[23007] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] Proposal Question: B-02-035 & B-02-036: Raise Initiate Fee
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (J. Busby)
Tue Oct 22 18:45:28 2002
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 17:45:21 -0500
Reply-To: "J. Busby" <jcb2181@TEXASONLINE.NET>
From: "J. Busby" <jcb2181@TEXASONLINE.NET>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
I can see many advantages for the chapters and the National Office to
eliminate the AAMD's paid by active brothers.
I collect and process the annual dues for a Boy Scout Order of the Arrow
Lodge with just 700 members and it is a nightmare at times. One can only
imagine the resources that go into processing the AAMD's and keeping all of
it straight. I also like the idea that the charter reaffirmation process
would be geared to reporting on chapter program and chapter service instead
of a list of names and a check for dues. I think a report of this nature
tells more about the vitality of a chapter than an AAMD dues payment.
I know that the National Office must replace the income in some manner, so
proposal to raise the pledge and initianation fees is logical.
I think the discussion so far on this issue and the math involved is good,
however I must disagree with the warnings that raising the dues will "kill"
membership and extension efforts or "hurt" pledging efforts because of the
cost. I am also concerned that some brothers have alluded to the fact that
our current fees may even be detrimental to gaining new members.
First off, I do not think it is wise to compare Alpha Phi Omega to
organizations that charge nothing or a very minimal fee to become a member.
APO is not Circle K or some other run of the mill service club. We are a
national fraternity with a rich tradition of Leadership, Friendship and
Service which has impacted college campuses and communities in ways no other
organization has and we have produced leaders and preformed service which
have impacted campuses, communities, states, the nation and even the world.
Second, by telling me that an increase in the pledge and initiation fees
will deter membership tells me that someone thinks pledges aren't get their
money's worth now and won't get their money's worth in the future if the
fees go up. The argument that a Freshman will choose a cheap to join
service club over paying a $100 pledge fee for APO tells me someone thinks a
particular chapter's program and/or being in APO is worth less than $100.
Why can't the logic many of us have used to encourage someone to join APO
instead of just signing up here and there to do service at the "campus
service desk" also be used to answer the questions as to why it costs $100
to pledge? If APO and its chapters don't have enough value to combat the
"non-committal come when you want to" campus service desk, even being free
wouldn't make things better.
Third, having taught some family budgeting classes at my church, I can't
begin to list the ways people (from single mothers to well-to-do working
families) blow $100 without a conscience effort and/or having nothing to
show for it. The "rich-poor" argument doesn't hold water.
Being a member of Alpha Phi Omega has VALUE and the National Fraternity and
the Chapters should strive to provide that value to it's members. If
someone thinks the fees are too high, maybe the question to them should be
"Why aren't we/you getting $100 worth of value from APO?"
From the positive side of the argument, I think it would reflect the
strength of Alpha Phi Omega if we were discussing how affordable Alpha Phi
Omega is in relation to the life long value you get from being a brother.
-James Busby
Alumnus Xi Delta Chapter
