Gamma Zeta was RIGHT- the betrayal of MSU's Lambda Chi Alpha

[lenoxxx]

Enhanced the operations of these non-profit organizations through the standardization of business processes, development of professional working standards, and implementation of effective business controls. Significant accomplishments included:

· Transformed a real estate entity with a net operating loss into a break even operation with 18 months. Identified core business requirements and measurably improved business operations.

· Identified a lack of business controls and implemented new procedures to build credibility of an organization that faced criticism from board members, vendors, and public accountants.

I think I almost went blind from rolling my eyes so hard reading this. It is amazing how much bullshitting goes into resume writing. I think the Shippensburg chapter can rebound from all of this at some point. Primarily we are out about 30 grand that we'll never see. The chapter closed as well, but that probably would have happened anyway, and the school already has said they would love to have the fraternity brought back. I see a smaller chapter that will have to find a rental house on their own, or a townhouse. All of the Greek housing is folding, so not having a large house is not really an issue, so the chapter should be a new group of kids, that hopefully are not a-holes, and with similar housing to other groups- small rentals and townhouses.

Now the UMass and MSU things are totally different, and may not be able to be fixed as readily as the Shippensburg situation.

As far as I am concerned Joe owes Shippensburg 30 grand for representing LCAP and himself in a false manner. Will he ever admit to that? Probably not.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by GammaZeta

Hey GHZ...STOP HIRING FROM WITHIN AND GET QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS!

Pardon my crash...but do you think that maybe the problem is with the org not casting a wide enough net? That is, you may not need to hire a firm that isn't familiar with fraternity matters...Bob from the Wahoo State chapter of LXA may be just the man you need to fix the cluster@#$%. However, his chapter was never on the "good side" of HQ, and Bob himself wasn't an outstanding brother. However, he now owns an accounting firm that specializes in fixing other firms' mistakes. The problem is, he will never know that he could be of aid unless they come out and ask the wider brotherhood for help.

Or do you think it's better to have someone in this position who isn't a member so as to avoid any prejudices or loyalties?

Hope that made sense.

[GammaZeta]

Yeah, Umass and MSU are different, but also share similarities.

MSU got screwed. Umass got absolutely, positively, 100% raped and $hit on and then screwed.

[GammaZeta]

Your second suggestion is the best. Someone who isn't politically connected or too loyal. We don't need someone to make friends, we need people to run a business.

HQ only hires friends of friends of friends. Net not large enough? WHAT NET?!?!?!

"The problem is, he will never know that he could be of aid unless they come out and ask the wider brotherhood for help."

HQ won't ask for help because that would mean admitting they are wrong...and that their hiring practices are flawed.

It's just a screwed up situation.

[lenoxxx]

LCAP was so bad 33 girl that at our school we would tell them directly what would work to maximize profits and occupancy, each time we were ignored. For example at Shippensburg, Lease signing was in Sept for the University community- LCAP got us leases in January. After asking dozens of times, we were told this was impossible to accomplish and it "wasnt how LCAP did business" even if it flew in the face of what actually occured at a schoolw e were intimately familiar with.

They didnt need outside experts, just listen to the damn alumni who they had conned into placing trust with them (them being LCAP)

It aint rocket science, just bloated egos. Thanks Joe Klimek.

[lenoxxx]

The stink of this disgrace keeps on growing.

Everyone should rise up against this at the General Assembly this summer.

Shame on Lambda Chi Alpha in General.

Despite commission vote, MSU fraternity members vow to continue battle for house
Published: 03/10 10:31pm
By: Zane McMillin

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Members of MSU’s chapter of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity said they will continue to fight plans to turn the fraternity’s house in an apartment complex after the East Lansing Planning Commission approved a developer’s request to do so Wednesday night.

The East Lansing Planning Commission voted 5-1 to approve a site plan request from a Troy-based developer that would convert the fraternity house, located at 128 Collingwood Drive, into apartment housing.

The issue now moves to the East Lansing City Council for approval or denial.

Fraternity members, joined by members of the Lambda Chi Alpha local housing corporation, said they were disappointed by the commission’s decision.

Dan Shupe, president of Lambda Chi Alpha, said fraternity members would continue to garner community opposition to the development plans. He said fraternity members also plan to speak at the council meeting.

“It sucks that it didn’t go our way,” Shupe said. “We’re going to continue to try to reach out to anyone in the community to speak before (city officials).”

During Wednesday’s meeting, allegations of mismanagement by Lambda Chi Alpha’s national fraternity were brought up as reasons why the commission should not approve the development. Members also said the development plans would diminish the 83-year-old house’s historical value.

Eric Novak, director of the fraternity’s local housing corporation, said the national fraternity bought the property from his organization in 1993. Novak said the national fraternity then sold the property in 2003 to a nonprofit called Lambda Chi Alpha Properties, which has signed an agreement to sell the fraternity house to developer Dale Inman.

