Kappa Sigma Zeta - Dechartered?

[Xcalibur37]

Jason,

I can only hope we are allowed to go to GA. However, we may not know. The current High Alpha is Jason Pilarz and can be reached at pilarzjd@alfred.edu. I recommend talking to him as well. He has a lot of great insight as a president and is very valuable in this current situation.

We are by no means a rich chapter, so large representation at GA is not exactly a simple task, but we will see what we can do.

In ZAX,
Josh Arzt
KS #1368

[lifesaver]

As I said before, take it to GA.

Think about this. Lambda Chi Alpha's policy is to only have chapters where we are welcomed by the university.

Thats their policies...not ours. While I generally agree with it, I dont think it should be a blanket policy, one not subject to interpertation...

Remember, WE set the policy for LXA. Undergrads hold 75% of the vote at GA. Having been a former delegate I can tell you for a fact that the undergraduates would back you. I've seen it done. in 1996 the GF tried to shut down a chapter in calif. They did it because a chapter presdident had the courage to tell the consultant that he had 4 brothers in his chapter who had a drug problem, and what could he do to help them. The son-of-a-bitch consultant reccomened that his chapter be closed. The GHZ agreed at its spring meeting. He, using his own $$ flew to Dallas and made a passionate plea to the undergrad body and WE not the fucking GHZ reinstated his chapter. They are still open today.

My suggestion to the Kappa Sigma Zeta boys..take this shit to the net. I can only help you boys so much..Ideas, suggestions and support, but ya'll gotta do the groundwork...

I suggest ya'll get as many brothers to go to GA as possible. While there, network your ass off to all the delegates, they are easily identifible by the special ribbons they wear on their nametags. Sell your cause to them. Also, in the meantime, EMAIL. Use the net to send emails to all the chaptes and presidents. I am sure if you start with a good nuclues, you could get this message to the entire fraternity in 2 months.

ALSO, and this is very important. if you get someone to sponsor legislation from the floor of GA to keep you open regardless for the next 2 years, and it passes, THEY have to keep you open. it has been discussed on this board before, but the info given was incorrect. I did soem checking, and since we follow roberts rules of order, they have to allow legislation from the floor. The March deadline for submissions to IHQ of legislation to be considered at GA is only for legislation to be sent to comittie and debated. it states in our consitiution that we follow Roberts, and Roberst says you can do it. If ya wanna keep your chapter open, this is how to do it. Also, you have to stipulate to keep it open for 2 years, to be reviewed at the next GA. if you dont, 1) people wont go for it, because they will want checks, and 2) the GHZ will go back and vote to close you in September. If you word the legis so that you have to stay open for 2 years, the GHZ would be in violation of the constitution if they closed you.

Ya;ll busted your ass to get your charter. Are you willing to bust it a little more and go down in LXA history???

[lenoxxx]

Lifesaver-

You are right on the money- I was the delegate for my chapter at 1996 GA and what a crock that was with CSFullerton. I remember the cocks from Syracuse wanted to close them so bad for the pot thing. Two years later they got nailed and closed for the same infraction.

Alfred guys- get it in gear and communicate- and get someone to sell it at GA. I've begun to put the word on the street- if you guys are willing to go to the mat, I'll get in touch with the "higher ups" that are going to be there. Two of my friends are running for GHZ positions, if you are willing to take this seriously and go to go all the way, Ill call them to put the word out.

Like Lifesaver said- are you willing to go this far?

Lenoxxx

[EM1843]

Regretable I can't go anymore due to work as well as other things but I'll let my deligate know about this and back my brothers.

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by EM1843
Regretable I can't go anymore due to work as well as other things but I'll let my deligate know about this and back my brothers.

Fuck yeah. This is what brotherhood is about. Standing up for what you believe in. My boys back you....Loud and Proud.

Remember, ZAX.

[Tom Earp]

As several of you know as I copied you, I sent a e-m to Hdqs about this situation. I also told of possible Schools to look at for expansion and would like to know what the plans were as we seemed to be kept in the dark!

I was told in so many words that I was antogonistic and it was not my decision as Internatioal was doing it their way! Did not appreciate the way I sent cc. to @ 6 Brothers who I was told were a few of my selected freinds! Friends Hell, My Brothers!!!!!

We to were told at the Phenox GA that we were there only to have our Charter pulled by Bob London! He said there should be no Chapters on small campuses. He is gone and now director of Alph Phi Omega Service Fraternity! Enough people compalined about him and wala! To bad he is with APO of which I am an Alum.

I called Fred Suggs, then Grand High Alpha and pleaded our case. Our H A pleaded our case and it went before the General Fraternity and we saved the Charter but on Double, Triple Secret Probation.!

