be reborn.

And conduct yourselves as best you can. This includes not making disparaging remarks about your school on a public message board.

[Regina.George]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Follow 33girl's advice. (Your alumni office may be able to help you contact AES alums.) You can't "make this thing legit" if you don't have the blessing and support of alumni who are already members of the organization you want to see be reborn.

And conduct yourselves as best you can. This includes not making disparaging remarks about your school on a public message board.

Cosign. Bringing back an organization will take more than getting some guys together and sticking those letters on some shirts.

[Riah]

Oh, actually we sent letters to all 286 e-mails to the former alumni today.

I don't find any of my remarks disparaging towards my school but I am not sure what you were referring to.

If it was "Overgrown high school of a college" I feel that is more of a reflection of the student body and I think that it is a generally accepted sentiment. In many ways it is good and bad. We have close bonds and personal relationships with our instructors but we also have a bit more drama and politics then many other larger schools.

If it was the "blatant opposition" part that also is commonly accepted knowledge.

Sorry if they sounded negative but really there was no disrespect involved and seeing as I have had meetings with almost all levels of the administration I think the school and I are on the same page.

The guidance I was seeking was more logistical in nature, tips and things that have worked for other organizations but I've also learned that many societies tend to be extremely private and so my only guidance may come from the alumni who reply to my e-mails.

Thanks for the replies!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Riah

I don't find any of my remarks disparaging towards my school but I am not sure what you were referring to.

If it was "Overgrown high school of a college" I feel that is more of a reflection of the student body and I think that it is a generally accepted sentiment. In many ways it is good and bad. We have close bonds and personal relationships with our instructors but we also have a bit more drama and politics then many other larger schools.

That's the remark I was referring to. It doesn't come across well on a public forum read mostly by people not from your school.

[mz715]

I understand Concordia's opposition to national charters, but for starting up a fraternity (or resurrecting one), appealing with your administration to allow a national charter is your best bet. National HQ's for Greek's are experts at setting up new locations and often have parent chapter's nearby to help with the difficult parts of starting a chapter (initial recruitment, ritual, etc.).

[33girl]

Originally Posted by mz715

I understand Concordia's opposition to national charters, but for starting up a fraternity (or resurrecting one), appealing with your administration to allow a national charter is your best bet. National HQs for Greeks are experts at setting up new locations and often have parent chapters nearby to help with the difficult parts of starting a chapter (initial recruitment, ritual, etc.).

No.

If it's a very conservative Christian school, they often want nothing to do with national Greeks. They want to have complete control over the organizations at their institution, and will regard any mention of "others" as trying to usurp their authority. He's on the right track with the idea he has.

FYP to take out unnecessary apostrophes.