UCLA De-Recognizes Sigma Chi

[Firehouse]

Thanks for pointing out what I did not: alumni support. You are absolutely right. And a codicil to that is that the undergraduates NEVER maintain a successful alumni program on their own. Strong alumni programs are run primarily by the alumni themselves.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Firehouse
Thanks for pointing out what I did not: alumni support. You are absolutely right. And a codicil to that is that the undergraduates NEVER maintain a successful alumni program on their own. Strong alumni programs are run primarily by the alumni themselves.

Say you were involved in setting up a brand new chapter - not a recolonization.

How long would you estimate that the alumni program becomes strong and established?

Does that even happen with new chapters or do they rely on regional support in terms of alumni?

-Rudey

[Firehouse]

If I were involved with setting up a new chapter I'd get a printout of alumni from the area and start making phone calls. I'd get recommendations from the national headquarters - ie. who do they know in the area who's a big donor to their own chapter or to national, or who has been involved as a volunteer on some level. I'd try to put together a list of potential volunteers, looking primarily for guys over 40, or at least over 30, and also looking for one or two 'Godfather' types who can write checks.
I'm a big believer in not asking recent graduates to bear any responsibility for alumni programs. It's too soon, they're still too familiar with the undergrads, they usually don't have the time or family flexibility to take on that role. They will want to stay in touch with their friends, and the Alumni Association should make it easy for them to do that.
I'd gather around me a corps of alumni who are excited about being involved with their Fraternity again, and who would be willing to help create a model chapter. I'd make it clear that the entire burden of creating a viable and effective alumni program falls on their shoulders, and that alumni will have to pay their own way. I do not believe that the undergrads should ever pay for alumni functions, nor should they be involved in running the alumni association, including the production of newsletters, solicitation of funds, etc.
Here's what the undergrads will be told: YOUR job is to create a great fraternity chapter - the best on this campus or any other. OUR job is to raise money and maintain a strong alumni association. In terms of their relationship with the alumni, the undergrads are schooled in the proper responses. They must always welcome the alunmi and treat them with deference (unless someone misbehaves). And, they will be told very directly: these men are giving money so that you can receive the benefits of strong alumni support. Someday - not today or not even soon, but someday - we will come to you and we will expect you to give money to provide for the undergrads just are you are being provided for now. That will be your responsibility.
In just about every town of any decent size there should be at least a couple of Godfather types. These men have money, are willing to write checks and enjoy the attention they recieve from the undergrads for their generosity. They like the recognition, and the opportunity to help their fraternity succeed. In some cases, they don't even have to be alumni - they can be brought into the mix by friends and special-initiated, and given the opportunity to be involved and to support the cause through their generosity.
Ideally, I'd like to have a year's head start before we began rushing on the campus for a new chapter, but that never happens. Any lead time at all would be valuable. In practical terms, the alumni group and the new chapter will probably mature at about the same rate. In both cases it's important to move quickly and aggressively. If your new chapter doesn't grow quickly it's probably not going to grow at all, and end up stuck at mid-level size and prestige. It's the same with the alumni association. Impresive, energetic alumni want to be associated with a like-kind type of undergrad chapter.

[LatinaAlumna]

I went to UCLA and while I agree that there is a HUGE anti-greek sentiment among the students, I felt that the administration was VERY supportive of the greek chapters, as long as they weren't violating the rules. They don't go looking for reasons to suspend greeks. It usually happens when there is an incident that comes to light. I'm sorry to see that chapter is suspended, but we really don't know all sides of this story.

[madmax]

Originally posted by Firehouse
I'd respectfully disagree with you and say that the strong returning to strength and the weak returning to form is indeed the rule rather than the exception. I doubt that "thousands" of greek chapters are being thrown off campuses today, or even hundreds as you say. The 1990s were another down cycle for greeks (just as the 1980s were big - it seems to run in decades) but the last few years seen a huge upsurge in membership.
I can't address the SAE at Penn State issue because I'm not familiar with the chapter. I do know it's an old, strong chapter but I don't know how they stand there recently. My way-way-out-of-date info on Penn State would be: Beta Theta Pi, FIJI, Phi Delt, maybe Sigma Pi, Chi Phi, KDP...sorry, it's been too long since I was there. I remmebr SAE having a beautiful house, but I don't remember them being solidly reputed in thetop 10% of the system. It only works (returning to power) if you have a great chapter to begin with.
I'm going to be interested to see what happens to SAE at LSU. Over the last 100 years I'd say Kappa Sig, KA, Sigma Chi and SAE were the honchos in the top tier at LSU. If SAE starts back strong with big numbers, they'll return to power. But they're going to need a competitive house, and big numbers right away. That's not what I'm hearing. But it's interesting to watch. Max, are you a Sigma Nu?

1. You are changing your premise. Your original premise was that fraternities will continue to do well without university recognition. Now you are saying the fraternities will return to strength. That doesn't add up. If the fraternities continued to do well without university recognition then they wouldn't need to return to anything. They would have been strong all along. Look at PKA at FSU. When did they return to strength? Probably AFTER they got back campus recognition.

2. I am not SN.

[madmax]

Originally posted by TSteven
I tend to agree with Firehouse here that strong chapters return to positions of strength.

That wasn't his orignial point. He said, "yes, a suspended or de-recognized chapter can flourish and prosper."

If his original statement was true then the chapter wouldn't lose their position of strenth in the first place. When do they return to their position of strength? If it is after they get back campus recognition then doesn't that contradict his original point?

[TSteven]

Originally posted by madmax
That wasn't the orignial point. He said, "yes, a suspended or de-recognized chapter can flourish and prosper."

If his origial statement is true then the chapter wouldn't lose their position of strenth in the first place. When do they return to their position of strength. If it is after they get back campus recognition then doesn't that contradict his original point?

I understand your point. A chapter that never left campus can not "return". Nor would a strong chapter - that remains strong - "return" to being strong. Kind of redundant.

A chapter that is suspended by the university is usually not allowed to participate in Greek Life or hold offices in IFC. Various other "punishments" may apply. However, once the suspension is lifted, then the chapter "returns" to Greek Life et al.

As such, I feel that what I wrote previously applies to both "strong" chapters that leave campus and return; and to suspended or de-recognized "strong" chapters that remain on campus.

From what I've noticed, alumni support is strong with "strong" chapters. And with good alumni support, a chapter is better able to "weather" the bad years and come back as they were.

[exlurker]

For more on hazing allegations that led UCLA to withdraw its recognition of Sigma Chi -- and info on the fraternity's response -- see the May 7 article in the UCLA student paper:

http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/...s.asp?id=28876


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