[20453] in APO-L
Re: Some cold hard facts about APO/APQ
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Gerald A. Schroeder)
Fri Apr 9 19:48:19 1999
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 19:46:49 -0400
Reply-To: "Gerald A. Schroeder" <gschroed@CAPACCESS.ORG>
From: "Gerald A. Schroeder" <gschroed@CAPACCESS.ORG>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <19990409024258.53370.qmail@hotmail.com>
May I make two points? First, as a member of the National Board of
Directors for over 18 years and a person who has participated in Black
Caucus meeting and visited A-Phi-Q chapters, I do not buy for a minute
that there is any effort by anyone to avoid, hinder, or eliminate what
Brother Jason refers to as "ghetto" chapters. And, I agree that
communication between all of our chapters needs vast improvement.
Second, "underground" initiations do NOT confer membership in Alpha Phi
Omega, either on a national or chapter level. Persons so initiated are
using our name, insignia, and traditions without authorization, legal or
moral. The answer to the issues and concerns that have been raised is
not "underground" initiations, but communication and dialogue. But, the
bottom line is that any organization has a right to determine its own
membership policies regarding hazing, initiations, and
non-discriminartory criteria for admission. Persons not wishing to
accept those policies or not wishing to change them from within through
democratic methods cannot change them informally through their own
initiation process using Alpha Phi Omega's name. They are not members of
our Fraternity, do not represent it, and cannot bind it. And, we will
continue to make these points on any campus and in any community where
there is any indication that an "underground" chapter or "underground"
members exist.
Jerry Schroeder
Past National President
Alpha Phi Omega