Novak said the national fraternity breached its contract with the local housing corporation because it failed to notify the corporation in writing of its intent to sell.

He said although he does not want to pursue a legal battle over plans to sell the site, it remains an option.

“We will talk with our legal counsel and see what actions we have available to us to prevent this from occurring,” Novak said.

Planning commission members who approved of the site plan said it was not the commission’s place to oppose the plans because of alleged mismanagement during the selling process.

“I sympathize with the residents of this home,” commissioner Emily Fleury said. “That said, I do think it’s not within the planning commission’s purview because of a dispute over the fairness or unfairness of the sale.”

Commissioner Lynsey Clayton, who voted against approving the site plan application, said the developer’s intentions of adding on 1,980 square feet to the back of the fraternity house violates city code. Clayton also said the lack of viable options for alternate housing for the fraternity’s members led her to oppose the proposal.

“I don’t feel comfortable displacing these students,” Clayton said. “(They don’t) have a place to go to thrive and continue to benefit our community.”

Tim Schmitt, an East Lansing community development analyst, said the city likely will not have a hand in relocating fraternity members to a new location. Schmitt said there are scant relocation options for fraternity members.

“The situation we find ourselves in is we’re not real estate agents,” Schmitt said. “We’re put in an awkward position. There’s not a lot that we can do.”

Inman said he was pleased with the commission’s decision to approve the site plan and said his purchase agreement with Lambda Chi Alpha Properties is justified.

“Unfortunately it’s something that’s not just occurred over the last couple of months, it’s been something that’s occurred over the last few years,” Inman said. “And if we were not the ones to do it this year, someone else would be the one to do it next year or the year after.”

[GammaZeta]

"They are as capiable as any individual in the working sector."

No they are NOT as capable as any individual in the working sector.

NONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN HIRED FOR A COMPANY TO PERFORM THE SAME FUNCTIONS.

They had NO experience, NO qualifications and NO expertise.

Obviously, we are not capable of running our own fraternity...

Let's do a quick recap:

Numbers overall are down.

Chapters are down.

We kicked our own Founder out of the fraternity.

We were almost BANKRUPT NUMEROUS TIMES.

LCAP was/is a disaster.

Should I go on?

Sure, say what's past is past. Too bad we never move forward.

[Sigma1844]

Here are some quick facts:
1. LCAP tried to sell 128 Collingwood to G-O and its alumni for about 2 years.
2. G-O alumni made low-ball bids on 128 Collingwood which would have lots LCAP hundreds of thousands of dollars (money that was invested into the house).
3. LCAP informed G-O alumni that they had a market offer on 128 Collingwood and gave them (G-O) time to respond before it was sold it to the developers.
4. LCAP is now under contract to sell 128 Collingwood to the developers.

Here are some quicker facts:
1. LCAP made several efforts to sell 128 Collingwood back to the alumni of G-O.
2. LCAP is a business.
3. Any other business would have put 128 Collingwood on the market a long time ago.

It looks like they just got sick of being low-balled and lead on with promises of funding coming in the future.

Yes, LCAP is/was a disaster. They lost a lot of money and now they're going out of business. It sucks for G-O. If you don't like what LCAP is doing, write your local GHZ member.

[lenoxxx]

Here are some facts back for you Sigma 1844

The House at Michigan was one of the biggest cash drains to LCAP, and to the general fraternity. One of the primary reasons LCAP went under was to continue subsidizing the house at UM for the Sigma chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha. Primary reason, huge house with almost no residents and a chapter that was small for a small campus, much less a Big 10 school.

So really, I find it amusing that the only person that is defending LCAP is someone that had their chapter helped out to a large degree by other chapters getting the squeeze and favorable treatment from LCAP, probably due to pressure from alumni, GHZ members etc. Enjoy the house at UM, I think everyone else that LCAP threw under the bus are the ones paying for it.


I am fairly sure there is some documentation of this floating around online, I'll see if I can find it.

[GammaZeta]

I would like to hear the REAL version of facts.

In my own experience, LCAP WASTED and was taken advantage of by contractors for tens of thousands of dollars on "improvements" to GZ. Improvements that weren't necessary.

1. LCAP takes advantage of the volunteers and lack of communication.
2. Probably, LCAP put mortgages on the property that LCAP refused to settle/dicharge and the value was based on that.

Also, didn't I read somewhere in the news that something about housing values going down? I may have heard someting about the economy as well. I don't think it was on the front page. Maybe someone else has heard something about the economy.

3. See 1.

4. LCAP's debt and "improvements" usually make it impossible for a chapter to re-buy the house and the only way any money can be made is to sell the house to a developer to level it and build houses/condos.

It's the USE that matters. A developer is to make money, the FRATERNITY operates as non-profit and is there to provide adequate housing. The property is worth more as something other than a fraternity. So naturally a developer would offer more.


