AFLV Connections Spring 2008 - Diversity

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----------------------------------------PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP / T.J. SULLIVAN COLLABORATION / VERONICA HUNTER THAT’S SO GREEK! / JESSICA PETTITT

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---------------------------SCOTT ALLEN SCOTT CHEATHAM SAM CENTELLAS BIL LIEPOLD ERIC BEASLEY

the inside starts here.

FEATURES 004 // presidential leadership / t. j. sullivan 006 // cross council collaboration / veronica hunter 008 // that’s so greek! / jessica pettitt 016 // book review: elements of leadership / scott allen 017 // two fraternities. one house. / scott cheatham 018 // term thesaurus / sam centellas

• Custom design [You want your materials to look how you want them to look.

We get that.]

COLUMNS 002 // letter from the executive director 003 // letter from the editor 010 // facilitation 411 / heart transplant 020 // ask the experts 021 // from the road 022 // busted!

024 // the wall

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AND THAT’S JUST THE BEGINNING. Partner with us and you’ll build awareness and increase membership in your organization in a jiffy. And if you need to raise funds or even build your brand, it just happens we specialize in that, too. In fact, we’ve partnered with more than 170 colleges and national organizations to help them accomplish all this and more.

It’s no big deal—it’s just what we do.

Connections is the official publication of the MidAmerican Greek Council Association. The views expressed by contributors, authors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the Association.

MGCA encourages the submission of content to:

You’re always more than welcome to visit us online at www.innovacampusimpact.com

Lea Hanson Director of Publications publications@mgca.org Submit advertising queries to: Mark Koepsell Executive Director mailto:mark@mgca.org 970/372.1174 888/855.8670 info@mgca.org

Connections is published four times each year: Submission Deadlines: Summer 2008: July 14, 2008 Fall 2008: September 15, 2008 Winter 2009: January 12, 2009 Send address corrections to: Mid-American Greek Council Association 3308 Snowbrush Court Fort Collins, CO 80521 970/372.1174 888/855.8670 info@mgca.org Editorial Board Will Foran, Western Illinois University Eileen M. Marin, Virginia Tech

CORRECTION The Winter 2008 issue highlighted Purdue University’s IFC’s PR Workshop and indicated that one of the event’s speakers was Jeanne Norberg, the Director of Publicity for the IFC. Ms Norberg is actually the Director of the Office of University News Service at Purdue University, not an IFC officer.

MGCA // 001

Just the other day I was going through all of the photos that were taken at the joint conference for MGCA and the National Black Greek Leadership Conference (NBGLC). The process seemed to be taking me a very long time, much longer than I expected it might.

It wasn’t because there were so many photos (and there were – over 1000 thanks to Greek Yearbook), but because I was pausing on each one and really looking at it. I was looking at the expressions on the faces, I was looking at what was happening at that magic moment in time when the image got caught on film (or disk as the case may be), and I was looking at the wide variety of individuals represented at our conference.

Letter from the Executive Director

It occurred to me that not that long ago, all of those faces would have looked much different. Not that long ago, the faces in the photos from the annual conference would have been very white with a random African American or Latino here and there. Now, I realize that one could easily argue that there were still a whole lot of white people running around Chicago during our conference, but one can’t ignore the very visible presence of black, brown, and yellow in the middle of all that white.

Many individuals have taken the time to share with me how great they thought the conference was in February. One of the reasons I think it was so great was the magic that occurred by bringing representatives from all councils on a given campus together in one place. I would like to know how many relationships were formed that might not have been formed without that shared experience.

I would like to know how many new initiatives will be started that include representatives from multiple councils because of those relationships. And I would like to know how many positive differences will be made in how many lives because of those initiatives.

The fabric of our lives is changing. In my mind, it is getting richer, deeper, and much more beautiful as a result of a growing diversity in our country. Many individuals argue that the students of today’s generation don’t see color and that socio-economics is the new dividing line in America. I wish I thought that were true. I believe we have a long way to go before color and race don’t matter. On the same note, we have a long way to go before gender, sexual orientation, religion, and socio-economic class don’t matter.

Do we live in a better place than our ancestors did? Perhaps. I’m not sure I’m qualified to speak fully to that. What I do know is that I believe that the more times I can share an experience with somebody different than me, the more I am able to appreciate another point of view. The more times I can be in a place to have a conversation with those of a different perspective, the more I am able to see the world as a place of variety, choice, and grand opportunity.

The more times I reach across the table of brotherhood and extend my hand in friendship to all people, the more fulfilled my life becomes.

I hope that those of you who participated in this year’s conference benefit from having shared an experience that transcends beyond what you might know and be comfortable with in your own councils. I hope that you gained new acquaintances (if not friendships) with individuals who look and think different than you. And I hope that your fraternity and sorority communities can capitalize on your new networks and relationships in a way that will leave them better than you found them.

