Status of all-male chapters

[AndrewPiChi]

I would like to wish sigma xi the best, they will be missed

[naraht]

Originally Posted by lee pi chi

The oath I made began "The purpose of this fraternity shall be to assemble college men..."

Just sayin.

That is the purpose. The Oath is the one that starts "I will do my best to exemplify the principles..." as put on page 5 of the current pledge manual. (whether or not the oath should be in the pledge manual is a different thread)

The purpose has changed from "to assemble college men" to "assemble college students". (and did so many years ago).

Randy

[naraht]

Originally Posted by AndrewPiChi

I would like to wish sigma xi the best, they will be missed

Amen

[lee pi chi]

Originally Posted by naraht

That is the purpose. The Oath is the one that starts "I will do my best to exemplify the principles..." as put on page 5 of the current pledge manual. (whether or not the oath should be in the pledge manual is a different thread)

The purpose has changed from "to assemble college men" to "assemble college students". (and did so many years ago).

Randy

I understand, maybe I should have been more clear. What I meant to say was I think that the all-male chapters in Alpha Delta believed that the Purpose was not only an oath, but the most important oath in our Pledge Books. For obvious reasons we have not made the changes to the Purpose as indicated by nationals. Furthermore, our chapters (obviously) believe that both (p)Purposes were completely incongruent with each other.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Alpha Delta recently changed its name from Alpha Phi Omega in January, after the national fraternity began making it more adult-based, allowing female members to join and taking away the student-focus. Martin claimed the name change was due to the "ideological split," and Feldpausch defended the decision because of their desire to remain service oriented and student run.

This paragraph is really stupid. It should have said...

"Alpha Delta was formerly a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity. They left the national because they did not agree with the decision to compel all-male chapters to initiate female members."

It's not a "name change" - that makes it sound like they are still part of APO, they just don't want to call themselves that.

It has nothing to do with being "adult-based" or adults running it.

I've seen a lot of dumb explanations of chapter breakaways/closings, but this is in the top 5.

[jeremypichi]

I'm going to break down this pretty much line by line since you obviously don't understand what its like to be in an all-male chapter.

Originally Posted by 33girl

This paragraph is really stupid. It should have said...

"Alpha Delta was formerly a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity. They left the national because they did not agree with the decision to compel all-male chapters to initiate female members."

"Compel all-male chapters to initiate female members" is nothing more than a nice way of saying "a promise given to all-male chapters 30 years ago was broken and now they have to go co-ed or have their charters revoked."

The paragraph in the article said exactly what it should have, that a chapter left because they didn't agree with the way the Fraternity is heading. If you couldn't tell this goes way past the whole forcing us to go co-ed thing.

It's not a "name change" - that makes it sound like they are still part of APO, they just don't want to call themselves that.

How is this not a name change and how does it make it sound like they're still a part of A Phi O? They are now Alpha Delta, not Sigma Xi chapter of Alpha Phi Omega which was stated quite clearly in the article. I'm going to assume that they are following a new set of bylaws and rituals.

new bylaws + new rituals + new letters = they are not a part of Alpha Phi Omega

It has nothing to do with being "adult-based" or adults running it.

Are you sure? It seems like those are a couple of the reasons they left. Also, you didn't disagree with their statement that Alpha Phi Omega is becoming adult-based, so maybe there is truth to it.

I've seen a lot of dumb explanations of chapter breakaways/closings, but this is in the top 5.

I still don't understand why you feel these explanations are dumb. Also, what are the other 4 reasons on that top 5 list?

[naraht]

Originally Posted by lee pi chi

I understand, maybe I should have been more clear. What I meant to say was I think that the all-male chapters in Alpha Delta believed that the Purpose was not only an oath, but the most important oath in our Pledge Books. For obvious reasons we have not made the changes to the Purpose as indicated by nationals. Furthermore, our chapters (obviously) believe that both (p)Purposes were completely incongruent with each other.

What do you think of the original purpose for Alpha Phi Omega?

As of the 1926 Yearbook at Lafayette College

The purpose of the fraternity shall be to assemble those who have had experience and training under the Scout Oath and Laws, to revive the spirit of that Oath and Law, to develop friendship, to encourage encourage service, and to enable its members to become leaders of America's youth, through character-building, citizenship, college spirit and manly strength.

[lee pi chi]

Symbols on a page are only half of a text's potential meaning. With this being said, I obviously feel a more intimate connection with our version of the Purpose than the original penned by Horton simply because of the fact that I, nor many of my own chapter have ever been Boy Scouts, let alone Eagle Scouts.

