Perhaps you have seen it: a once great chapter deteriorates into a mediocre one. The members and alumni bewilderingly say, “I just don’t see how this happened. How did we get here? We used to be THE fraternity on campus and everybody loved us!”
The unfortunate part of this too often true scenario is that the signs were there long before the chapter hit bottom, the members and alumni chose to ignore the indicators.
A lack of emphasis in the key areas of operations and fostering a culture of destructive behaviors and attitudes can move a chapter into the “Red Zone.” If the following sounds like your chapter, then please take heed. Become the voice that causes your brothers to confront the issues. The problems will not correct themselves, and if they are passed on to the next “head table,” they will simply worsen.
Are you headed for, or already in the Red Zone?
Leadership Development - Officers are elected and appointed based on popularity or on “who wants it or who will take it.” Every year it’s a flip of the coin and the chapter’s future is left to chance. Further, there is no grooming process to give younger potential leaders opportunities to develop the skills needed to assume a leadership role. Kappa Alpha education often ends after the member is initiated.
Inflated View - Members become so internally focused that they develop a false perception of the overall quality of the chapter. They develop a sense of confidence (bordering on arrogance) based on this false perception and reject outside viewpoints and input. The chapter suffers operationally, but the members purport to have a great chapter because, “the women like us - we have the best parties,” etc.
Too Few Do All The Work - With exception of the I, II, III, and VI, the other officers and brothers at large contribute minimal effort. The executive committee rarely meets except when there is a problem; therefore, the officers seldom get together as a group to discuss each officer’s progress and the business of running the chapter. During reports of officers and committees in chapter meeting very little is reported. The committees that do exist are in name only. When they do meet, very little, if any, business is transacted.
Membership Recruitment - The chapter rush chairman talks a big game, but is poorly planned and waits until the last minute to propose his recruitment activities to the chapter. Consequently, the brothers really don’t know what their individual roles are until just before recruitment week. Results: Low numbers and the usual mantra, “We didn’t get many, but we got the quality guys.” Or, “There really weren’t many good guys going through this year.” Or, “We are much more selective than the other fraternities.” A few back-to-back semesters like this and your chapter will be in trouble.
New Member Education - The Number II is responsible for all of the education and basically continues what has been done in the past (with a few minor adjustments so he can claim the program is his own.) The program focuses mostly on attending pledge meetings that consist of telling the ‘pledges’ the active chapter’s opinions of them, assigning duties for the next meeting and asking the new members “How’s it going, do you guys have any problems?” Other routine activities - reading The Varlet and taking quizzes, memorizing information, cleaning the house, and carrying “goat books” (without this creative tradition, how could the new members possibly get to know the actives!). Tradition often overshadows common sense; menial tasks that have little to do with the challenges and responsibilities of becoming a productive active brother rein supreme. The Number II closes his mind to the national educational and leadership consultant, the National Leadership Institute, province council, the alumnus advisor, the province commander and other resources that could help him develop an effective program. “After all, this chapter’s been around a long time and we know what we’re doing!”
Ritual - The ceremony is conducted 1-2 times per year and then returned to the “mystic closet” during the interim. The initiation and daily activities are two separate entities, and the officers do little to make the customs of the Order the center of chapter life. Brothers are proud of the great job they do of keeping the initiation a secret from non-initiates. In fact, they are so effective at keeping it a secret that most of the initiated members know very little about it! The brothers rarely discuss the meaning, symbolism, interpretation or ways to apply the teachings to their daily lives. They may have a Council of Honor program, but it lacks substance and holds little prestige within the chapter. Once you’re initiated, your KA education ceases. Without a formal process in place to help members learn and understand our principles, how can the value system be passed from one generation to the next? How can the ritual become the central guiding force of the chapter? It can’t and it won’t.
Chapter Finances - The chapter has difficulty getting members to pay their bills. Why? Because there are little to no consequences for non-payment. There is no formalized system of collection. The Number VI often rationalizes the debt - “Oh he’ll pay.” Or, “It’s not that much.” Before long, this becomes the norm and the accounts receivables are too high for safe operation. The chapter has graduating seniors who leave campus owing money to the chapter. Why? Because the prudential committee did not enforce The Kappa Alpha Laws, and the chapter did not have the courage to hold the membership accountable. A few back-to-back semesters like this and your chapter will be in trouble.
Scholarship - The chapter has no internal programming that demonstrates scholarship is genuinely valued by the members. The brothers say, “You can’t do anything about scholarship, it’s an individual thing.” Right? - Wrong! This is nothing but excuse making. Your chapter cannot exist without the university, but contrary to popular belief, the university can exist without your chapter. When any campus organization appears contrary to the academic mission of the host institution, it damages the relationship with the campus administration and the group’s image. Last, but not least, it is counter-productive to the individual members’ goal of achieving an education and a degree. None-the-less, the Red Zone destined chapter will ignore this well-known fact and put no effort into creating a workable program to enhance academics.
Alumni Advisement - The alumni visit the chapter primarily to participate in band parties or football weekends. The alumnus advisor, if there is one, takes a “call me when you need me approach.” Equally ineffective are the alumni and advisors who win popularity with the members by taking a “we against them” approach. Instead of confronting difficult issues and holding the members accountable to standards, they make excuses for their performance and feed an antagonistic relationship between the chapter and the university or National Fraternity (often improperly referred to as “Nationals”).
ELC Is Coming, Time To Put On A Show - The educational and leadership consultant (“Nationals”) is coming and the chapter is put on “high alert” by the Number I. Instead of opening the doors of hospitality and receiving this fraternity professional as a brother, the officers and other members gear up to “tell ‘em what he wants to hear - get ‘em in and get ‘em out!” The focus is more on what not to tell him than on using him as a tool for chapter improvement. The brothers never stop to realize that the ELC’s interest in Kappa Alpha is so intense that he chose to work for the Order. He has been professionally trained to help chapters become better. The ELC has the advantage of a broader perspective because he sees many other chapters and their operations. Most undergraduate chapter members share a limited view based solely on their experience within their own chapter. Closing your mind to outside input is a sure way to move into the Red Zone.
take action:
Do any of these situations describe your chapter?
If so, you should:
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Conduct an officer meeting and target those areas that need improvement.
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Get the chapter’s input.
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Seek advice from your university Greek advisor, alumnus advisor, ELC, members of the National Staff, and province commander.
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Develop a plan to improve these areas and move your chapter out of the Red Zone.
- Don’t wait for someone else to bring about the changes that will make your chapter better. The resources are available. It’s up to YOU to seek help and to do something about it!