2. LCAP is a business...they say that AFTER they get the house. BEFORE it you are "brothers".

[lenoxxx]

Something else to point out to our Michigan Grad is this- simply saying "Hey Shippensburg/Michigan State (fill in your chapter here) we want to sell the house to you with no notice a week before thanksgiving" is about as dishonest and unprofessional as you can get in a fraternal/business relationship. Shippensburg had no hope to get this sort of money together. And frankly a campaign to raise that sort of money might take years- with no notice that you will need to rally your alumni- especially when LCAP lied about having a long term housing option for the chapters they claime to be caretakers for.

LCAP should have been more than happy to take low-ball offers for these houses. They took them under false pretenses and sold them out with no notice.

I would also be amused to see if the shoe was on the other foot and UM's house was getting sold out from under them if Sigma1844 would be singing a different tune?

[Sigma1844]

I wasn't defending LCAP. I said "LCAP is/was a disaster" and I'm not going to argue any of the facts you Brothers have put forth in response. If you want to argue about this, you can argue with someone else because I don't like LCAP either. I had gotten an update on the situation and thought it would be courteous to update the information set forth here.

[GammaZeta]

Update???

From where?

[GammaZeta]

Most members, and I have met many generations from many chapters, speak of negative experiences with Indy.

Anything positive usually comes form Indy itself, and not the members.

Indy never realizes, they are their to serve us, not the other way around.

[lenoxxx]

Well keep on fighting the power Gamma Omicron.

Here is an update for everyone following along, especially for anyone in Indy who hates this being on here- and isnt allowed to comment!!

Gamma Zeta and I should go and testify on LCAP as expert witnesses.

I hope Nationals/LCAP continues to get the bad rap they deserve in this fiasco.


City Council defers frat house vote
By Zack Colman
(Last updated: 03/16/10 11:45pm)

Members of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity delayed the fate of their 128 Collingwood Drive home as the East Lansing City Council referred the issue to the city’s Historic District Commission on Tuesday during its meeting at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.

The referral was made to ensure the site plan to convert the home into 15 high-end apartments meets city code.

The site plan calls for an addition to the structure’s rear, which cannot be visible from the street in accordance with a historic district ordinance. Councilmember Nathan Triplett said he was not comfortable with the proposed plan based on photographs provided by Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity members.

“There’s been a lot of discussion about the fact that it’s in a historic district,” Triplett said of the 83-year-old, Tudor-style fraternity home.

“It’s unclear based on the photos and discussions tonight whether the site plan conforms to the requirements of the ordinance.”

The Historic District Commission, which informally reviewed and approved the site plan last week, will offer a formal recommendation at its April 12 meeting. The issue will then go before City Council at its April 20 meeting.

Both Lambda Chi Alpha Properties Inc., or LCAP, which owns the home, and developer Dale Inman have signed a binding contract authorizing the home’s purchase, and it could only be a matter of time before a deal is finalized.

Inman said he and partner Michael Dowdle have worked with city staff to ensure the site plan was up to code, and despite his disappointment Tuesday, Inman said he believes the site plan will move forward.
Dan Shupe, Lambda Chi Alpha chapter president, said the fraternity has considered going the legal route to block a sale, but it currently is searching for a new residence.

Councilmember Kevin Beard, who said Tuesday’s decision “bought them a little more time — that’s it,” said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the dispute in court. He noted correspondence from LCAP and the fraternity’s local housing corporation differ in the accounts and responsibilities for both parties.
The local housing corporation owned 128 Collingwood Drive until 1993, when it sold the property to the national fraternity, which had begun purchasing several fraternity homes. Under the agreement, the local housing authority had through 1997 to repurchase the home, after which the national fraternity could sell it.

In 2007, the chapter was informed by LCAP — which allegedly purchased the home in 2003 from the national fraternity, although Shupe said the deal was backdated from 2009 and breached contract because the fraternity was not officially offered first right of sale — that the organization planned to sell the home unless the local chapter bought it back for $806,000.

The local housing authority, however, claimed the property went into neglect when national leadership changed through the years, and LCAP was unresponsive to the local chapter’s needs. This prompted the fraternity to hire NAI Mid-Michigan, a local commercial real estate firm, to assess the house.
According to the local housing corporation’s correspondence, that value was between $300,000 and $350,000, amounting to a nearly $500,000 difference than what LCAP expected for the property.
LCAP said $300,000 was “substantially below” the home’s mortgage value and would have required LCAP to find outside funds to complete the sale.

Inman said, however, he was close to a contract with LCAP in summer 2009, when he said LCAP unexpectedly went back to the local fraternity to see if it could purchase the home.

A court battle probably still would not be solved before the fall semester begins, which means Lambda Chi Alpha members still could need a new home.

“Right now we’re in the process of working to find another large house in the community,” Shupe said. “Right now we’re willing to rent, but we haven’t been able to find any to rent-to-purchase.”

Originally Published: 03/16/10 11:33pm

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