Furthermore, I feel that the term "manly strength" is offensive in that it, in some ways, supposes (or at least connotes) that there is a "feminine weakness." But that's just (if I can speak for my chapter) our chapter's opinion.

I also feel that "encourage" is too weak of a word, provide is much more suitable.

If you're asking me how do I account for my chapter's position in the context that, at one time, Alpha Phi Omega was a national fraternity exclusively for Eagle Scouts, then Boy Scouts...etc, my argument would be based around the concept of state's rights.

I believe that as long as a chapter maintains a set minimum of requirements, such as hours of community service required, cardinal principles, etc..., that most any delineation from that standard should be acceptable insofar as the said modifications pass by each chapter's respective university. I feel that these changes should be respected, but not enforced nationally. Each chapter was given birth under the organization of a particular set of standards and bylaws which ultimately play a VERY large role in the type of neophytes were inducted: our character is so distinct on campus that when people we don't even know see us on campus they KNOW we are brothers of A-Phi-O. There are many other organizations on campus that have similar experiences to that of Alpha Phi Omega: co-ed organizations with service requirements that offer leadership that do not insist on a very (very) high set of standards for admission. The only difference is no national dues are required and they do not have the privilege of wearing similar shirts.

Without respecting these differences, the national office runs the risk of cheapening the entire experience by using a "service fraternity" as a guise to market an ideology (which is more often than not a bad thing).

[arvid1978]

Originally Posted by lee pi chi

Alpha Phi Omega was a national fraternity exclusively for Eagle Scouts, then Boy Scouts

I want to address more of your comment, but this sticks out as patently false. We were never founded just for Eagle Scouts; that is a rumor that has been going around for quite some time. Randy/Michael, please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[Senusret I]

Hmmm..... strike two.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by jeremypichi

I'm going to break down this pretty much line by line since you obviously don't understand what its like to be in an all-male chapter.

"Compel all-male chapters to initiate female members" is nothing more than a nice way of saying "a promise given to all-male chapters 30 years ago was broken and now they have to go co-ed or have their charters revoked."

The paragraph in the article said exactly what it should have, that a chapter left because they didn't agree with the way the Fraternity is heading. If you couldn't tell this goes way past the whole forcing us to go co-ed thing.

How is this not a name change and how does it make it sound like they're still a part of A Phi O? They are now Alpha Delta, not Sigma Xi chapter of Alpha Phi Omega which was stated quite clearly in the article. I'm going to assume that they are following a new set of bylaws and rituals.

new bylaws + new rituals + new letters = they are not a part of Alpha Phi Omega

Are you sure? It seems like those are a couple of the reasons they left. Also, you didn't disagree with their statement that Alpha Phi Omega is becoming adult-based, so maybe there is truth to it.

I still don't understand why you feel these explanations are dumb. Also, what are the other 4 reasons on that top 5 list?

Man, this must be my week for pissing off Duq people.

In answer to your last question, the other 4 didn't necessarily have to do w/ APO, so it's irrelevant to the discussion.

In my opinion, a "name change" sounds like something that is cosmetic only, not actually breaking away from the fraternity. It said not a thing about new rituals or new bylaws. As a matter of fact, it said "Alpha Delta has been part of the Bananas tradition since 1965." That's absolutely false. Alpha Delta as an entity didn't EXIST in 1965, so how could they have been part of the tradition?? That's what I'm talking about.

I'm not railing against all male chapters, I'm railing against a poorly written newspaper article that if a nongreek read it, they would get the wrong impression of what happened. Here's another example.

Oh and I don't agree with the "adult based" statement either, if as others have stated, the choice to make the all male chapters go coed or leave was voted on by the collegiate membership.

[arvid1978]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Hmmm..... strike two.

Huh?

[Virtuous Woman]

I obviously feel a more intimate connection with our version of the Purpose than the original penned by Horton

How can you feel a closer connection to your chapter's purpose than that which was written by The Lightbearer himself?

They need to have their own organization if this is the mindset that they have.

[AndrewPiChi]

well, the current purpose that the chapter uses is what we pledged

The purpose, is very strongly emphasized by Pi Chi during the pledge period, if you do not know the purpose of the fraternity then why are you here?

[AndrewPiChi]

Originally Posted by Virtuous Woman

They need to have their own organization if this is the mindset that they have.

this comment was stated in response to the purpose???

How dare you make such an remark

I don't think anyone in Pi Chi, or Sigma Xi to the best on my knowledge, would type such a comment and fail another brother out of respect to fellowship regardless of the fact the chapter be All Male, All Female or Coed. We are all brothers, regardless of the chapters current membership policies, mind you these being in transition.