Being Men of Principle

1896_kai_ · #1 07-21-2003, 01:04 AM

Hello Brothers,
I am an active at Beta Psi at West Virginia University. This past June I attended the Institute for Men of Principle in Oxford, OH. For all those actives out there that think being Men of Principle is bad, you are sorely mistaken. Before going I was against the idea, but once there I learned the most important part of the it all. Being a Man of Principle doesnt mean you have to stop drinking or having fun, its is simply living your life by the Three Great Principles and the Seven Obligations. Live Beta, Theta, and Pi everyday! I wish you all well and hope that the light of the Beta Stars may guide your way.

Yours in _kai_,

Chris
Beta Psi -1896-

"Earn your badge everyday." - Bill Berry, Vanderbilt '68

ZZ-kai- · #2 07-21-2003, 12:04 PM

Chris,

Welcome to Greekchat! I too was a skeptic until I facilitated an Institute last summer. I met one of your boys, Matt....he was part of the Kappa Class of the M.O.P. - good egg! Back to subject though, I was always hesitant to look into or become part of the M.O.P., but after being taught about the M.O.P. the correct way (not by word of mouth, not by pamphlet, not by website, but actually living it for 5 days), I truly realized what it means to be a Beta and consider myself a Man of Principle, eventhough my chapter has not partnered.

Stick around, we need more "-kai-" in this place.

ZZ-kai-

Betarulz! · #3 07-22-2003, 08:52 PM

1896

That's awesome to hear that Institute had such an impact on you! Did you meet any guys from Nebraska? I'm sure there were probably one there, since I think we sent guys to all the sessions.

I've never had to deal with the issue of partnering or not, since Nebraska was actually the first chapter to go through the Initiative. But you definitly hit the nail on the head: The MOP initiative is not some quick fix, propaganda, but actually a way of life. It's about becoming all that is good in Beta Theta Pi, and benefitting from the genius that our Founders "of ever honored memory" were able to create and pass on.

I suppose that much of the controversy that surrounds the Initiative is mainly due to the creation of dry housing and risk management policies. I honestly can say that while dry housing may sound like a death knell for some chapters, it has been the most positive thing for Alpha Tau. I know my own GPA is higher b/c I don't have that alluring distraction of drinking during the week, and I also know that it has made our chapter house a nicer place to live. In rush, the cleanliness and physical state of our house is a major plus especially when mom's are leery of their little boy going off to college. All that said, I can guarentee you that we at Nebraska know how to have a good time!

I'll end by seconding ZZ-kai- in asking you to stick around GC...we could always use another Son of the Stars.

1896_kai_ · #4 07-23-2003, 10:27 AM

Betarulz!

You are definitely right by saying that one of the hardest things is the dry housing. We are a dry house, but that doesnt keep people from drinking when they want during the week. One of the big reliefs is that we dont have huge parties all the time, only every couple of weeks. Most of our parties are at bars around the town, and so that removes the drunken scene from the House until of course everyone comes home again.
One of the problems too is to get people to live the Ritual. Some people at my Chapter acutally believe that they are live Beta, Theta, and Pi all the time while they lie and cheat other brothers. If you have any suggestions to make this transition, please let me know. Thanks

_kai_,

1896

ZZ-kai- · #5 07-23-2003, 10:32 AM

A good ole "heart-to-heart" Eye of Wooglin always gets things off of brothers chests. Try that, this may help the situation.

Betarulz! · #6 07-23-2003, 08:36 PM

A true eye of Wooglin, like the one held during Initiation (I'm sure you guys know the type) would be a great start. Obviously, you'd have to modify the form a little bit, otherwise you'd be there for a really long time (I mine during initiation lasted over 6 hours with only 22 of us.)

As for ways to stop drinking in the house...well the way we're set up is like this.

The rule is absolutely no alcohol in the house at any time by anyone.

If a member is suspected by a brother of having alcohol in the house then the they are to report it to a member of the executive commitee. That first member of exec then needs to find 2 other execs for a total of three, explain the situation and as a group decide whether or not they want to pursue any action. They are then to confront the accused member and ask if they have alcohol in the house. If the member confesses that they have alcohol in the house they hand it over and it is poured down the sink. If they deny having alcohol the execs can decide to let it go, or search the members room. If they find alcohol the member in question is fined $100. There is no fine if the member confesses and hands over the booze.

Same procedure for the second and third offenses, however no matter what you have to pay the fine, even if you were to confess to having alcohol in the house. The second offense is $200, and the 3rd is a fine of $300 in addition to expulsion from Beta Theta Pi (removeal from the rolls and retrieval of badge etc.).

This past year, we added mandatory sentances to our Kai Commitee for the first and 2nd offenses. Even if the member confesses on their first offense they are sent to Kai Committee.

It's definitly harsh. And I know it was pretty much a two year implementation when they did it. The first year on the books, no one got fined, but were given fair warnings. The second year (when the guys who just graduated were freshmen) saw a lot of 1st offenses, but since that year there has only been one other offender and none in the last two years. It's not going to happen overnight, and it's going to take a lot of discussion for people to realize it is the safest thing for the chapter.

BTW we also have our parties at bars downtown. We also have the drunken scene come back to the house, but it's all fun...being a dry house obviously doesn't mean you don't drink, just that you don't drink in where you live...

Coramoor · #7 09-15-2003, 10:01 PM

Personally I don't like the Men of Priniple Initiative, and I won't be a part of it.

I see no reason to take an oath to follow principles that you already agreed to follow when you joined Beta. I also think that General Fraternity uses it as a bargining chip to get their way.

However I do think that within 10-20 years all chapters will be MoP chapters...one way or another.

1896_kai_ · #8 09-15-2003, 10:25 PM

There is no extra oath to swear to, beyond that which is said during the Ritual. The whole purpose of MOP is to teach people to live by the Principles of Beta. Theta, and Pi everyday. Whether we are partnered or not with MOP doesnt matter, as long as people recognize,live, and follow the Principles and Obligations. Fish, you of all people should know that Our Chapter is not the best example of a Brotherhood which operates and follows the 3 Principles and 7 Obligations. The whole purpose is to make sure that we treat our brothers right and do what we say. If you wanna talk about it, come in my room sometime (when you know you isnt around).

ZZ-kai- · #9 09-15-2003, 11:00 PM

I remember when the E.C. came to my school and threw the MOP pitch at us. I was like "hell no". Then, after becoming an older member, putting partying towards the bottom of my list, realizing that our principles really are more than what we learned at our initiation....etc., I realized that the MOP movement is not such a bad thing.

I was fortunate enough to facilitate a session of MOP last summer, with a Beta Psi in my group as a matter of fact, and that week long session really opened my eyes up to Beta. I was truly enlightened to "the higher power" of our fraternity...and yes, I DID think I knew it all.

As previously mentioned, and all Betas working for the A.O. will tell you, if you strive for the Three Great Principles everyday and do your best to make Beta Theta Pi the best she can be at your campus, then you don't need to become a partnered chapter.

My school, UWOshkosh is not an MOP chapter, by choice. Do I think we'd benefit from it? Hell yes! But, I think we'd benefit from the organizational skills we'd learn, we know the ritual better than most, we recurit better than most, we need some help with Alumni Relations...etc. But, I think we'd benefit from it.

Their long term plan is not to brainwash chapters - its to make sure that our chapters are the best on our campuses and to get us re-aquainted with what we truly stand for - Beta, Theta and Pi - not Pimps and Hos mixers or 2,000 person Beta Lei parties.

Best of luck fellas, if you need a mediator, contact me. I'd hate to see you guys slap each other around on GreekChat.

-kai- (don't forget it)