Difficult Recolonization Question

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

Thats what we have been trying to do for the past year, we simply do not have the numbers to do it anymore. We literally could only get 4 out of 20 pledges which would be considered legitimate fraternity men on any southern campus. You can try to make change as much as you want, but without numbers your efforts will always be futile.

So where will these guys for the new fraternity come from, magically appear to be a decent group? it is a serious question, if you can't get people now, how will this other fraternity do that in a recolonization?

AND

How do you know that it won't be run by a dude from the chapter at say, Utah Clown College? You can't tell me that there isn't a risk of a consultant who thinks a fraternity should have a root beer keg and floats with a make your own sundae bar as a rush event. The people in that school's HQ may have a new program, Gentlemen United Intellectuals Defining Originality, and they can't wait to roll it out with the recolonized chapter who had all kinds of behavior in the past they didn't like.

If you can't recruit people into your own organization, why would you be successful with this new one? You can have all kinds of alumni cash, but you can only gold leaf a turd so many times.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

Regardless of whether I am creating something, I will play a part. It is pointless to have petty arguments about whether other people will look down upon what I do or accept it. That part is not for anyone to decide, if the right people agree, that is all that is needed.

I do not want to "feel good about myself". If you get have a group of bad guys, and you recruit more bad guys, I'm pretty sure that you continue to hurt it by doing so.

Question: Who recruited these douche canoes to begin with? Were you not present at rush and able to blackball them? Someone not only gave bids to these people, they also let them initiate. Who would that have been? Because someone had to put out the welcome mat to let the Abercrombie and Hollister catalog impersonators in.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

Regardless of whether I am creating something, I will play a part. It is pointless to have petty arguments about whether other people will look down upon what I do or accept it. That part is not for anyone to decide, if the right people agree, that is all that is needed.

I do not want to "feel good about myself". If you get have a group of bad guys, and you recruit more bad guys, I'm pretty sure that you continue to hurt it by doing so.

You came here and put this idea out there. It's open for comment. If you didn't want comments, you should've kept it to yourself.

I guarantee that if you pitch your idea to someone else, they're going to give you the WTF face, too. This makes zero sense.

[JCunningham]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

So where will these guys for the new fraternity come from, magically appear to be a decent group? it is a serious question, if you can't get people now, how will this other fraternity do that in a recolonization?

AND

How do you know that it won't be run by a dude from the chapter at say, Utah Clown College? You can't tell me that there isn't a risk of a consultant who thinks a fraternity should have a root beer keg and floats with a make your own sundae bar as a rush event. The people in that school's HQ may have a new program, Gentlemen United Intellectuals Defining Originality, and they can't wait to roll it out with the recolonized chapter who had all kinds of behavior in the past they didn't like.

If you can't recruit people into your own organization, why would you be successful with this new one? You can have all kinds of alumni cash, but you can only gold leaf a turd so many times.

You can't recruit good guys into an organization that is 80/20 terrible. You can recruit guys into an organization that while smaller, is quality through and through.

I am very familiar with our IFC's policies for having new colonies on campus and what that means. There will be no ice cream floats.

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

I am not being selfless. Do you think when I pledged and was initiated I wanted to do this? No. I did not. Sometimes things happen that are out of your control, and you need to act accordingly. I am not selfless, I am fully aware that I am betraying the values that have been laid down by my fraternity and the brothers which have founded it both nationally and on my campus. I am not proud, let alone selfless.

Let there be no confusion, I was not accusing you of being selfless

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

How do you know that it won't be run by a dude from the chapter at say, Utah Clown College? You can't tell me that there isn't a risk of a consultant who thinks a fraternity should have a root beer keg and floats with a make your own sundae bar as a rush event. The people in that school's HQ may have a new program, Gentlemen United Intellectuals Defining Originality, and they can't wait to roll it out with the recolonized chapter who had all kinds of behavior in the past they didn't like.

