[6648] in APO-L
Re: Why service requirement?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jeffrey N. Woodford)
Thu Sep 9 14:20:18 1993
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1993 14:18:23 -0400
Reply-To: "Jeffrey N. Woodford" <jw53+@andrew.cmu.edu>
From: "Jeffrey N. Woodford" <jw53+@andrew.cmu.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L%PURCCVM.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
In-Reply-To: <Added.sgXpjb_00Udb0sbU44@andrew.cmu.edu>
Marc Boffardi <BOFFAR83%SNYNEWVM.BITNET@uga.cc.uga.edu> writes:
> When I was VPS at the University of Buffalo (a long time ago), I didn't
> have a service hour requirement. My aim was to make the srvice projects
> enjoyable enough that I wouldn't have to FORCE brothers (and pledges) to
> participate.
I think this is more along the spirit of a volunteer organization,
i.e., give what time that you have for a worthwhile cause but don't
force it from members.
BTW, you don't have a service hour requirement for pledges?
> While the above seemed like a great idea, it had its drawbacks (as the
> President at the time pointed out to me). First, because there was no
> service hour requirements, he believed that we were sending a sort of
> unspoken message that said "You don't have to show up." This was, in
> part, true.
Well it's true by the very nature of APhiO (i.e., a volunteer
organization). In fact, realistically, it's true about every
activity. We've all skipped classes, right? Even though we've all
paid an arm and a leg to come to our favorite college. If *this*
isn't incentive enough, I don't know what is.
It comes down to the worth of the project involved. If people feel
that they can better utilize their time doing something else rather
than showing up at a service project, then chances are they will go to
the other thing, no matter how many requirements you slap on for going
to the service project.
And if the service projects are fun, and they are worthwhile in the
eyes of the brotherhood, then what's the point of the requirement?
People will show up anyway no matter how many requirements you slap on
for going to the service project.
These are just some feelings I have. I can certainly see the other
side of the coin, though.
> My personal feeling was that I did not want to force people
> to do service. They wouldn't have joined APO if they didn't want to
> do it.
Right!
> The second problem with my policy was that, at the time, our
> chapter was down to about 10 active brothers. So, if somebody didn't
> show up at a service project, it made a difference in our performance.
Yeah this is a problem. We have about 25 actives here at Kappa and we
manage to do a lot.
> So... to sum it all up: Having no requirement for service hours WILL WORK
> with a large chapter (where you have plenty of manpower). It will also
> work with chapters that have many service projects (so even if you HAD a
> requirement, it would be fufilled). This policy will not work too well,
> however, if your chapter is small and service projects are few and far
> between.
I can see it another way: if the chapter has only a few projects well
spaced apart, then the brothers will be able to devote more time to
more important endeavors (read: classes) and will be more in a
position to give a lot of energy to service projects.
> I hope this helps.
It does indeed!
Boy it sounds like Kappa's in the minority when I say that we don't
have a (serious) hours requirement.
In Brotherhood,
-Jeff W.
Kappa
