Cross & Crescent

7 Responses to “Expectations for 2006”. (leave your response)

1. Tom Earp Says:

   January 2nd, 2006 at 5:04 pm

   Brother Farkas, I cannot but agree with You in toto.

   I am not sure where or whom I should contact, but one of the largest Contributors are Alums.

   Granted, while We need all facets, if I may make a recommendation, place More emphasis on the Officership of RHO.

   This Officership while seems unimportant is the life Blood in connection with Alums.

   Through this, We as An International Fraternity can and will get more donations by which We will Grow.

2. Zachary Tucker Says:

   January 2nd, 2006 at 6:14 pm

   It’s hard for me to belive that the fraternity membership has droped b 40% when college and univesity enrollment is up in most cases. What this tell me is that the fraternity movement has reach a point of becoming an insignificant force on collelge campuses.

   In the officer induction ceremony a statement of admonishment to the officers says “what you do now will determine whether the fraternity will flourish or fade into insignificance.”

   It’s clear to me that the number one problem over the last 20 years has been the lack of leadership with in the fraternity. This lack leadership was not just in the professional staff but also in the Grand High Zeta. These people lead us down the path of insignifigance, mostly becasue they were men who did have the moral courage to stand for what we’re all about.

   Lambda Chi Alpha was a fraternity of innovation, problem solving and leadership. Our founders and all the men I knew these three things were not just gimicks but part of thier character. I’ll mention a few of them, Number One is George Spasky, Willis Tate, Murphy Orsborn, Doc, Clay Meyer, Frank Mays, All of these men walk the talk and talk the walk. They understood what was most important in the movement and they kept the ball and all their energy and decision making on making the undergraduat experience the core of what they did each day. It dissapoints me that it’s taken the current leadership 20 years to find the core of the business again. This past leadership believe they were in the buiness of running a fraernity, but really they were in the business of building character in young men. Building character take a deep commiment, moral courage, and a willingness to make the tough decisions.

   The second problem with in the fraternity over the last twenty years was that we had people who all wanted to hear or listen to those who agreed with their opinion of how the fraternity ought to run. The leadership of the last 20 years alienated all people who didn’t agree with them or who disagreed with them. They created an unbrotherly enviroment of hostility and the lack of civility.

   The worse thing that happen to us as a fraterity was that the leadership abandon the role of being the innovators of the fraternity movement. We use to lead the movment in producing and delievering the best program to our undergradute members. We lead the way in implementing policies and procedure that were ahead of their time.We had the respect of other fraernites, most much older than us. College and universities adminstrator admired and respected Lambda Chi Alpha.

   Our leadership of the past 20 years sought to make as one of the group, not one that stood out from the group.

   The worse thing the past leadership did, was they, lost sight of what the most important things was about Lambda Chi Alpha. The core of what we do, our main focus was on working and helping undergraduate brothers succeed, become leaders, and there was a deep commitment to building their character.

   What sets Lambda Chi Alpha apart from the rest, was that the center and core of all most everything that went on centered on the undergraduate experience. In focuses resoures on ensuring the undergraduate expeience is a qality one we produced quality individuals with strong character and a commitment to achieving excellence in thier lives. Our passion in the fraternity was ensuring that every person joining the fraternity has a quality experience.

   I’ve gone on long enough, but I would like to say that I am commited to returning Lambda Chi Alpha to it’s days of glory. I volunteer for any opportunity to serve the fraternity that is presented to me.

   My experience was great. I am the person I am today because of Lambda Chi Alpha. Thanks George for your leadership and I thank God for all the others who “labored” to make the fraternity a speical and unique experience for me.

3. Roger Pruger Says:

   January 3rd, 2006 at 9:25 pm

   Although I am glad to see the success of Lambda Chi as a whole on a national level, I have been increasingly perplexed about the lack of long term planning for the national fratnerity. Individual chapters have made tremendous efforts to raise capital to support the building or refurbishment of new chapter houses, but I have not seen the same at the national level. I have noticed the growth in an endowment, it isn’t one that is strong enough considering the size of the alumni base that we have.

   Lambda Chi should have an endowment that supports its staff and services necessary for today and tomorrow. Too often we look to short term solutions to solve long term problems. We need to identify what it will take to have a self sustaining fraternity and one that will not look to continue to cut services, but one that will help chapters grow once again. We need national leadership that will push new ideas to the forefront of the greek community, and to once again force other Greeks to take notice of our proud group of men.

   Each man through Lambda Chi has had a life changing experience, and we should be able to go to them and help them secure a future that should never be left in doubt.