Well we now have our Charter Still and an Alum Group is working very hard to get us built back up! We are small are doing a lot of good things!

I know Alfred is an Old Chapter and should be considered very stronly for staying if they have done nothing to warrent this!

While being Polo. Correct, why screw the Brothers for something they had NO HAND IN!

I hope they follow the advice that some of the Fine Brothers on this site have given!

I will ask that Our delegate vote to keep the Chapter if it is up to the Delegates.
I suggest as was mentioned that each of us do the same and I will talk to Brothers that I have met on ohter sites!

Good luck and Please Brothers Help us out and we will help you out the best we can!

[Chop1228]

A few years ago we had our fraternity house (and all the other houses) taken away by the university. I dont know what I would do if they had taken our fraternity too.

I'll be at GA as a deligate and am behind the Alfred brothers all the way!

ZAX

[Tom Earp]

Received from Shaw Allen, Alfred U:


Hello!
I've heard nothing yet. I don't know if our prez has really talked with
them yet. Brad Peabody informed me though, that national is still trying to
decide how to deal with the situation. Kappa Sigma Fraternity is apparently
invoking the assistance of the National Fraternity Council, and I hope that
LCA and the rest of the nationals on campus do the same. Brad agreed that
this should be tackled without going to legal means, but if it comes down to
it, I will be cautious, but not afraid to file a complaint. I've found the
proper way to file complaints through the school. First you file w/ the
school and if the matter is not resolved to our satisfaction (unlikely it
will) then we can file our complaint with the NYS Dept of Education. If
they are unable to resolve it, I believe we can take it to the state courts.
I really hope it wouldn't go that far. But, at the same time if we were to
succeed by those means it could do great things for preserving students
rights. I'm convinced that that is what it is really about. I've heard
nothing back from the ACLU, so I'm planning on calling them this week.
We'll see what happens. Well, thanks for your support and we should chat
again sometime!

Oh, Jason Lenox and I had a good talk on the phone this past week. He's a
great guy. He had some very sound advice and I'm glad he's a lambda chi.
We need more guys like him.

Talk to you later...

ZAX,
Shawn


We All hope for the best for the Brothers from KS Z, Alfred U.

[twitch396]

Chops, I am the delegate for Alfred U. We are still recognized by the university for the next year. HQ is NOT revoking our charter. However, the school is not allowing us to recruit. After one year, we (the greeks in general) will be re-evaluated and may be allowed to exist a 2nd year w/out recruitment. The idea is that we will die out slowly that way, and we can't pin them w/ violating our Freedom to Associate. Great plan, eh? Gotta love Alfred. Really I do love Alfred and that just makes it so much more difficult to digest. Our parents are generally furious w/ the school. IHQ has yet to make an official statement, but they are no less angry with Alfred.

Unfortunately we will not be en masse at GA. Two of us will be there though. We're not a financailly rich chapter and we have a fledgling alumni association. The $600 cost of GA plus travel has only ground that reality into us that much further.

There's nothing I can do to extend our life through GA. We have at least a year to work with. Now the issue is recruitment. Something harder to sell, but it's our only way to survive. I don't want to recruit underground. I don't want to recruit brothers but tell them they can't wear letters cuz we'll get in trouble. That's supression of freedom of speech isn't it? One of my professors, a strong supporter of the Greeks is encouraging demonstrations to the level of civil disobediance. We are strongly considering it. I've never been one for chaining myself to buildings, but hey, it could be fun, right? It's all about how far we're willing to go to save what we've worked so hard for.

I have heard nothing back from the ACLU, I don't think they are interested in our case. I'm going to try again with them though. If we don't recruit this year... we die. Simple as that. If you guys have any suggestions, please send them my way or post them here.

I'm not giving in or giving up, I've put more than 3 years into this chapter, and I'm ready to give many many more.

allansm@alfred.edu is my personal email.

I'd be especially interested in hearing from any other delegates.

I was originally going to this GA to promote a piece of legislation I wrote, updating our fraternity's anti-discrimination policy as a non-delegate. That legislation has been received by IHQ and I've had numerous votes of positive support from the LCA corporations, alums, and undergrads. However, since I put it in the mail I've barely thought once about it. I sent my resolution on to Alfred University as an example of the good works of our chapter that they have decided to put to an end.

My one thought on GA's part, is that I would love to see a letter, perhaps drafted by LCA, but signed by each (inter)national fraternity at Alfred. Kappa Sigma, Sigma Alpha Mu, Delta Sigma Phi, Alpha Chi Rho, and Delta Zeta.

I guess we'll see....