Interfraternally, Mark P. Koepsell // Executive Director mark@mgca.org 002 // connections // 2008.spring

I am currently reading this book and am here to say that it has most certainly offered me a pretty big paradigm shift. What is a paradigm, you ask? A paradigm is, essentially, a set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that together constitute our own individual ways of viewing reality… the way I view the world is based on the lens I look through, my interpretation of what things mean, and what I choose (or have the ability) to notice or not to notice… Yay for paradigms! Although Quinn’s novel discusses the story of the world and the revolution of human-kind, he offers an excellent definition for diversity that I found to be interesting and quite applicable to my life. In Ishmael, Quinn suggests that humans, sometime since the beginning of evolution, have ruled themselves as being exempt from practicing one communal law: the law of limited competition. Quinn’s work argues that the fact that humans compete with each other for resources (food, money, power) is what makes us inherently different from many other living beings and from our ancestors… and unfortunately is what will eventually be our nemesis.

Letter from the Editor

Raise your hand if you have read the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn!

Follow this dialogue excerpt from the text: “What’s the good of diversity?”

“I don’t know. It’s certainly more….. interesting” “What’s wrong with a global community that consists of nothing but grass, gazelles and lions? Or a global community that consists of nothing but rice and humans?” “… a community like that would be ecologically fragile. It would be highly vulnerable. Any changes at all in existing conditions, and the whole thing would collapse.”

Yes.“Diversity is a survival factor for the community itself. A community of a hundred million species can survive almost anything short of a total global catastrophe. Within that hundred million will be thousands that could survive a global temperature rise of twenty degrees – which would be a lot more devastating than it sounds…

But a community of a hundred species or a thousand species has almost no survival factor at all.” (p. 129-130).

Now, granted our world of fraternity and sorority life is not about temperature rise nor is it about lions and gazelles, but seriously, there are some comparisons here. What IF the fraternity and sorority world consisted only of Delta Gammas and Beta Theta Pis? What if it consisted only of NPC sororities or only NALFO groups?

I think that if this were the case we would be poorly equipped to survive in our various communities. It would be unlikely that fraternal organizations would have survived societal hardships such as the ebbs and flows of higher education enrollment, the civil rights movement… or the 80’s! Let’s face it, if we weren’t diverse, we’d be a lot more vulnerable… therefore, if we weren’t already extinct, we would be soon.

It is the great diversity of the fraternity and sorority experience that keeps our organizations not only alive and thriving but also continually growing and evolving. And, it is limited competition that keeps us all in harmonious check. Sure, the lions eat the gazelles for food, but only when they are hungry… if they ate all of the gazelles just for fun not only would they soon have no food, but they might end up having to eat each other. The same is true in our fraternity and sorority movement. Sure, we might compete against each other for members in recruitment, or try our damnedest to win Greek Week, but if we truly live in a fraternal society of limited competition, not only would no chapter become extinct, we would all grow together.

What being Greek means today is sometimes very different than it meant 50 years ago… but in some ways it is just the same. Our commitment to diversifying our chapters, campuses, and communities has not only allowed us to survive societal hardships, but also to appeal to and include hundreds and thousands of members who would not be included otherwise. However, this is an evolution. I think if Quinn were interested in fraternity and sorority life (and seriously, if he’s not, he should be) he would tell us that although this is well and good, we can’t get too comfortable. All species can face extinction if they do not have the proper food, shelter or they are chased by poachers all day long.

So, although extinction might NOT be on the forefront for many of you, I think there are some who might argue that it IS a reality… what causes our communities to dwindle, chapters to close, and members to die off (sometimes literally, sadly) And, more importantly, what can we do to stop this and turn the train around?

Diversity is the life blood of our communities and without it we could be in grave danger, my friends. So, like the lions and gazelles and the rice and the humans, let’s continue to work together to sustain our wonderful communities.

Reference: Quinn, D. (1992). Ishmael: An adventure of the mind and spirit. New York: Bantam/ Turner Books.

Happy reading to all.

Lea Hanson // Director of Publications publications@mgca.org

MGCA // 003

PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP This is a big year for American politics, and you will surely hear “red” and “blue” candidates talking about how they will make decisions if elected.

Modern conventional thinking is that there are two ways to make decisions while president: the Clinton way, and the Bush way.

President Bill Clinton reportedly based many of his decisions on opinion polls, crafting his agenda to the current mood of the American people. By contrast, George W. Bush claims that his decisions have been based on his firmly held values, and not on the whims of public opinion polls.

With two such vastly contrasting styles of leadership, a voter might be tempted to ask, which is better? As a fraternity or sorority leader, you might be tempted to ask what the hell this has to do with fraternity and sorority leadership? Quite a bit, I’d argue, in the discussion about values-based leadership that’s all the rage in fraternity education these days.

Is it better to lead based on the present mood and opinions of constituents? Or, is it better to guide based on a set of firmly held values, even when doing so flies in the face of popular opinion?

