[21153] in APO-L
[APO-L] Bread and Butter
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Pete Fagan)
Mon Sep 11 22:20:38 2000
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Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 22:20:22 EDT
Reply-To: PAfagan@AOL.COM
From: Pete Fagan <PAfagan@AOL.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
I have been silently sitting back and reading many of the posts on APO-L.
Actually over the last eight months since my son was born I have fallen to
the side of APO and it has not taken a stronger position on my priority list.
For those who know me, they know that I have worked within the area of
Student Affairs at three different colleges and know that I have colleagues
that work directly with Greeks on their campuses. And I will try to bring
this perspective into my post.
At this time, in 2000, I am not surprised in the least by declining numbers
among our chapters. I am also not surprised that we have lost chapters and
potential start ups due to some of the reasons stated in the previous posts
and others. Friends of mine who are Directors and Coordinators of Greek Life
and in Student Activities on a couple of campuses are experiencing some of
the same declines in membership in the Social Greek Life arena as well as
organizations such as student senates and programming boards. So we are not
alone in this. Many other groups are struggling with the same issues.
Students today are being pulled in so many different directions, classes,
work, clubs and organizations and so on that they simply do not have the time
to put into becoming a brother and maintaing membership in APhiO. With the
multitude of alla-carte community service opportunities on campus through a
specific office, residence life, student activities and so on, students can
pick and choose what service they would like to do with no or little
commitment.
Before leaving a position at Siena College as the Assistant Director for
Campus Programs and moving into the classroom as an adjunct faculty member at
two different community colleges... I have been told that the reason why
students today do not get more involved is clear... they need to work in
order to go to college. For example, I advised the Student Events Board at
Siena College and at election time it was difficult to get more than one
candidate for the SEB positions and even the Student Senate positions.
Eventhough the students wanted to become more involved, they simply did not
have the time. (And I know that the argument running through some of us who
pledged more than 10 years ago is, "If I could do it so they can too, if
they want it bad enough.") Well the fact is... they want their education
more. And they want to be involved in those activities that will help to
promote their education when they enter their careers. Today's college
students do not have the time to put into the "games" that are played during
pledging and then do not have the time to put in 15 service hours a
semester--or whatever the current chapter requirements are. (Substitute your
own requirements)
We need to rethink and retool APO. Maybe it is time to remove the "games"
from pledging. At a recent NACA convention I attended a workshop on the Role
of Greek Life Today and the facilitator indicated that there are a couple of
social organizations that have begun removing all forms of pledging because
they have realized that this practice has outlived its usefulness. You can
still have "fraternity" without some of the games. I know it will be hard...
but it can be done. Look for new and different ways to develop unity and
brotherhood. Perhaps taking the entire group to a ropes course program would
fill the bill. Obviously the same old same old is not working for many of
our chapters. My own chapter (Delta Upsilon-- East Stroudsburg University of
PA) has been floundering for a couple of years...and I am not surprised by
this. I am saddened, because our 50th anniversary signaled the start of this
turbulent time for the chapter, but I am not surprised. I am not suprised
because the entire Greek system at ESU is headed down a path of low
membership and social chapters are closing up. Students just do not want to
be involved. So the Delta Upsilon Chapter and the other Greek Letter
Organizations are fighting for the same, smaller group of potential pledges.
Some of our chapters have been pushed into making a decision to close or
affiliate with another organization because of the never-ending debates on
the Toast Song and the Brothers and Sisters issue and the all-male issue.
Rather than fighting to no end on these issues maybe we should use this
convention to develop creative and real solutions that can be put into place
to help chapters. It is time to rethink and retool.
The process of becoming a chapter has become too difficult and conains too
much red-tape. At each National Convention a discussion is held as to how we
can streamline the process. And it always seems that instead of streamlining
the process it becomes more difficult. Applications are being turned down
and the group becomes disgruntled and disbands. The BOD really needs to
think about things a bit more clearly. Should we really be turning down
charter applications because you think that the group has not done enough
fellowships or service projects? Perhaps the Petitioning Group has a number
of members who must work to support school. They may not be able to do the
type of projects that are deemed "appropriate" and "quality." What is
considered "appropriate" or "quality?" You cannot use a cookie cutter
approach to chapter start up. Every school is different and every school
must be weighed on its own accord. This is why we have Section Chairs and
Region Directors to help the PG develop and the BOD to understand that
development. It is time that we rethink and retool.
In response to the post from the Oneonta Brother... alcohol is not the
answer to our membership woes. (And actually, unless the SUNY- Oneonta
administration is turning their backs-- no rush activities of any social
Greek organization should be taking place in a bar and none should have any
alcohol present.) This is strictly regulated by the Fraternity Insurance
Purchasing Group Risk Management Policies. If you think APO 's policies are
strict you should see what the social's are supposed to be following. In
addition it is difficult to narrow the definition of hazing because it is
different for almost every state. What you can do in New York, what could
still be considered "legal" would be against the law in Pennsylvania. And
there are still some states without stong wording regarding hazing. We must
work together to share ideas that work so that rush is a successful event for
all and pledging is successful for our new brothers. We must rethink and
retool.
APO-L needs to once again become a forum for the exchange of ideas that work
for each chapter. When I first signed on to APO-L 6 years ago there was a
great deal more traffic. People were more engaged in sharing the ideas of
their chapters. Now I have noticed the amount of traffic cut down
significantly. APO-L is a perfect tool to use to help each chapter develop
stronger programs. Use APO-L as we rethink and retool Alpha Phi Omega for
the new millennium.
These are just my thoughts and not the thoughts of any past staff or chapter
positions I have held in the past. It is time to rethink and retool.
In LFS,
Pete Fagan