4. John Gezelius Says:

   January 3rd, 2006 at 11:18 pm

   Bill, you have a challenge in the months ahead. You must build a ‘get well’ plan for the present, chart a course for the future, work with the GHZ, supervise the staff and ‘herd the cats’ at the undergraduate level. I don’t envy your task, but I am confidant that we could not be in better hands.

   We need to get the financial house in order. Our programming must be developed with an eye towards the undergraduates and what will mekr ethem better students, better men, and better brothers. The relationship between Indianapolis and the undergraduates must be one of cooperation, not confrontation. The visit of the ELC should be viewed as an opportunity to learn and to grow - not hide the stuff beneath the carpet. The GHZ needs to be engaged in the undergraduate experience - that isn’t something that you can do, but perhaps one of them will read this.

   Numbers are down overall for all the Fraternities, not just LXA. But this does seem to be a collegiate generation of joiners. How best to build upon this is a challenge. Lambda Chi Alpha has reacted, and risen, to challenges in the past, and we will do so again.

   Our ship, set with purple, green, and gold sails, has wandered a bit of late. But we have a new crew, captain, and helmsman. We’re gonna do just fine.

5. Joseph R. Sorrentino Says:

   January 4th, 2006 at 10:16 pm

   Bill:
   While I agree with some of the ways to strengthen the Fraternity as a whole in your article, you leave out one important player. The colleges and universities need to be made a part of and educated in the ways our fraternity is a positive force on campus. Unfortunately my chapter at Alfred University,(Kappa-Sigma) was closed and in fact the university closed ALL fraternities and sororities on and off campus. The university was able to convince the community and board members that the Greek system added nothing positive to campus life and was a major contributor to underage drinking and other undesirable behavior.

   The Fraternity as a whole has to reach out to the decision makers at the schools and show them that Lamda Chi Alpha adds a dimension to campus life that helps its members grow in responsibility and helps the community at large. If this is not done then more colleges and universities will find ways to remove fraternities and sororities (The good ones and the bad ones) from their campusesand enrollment will suffer for it. I know, I lived it.

   Your in ZAX,

   Joseph R. Sorrentino, Esq. (1983) KE 1183
   Alfred University

6. Tim McDermott Says:

   January 5th, 2006 at 10:23 am

   I agree with the direction set out in this article. I also agree that colleges and universities must become partners in strengthening fraternities on campus. I do not know what today’s statistics tell us; however, I remember anecdotal evidence that while Greeks comprised only about 10 percent of the undergraduate population when I was an undergraduate, we held approximately 80 percent of the student leadership positions across campus.

   I believe the same is true today. I also believe Greek alumni remain more active in campus affairs than our independent colleagues, although I have no evidence to substantiate this claim. Perhaps the FEA or NIC could conduct some research to verify or refute this theory.

   Finally, I also agree that developing and enhancing chapter alumni organizations should become a strategic focus for Lambda Chi. My strongest affiliation from my undergraduate days is with my chapter, certainly stronger than my affiliation with my either the university or general fraternity. Cultivating my long term relationship with the general fraternity by helping to strengthening our chapter alumni organization will help both the general fraternity and today’s brothers in my chapter.

   Tim McDermott ‘77 Sigma Lambda64
   Virginia Tech

7. Anonymous Says:

   January 7th, 2006 at 1:05 am

   I’m very please to see the acknowledgement of IHQ to the need for changes to occur. It also gratifies me to no end to see that someone has realized that the undergraduates are the top priority as the bear the brundt of the fiscal burden and are the future of our Brotherhood. What disturbs me is the downward spiral I’ve seen over the past few months in terms of “customer service” with our Headquarters.

   I am an undergrad. I am the High Alpha of my chapter. I am a Brother of a younger Chapter and we still have many hills to climb, but I feel that headquarters simply isn’t there to help us get over the hump. I’ve contacted IHQ for something as simple as phone numbers of other chapters, active badges, and had a heck of a time getting what I needed. These are simple tasks, yet cannot be completed as asked. I have Brothers that were initiated in April ‘05 that have yet to receive their Certificates or Membership Cards. If we expect to retain new brothers, shouldn’t we start by treating them as if we care? Granted, this is rather minute, but significant in my book as these men each pay $65 a semester to be a part of this fine Fraternity. We have lots of great people within our ranks that will bring this Fraternity to prestige and great distinction. Our ELCs work hard, they care about this Fraternity, and they are the key to showing the undergrads that the Fraternity is working for them and not the other way around.

   I guess I’m simply seeing more questions, and I have no outlet to get the answers. I’m sure in the coming months answers will become easier to see.

   In ZAX

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