[dzandiloo]

Hey guys-sorry for crashing your forum, but Shawn's post broke my heart. Have you corresponded at all with any of the GC'ers from Santa Clara? I hear they went underground (or off campus) with their recruitment, and are going stronger than ever. I bet they would be more than willing to give you some ideas & words of encouragement. Their hope is to keep things going strong off campus so that WHEN the school comes back to its senses, they will be ready to come back on like gangbusters. Provided that the Alfred organizations can turn things around & improve the perceptions while operating off-campus, that may be your best bet.

The school CANNOT keep a student from joining an independent organization or from wearing Greek letters on their campus any more than they can keep someone from becoming an Eagle Scout and wearing their merit badges. All they can do is forbid your organization from using school property or officially participating in school events, etc. The main concern I see is where you all would meet (don't know anything about the housing situation at Alfred).

Anyway, I just wanted to say this little Lambda Chi wifey is pulling for you and all the Greeks at Alfred. And enjoy your GA-I understand its an amazing experience.

[twitch396]

Thanks for the encouragement! Who is GC at Santa Clara? I'm pretty close to Santa Clara this summer... Livermore to be exact. Delta Zeta at Alfred is also an exceptional chapter. We do numerous functions with them and are often partners in crime haha. I haven't heard what DZ's headquarters have said about the whole thing yet. They are a strong chapter... the largest greek organization in Alfred for the past few years... so I hope DZ sticks up for them too!

[dzandiloo]

Thanks for the kind words about DZ's Alfred Chapter. I don't know what will happen with the DZ chapter at Alfred...HQ has made no decision, and I have no idea what they will do. I know the lack of a house/meeting space will probably figure heavily into what they decide, as well as the amount of alumnae support...but nothing will be done in haste...especially if the chapter is indeed strong.

Greek SCU is an active Greek at Santa Clara, and has posted some interesting updates in the past. Go to this thread & you can get his ID and PM him...he is very well spoken about what has been going on since their Greek System was "dissolved." http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showth...ht=santa+clara
(If that link doesn't work, do a search for "Santa Clara" and you will find his name on many of those threads.)

[texas*princess]

I just wanted to say that it is very sad to see an entire school dissolve it's whole greek system. It's terrible because organizations like Lambda Chi, as well as the other fraternities and sororities offer college students the chance of a lifetime to make lifelong friends, serve the community, and become leaders.

I really hope something can be done about this so that Lambda Chi & the other GLOs can stay on that campus and allow future students the same chance students in the past had to have a true brotherhood and sisterhood.

[GreekSCU]

Originally posted by dzandiloo
Have you corresponded at all with any of the GC'ers from Santa Clara? I hear they went underground (or off campus) with their recruitment, and are going stronger than ever. I bet they would be more than willing to give you some ideas & words of encouragement. Their hope is to keep things going strong off campus so that WHEN the school comes back to its senses, they will be ready to come back on like gangbusters.

I realize this is very late for an update, but here's proof that going underground can lead to success. At Santa Clara, we lost our campus recognition in the Spring of 00. Since then, my chapter has gone from 22 members to a projected 84 members following our formal Winter Rush at the end of January. We were also awarded Sigma Pi International's Grand Sage's trophy, awarded to the #1 Sigma Pi chapter internationally...all this without a formally recognized Greek System.

It dosen't come easy however. We can't advertise on campus, we finance everything ourselves, and we have to fight an administration that tells incoming freshman that we don't exist.

With some hard work and dedication however, you can overcome these difficulties. Since we all have freedom of speech and freedom of association, there is nothing wrong with us wearing t-shirts and letters that advertise or events, or spreading news about the Greek system in the school newspaper or via word-of-mouth. Our parties (many of them draw over 600 people each) still provide the best social options for SCU students, wether the administration chooses to admit it or not. It is also difficult for them to ignore nearly $200,000 that have been raised for charity by only three GLO's (DG, Alpha Phi, and Sig Pi) over the past three off-campus years.

Finally, we are finally beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. A new sorority is forming an interest group this winter (looks like KKG or Tri-Delt, although DZ, AXO, and ZTA have dormant chapters at SCU), and get this...the university has put it on their '03-'04 agenda to revisit the greek system decision. This is what we have been working for!

Moral of the story: Fight the powers that be! If you are dedicated and hard working, you can succeed on your own with or without the university's blessing.

[MattJackson5]

I see no reason why Indy should not back Alfred. I'm all for them operating on their own. I've met a few of the brothers from Alfred at a Conclave and they're good guys--it would be a shame to take back a charter just because the school disbands greek life on a campus.

In ZAX,
Matt Jackson
BX 546