I think I remember Elephant Walk saying that HQ always sends "their weirdest yankees" around for colonization, lol.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

Hello yall, My name is Jeff and I am a student at a major SEC school. I joined a fraternity here during my Freshman year, but it was not what I was lead to believe it would be. Our chapter size is roughly 80 members, and there are about 15-20 of us who are severely unhappy with our situation. Unfortunately we no longer have the members to create change and we are quickly going downhill.

Due to a large graduating class, "our" numbers (and I say that referring to the group of us who are unhappy with the direction we are heading in) have shrunk and after a few very long chapters riddled with excessive parliamentary procedure, we no longer have any say in the direction we need to go. In essence we are two different fraternities who are stuck together in one. These two fraternities are a typical southern fraternity, and a typical northern fraternity. We think, act, and look very differently. The northern fraternity has seized power and as many of you may know, in the south fraternities mostly dominated by northerns do not get very far. Whether it is right or not, it is the way it is.

Many brothers have disassociated, and we have been meeting regularly trying to figure out a solution. So far we have come up with this:

An major international fraternity which was very popular on campus was kicked off about five years ago. This fraternity has a built in following, it was extremely popular, gave back to both the campus and the community, and it was a backed by hundreds of outstanding alumni. It continues to send many legacies back to our school, and if it were to be recolonized it would quickly regain its reputation and legacy of a quality fraternity with quality men on campus. After they left campus they continued to recruit underground for a year or so, but after this year there will not be a initiated brother or an underground member left enrolled at our university.

Our solution is once we are all officially dissociated from our fraternity, to recolonize this fraternity. We would be gone by the time it was chartered and therefore we would not be a witness to any initiation or fraternity secrets. We would simply be the first people to recruit others in an attempt to bring this historic fraternity back to campus, while getting the tradition, community, and most importantly the brotherhood that we all were lead to believe we would get in our fraternity experience.

Lastly, I know this is unethical and may rub many of you the wrong way. I understand that this is not anything close to being an ideal situation, and that it would be great if we could work to improve our fraternity from the inside. While that would be great, please only respond with constructive thoughts, I am fully aware of what I am proposing and what it entails. Any damage that would be done with 20 or so brothers disassociating will be done regardless of whether we attempt to recolonize another fraternity or not. The situation is becoming detrimental to the fraternity, and it would be best if we could part ways and both "start anew" to try to make both of our organizations the best they can be.

Thank You,
Jeff

Originally Posted by JCunningham

Regardless of the first question, the next two are legitimate. Neither I or my other disassociated brothers will be the figurehead, other men who are not initiated in any other fraternity will be the leaders in the effort, while the rest of us will be working to help grow the fraternity. Already participating in a fraternity, we can certainly help in the paperwork and positions which will need to be held.

We want to gain helping re-establish a fraternity with a strong tradition which can survive in the intense Greek environment of the South. I don't believe our fraternity will continue to exist on campus past 10 years. Many fraternities were originally formed as either responses to others, or as break away groups. Establishing a fraternity which fosters brotherhood in a way which we believe it to be the best way to do so, and having that tradition continue on for many many years is very satisfying.

Originally Posted by JCunningham

Helping found an organization which can live on for years to come, which will do both good on and off campus, and improve the men which decide to join is worth it.

Originally Posted by JCunningham

It has nothing to do with us, perhaps you can not understand as you have not experienced what we have, but helping a honorable organization reestablish themselves is good enough for me.

So, you came here to:

...say that 1/4 of your chapter is unhappy.

...separate yourself from the other 3/4 of the chapter by using phrases such as, "Our numbers," and, "There are two different fraternities stuck together in one."

...indicate that the "northerners" know nothing about running a "southern" chapter. But of course, you aren't willing to work with them.

...tell us that the unhappy 1/4 has been meeting secretly to "fix" things.

...imply that a fraternity chapter that was kicked off campus is better than your chapter... which is still on campus.

...reveal your solution: bring another fraternity back to campus, with your FRATERNITY BROTHERS, without becoming a member of this second fraternity.

...reveal your search for brotherhood, which, ya know, you already have with those brothers who are supporting you.

...talk about your wanting to re-establish a fraternity with a strong tradition which can survive in the intense Greek environment of the South (even though it couldn't, because, again, they were kicked off campus).

...state your belief that your fraternity won't survive longer than 10 years. Way to be optimistic!

...overall, make it known that you have no loyalty to your fraternity, to the brothers who have stood beside you, and to all of the brothers who have helped make the chapter what it is.

Yes, please... drop out of your fraternity and attempt to re-establish a chapter of another fraternity without actually joining. And be sure to come back and tell us how that all works out!

[JCunningham]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

You came here and put this idea out there. It's open for comment. If you didn't want comments, you should've kept it to yourself.

I guarantee that if you pitch your idea to someone else, they're going to give you the WTF face, too. This makes zero sense.

If you were to read back on my original post, it was about whether or not it was "legally" viable. I am not worried about the social simplifications, nor should anyone else who doesn't know what state, fraternity, or school I am a student of.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

I am not being selfless. Do you think when I pledged and was initiated I wanted to do this? No. I did not. Sometimes things happen that are out of your control, and you need to act accordingly. I am not selfless, I am fully aware that I am betraying the values that have been laid down by my fraternity and the brothers which have founded it both nationally and on my campus. I am not proud, let alone selfless.

And you expect another fraternity to let you near a colony with a 10 foot pole, especially since you will not initiate?

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

You can't recruit good guys into an organization that is 80/20 terrible. You can recruit guys into an organization that while smaller, is quality through and through.

I am very familiar with our IFC's policies for having new colonies on campus and what that means. There will be no ice cream floats.

Did you miss what I said about stealth recruiting? You find like minded people and get them in on the plan. Do you not think your affiliation with your group may turn people away, since , in your words, it is terrible? Like I said, someone bid them, and that is going to follow you.

Being sneaky and devious is fun, you should try it, honestly.

[JCunningham]

Fair enough. I thank everyone for their feedback. I do appreciate it.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

If you were to read back on my original post, it was about whether or not it was "legally" viable. I am not worried about the social simplifications, nor should anyone else who doesn't know what state, fraternity, or school I am a student of.

Oh man. LOL @ you thinking there aren't SEC guys (and girls too) who post here (and lurk) that could figure that out. We have an entire thread dedicated to upcoming colonizations and re-charterings. Wouldn't take a rocket scientist. There are folks out there who would definitely "be worried" about someone pledging their fraternity with no intent to join.

How many Jeff Cunninghams are there in fraternities at SEC schools where a new fraternity is re-chartering after being gone for 5 years? You've given out more than enough info here for someone to figure that out.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

If I were recruiting men for a new colony I wouldn't pick the ones that had jumped ship from another one when it didn't go their way. Being in a colony is tough work, and I wouldn't trust you to stick around. Furthermore I wouldn't recruit anyone who could not really become a brother, that stipulation is ridiculous.

Well, if breathesgelatin is around, she can fill us in on what happened at W&L when she was there -- there's a thread about somewhere around here. Definitely the exception, though.

Originally Posted by JCunningham

. . . but helping a honorable organization reestablish themselves is good enough for me.

Yes, I'm sure the honorable organization will appreciate your efforts, given what you yourself acknowledge:

Originally Posted by JCunningham

Lastly, I know this is unethical . . .

Originally Posted by JCunningham

I am fully aware that I am betraying the values that have been laid down by my fraternity and the brothers which have founded it both nationally and on my campus.

I really can't believe you registered and posted (with your real name, no less) just to fill us all in on this.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I really can't believe you registered and posted (with your real name, no less) just to fill us all in on this.

You beat me to it.

Jeff Cunningham is an idiot and this is a huge FAIL.

[FSUZeta]

i think it all boils down to being affiliated(even if it is in a rubbing elbows kind of way) with a formerly very prestigious fraternity that has the potential to regain its former reputation once it returns to campus and reaping the rewards of that affiliation-powerful, successful alumni, great parties, gorgeous girls attending said parties, etc.

it's not about the long term benefits, because there aren't any(except maybe a job offer with prestigious firm and a trophy wife), it's about the here and now.

[KSUViolet06]

But fsuzeta, he doesn't want to be a brother. He just wants to pledge and drop out pre-initiation.