When the questions are asked in the context of national politics, there is a temptation to simply look at approval ratings. According to an NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll taken at the end of his presidency, Bill Clinton registered about a 66-percent approval rating. Clinton never dipped lower than a 56-percent approval rating during his final term. In other polls, he pretty much stayed in the high 50’s to mid 60’s throughout both terms, even during impeachment proceedings.

George W. Bush’s favorability ratings have been a rollercoaster – very high in the year or so after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks when his values seemed to fit the moment, and extremely low since 2005 as casualties mounted and public opinion turned more anti-war. The Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll had him at 39-percent favorability in their December 2007 survey.

If popularity matters to you, then it’s tempting to say that Clinton had it right – that the best way to lead is by evaluating the facts as you find them in the moment, responding according to the needs of your constituents as they exist in the present.

But then why do so many people admire the Bush values-based method, which presumably made them less happy? If the opinion poll guided Clinton method left them more satisfied, then why is it widely criticized?

004 // connections // 2008.spring

Is being popular with your members in a fraternity or sorority an indication of success? Most fraternity and sorority presidents would give a limb to be wildly popular with their members. However, many advisors argue the opposite – that a willingness to be unpopular is the mark of a good chapter or council leader. Years from now, will people admire you more as a fraternity or sorority leader because you pissed everyone off?

For a couple of years now, the majority of Americans have clearly wanted our troops out of Iraq.

Regardless of public opinion, Bush has pushed for deeper involvement and higher troop level, he says based on a conviction that his course of action in Iraq is the right one. He’s not much interested in compromise.

In many ways, George W. Bush is the definition of a “values centered leader.” Whether you like him or not depends largely on whether you share his values. If you do, he’s your guy. If you don’t (like the 61-percent of Americans in the latest polls), you’re not too happy.

much to encourage the diversity that so many of us appreciate and enjoy in today’s organizations.

Teaching “values centered leadership” as the simple answer to our student leaders seems terribly flawed to me. It’s not as easy as reading your ritual, your Constitution or your mission statement and determining the one right option. If leadership were that easy, then the unique problems facing each generation of student leader would be irrelevant. The answers would always be the same.

This is a debate that is fiercely argued in our nation’s legal discussions as well. Some believe that judges – and specifically, the Supreme Court – should base all of their decisions on strict “constructionist” views. If the Founding Fathers didn’t have the “original intent” to put it in the founding document, then it doesn’t exist. Others feel that issues mature over time, and that much of our nation’s needed progress on civil rights, gender equality, privacy, and individual liberties outweigh original intent.

Our nation’s founders didn’t have the context to guide us absolutely on issues such as affirmative action in university admissions, so we are forced to argue, discuss, and find the best course of action. It’s messy, and it’s difficult.

Your organization’s founders didn’t have the context to guide you on the rights and wrongs of Facebook postings by members. So, you are forced to argue, discuss, and find the best course of action. It’s messy, and it’s difficult.

And, that’s leadership.

So recently, when I read that one in four Americans believes Bush is the worst president in our nation’s history (CNN/Opinion Research Corporation), it made me think a bit about how busy we (advisors, volunteers, national organizations) are advocating “values centered leadership” as the ideal for student leaders. Is the Bush model of leadership the ideal one for fraternity and sorority leaders? If the values-centered Bush presidency is one of the least popular in our nation’s history, are we wise to zealously promote values-centered leadership as the best path for our chapter and council officers?

Values-centered leadership has been the buzz in fraternity and sorority education for several years, now. Many of my closest professional friends are among its most strident advocates (wildly ironic since most of these people consider themselves progressive – even liberal – Democrats).

These values-centered leadership advocates say that the answers to any fraternity or sorority student leader’s conundrum can be located in the founding principles of their organizations. “Look to your ritual” has become such a widely accepted maxim that I hear it thrown around in almost every educational breakout I attend. Attend MGCA, UIFI, or your national fraternity event, and you’re bound to hear this spoken as an absolute truth.

The values of your organization should definitely be a guide, a starting place when considering a course of action. Often, your values can help differentiate between two options or begin a substantive discussion among your members.

Can you look to your founding principles and find something that can guide your decision about the brother who’s dealing drugs? Sure you can. The best fraternity or sorority student leader needs to assess those values confidently and take them into consideration as they might relate to a current-day situation.

You have to think about your recent history, your budget and resources, the priorities of your members or campus, and the opportunities for compromise that move a negative reality closer to something positive. I see this every day as student leaders struggle between enforcing their GPA standards and the real fear of losing their chapter houses from financial shortfalls.

Leadership is very complex and somewhat fluid when it is done properly. There are days when you have to settle for a small step forward even when you wish, in your heart, that you could be in perfect congruence with the values of your organization. It’s very difficult to teach this to students getting their first real shots at critical leadership.

Sometimes, the right thing to do is simply the right thing to do, and acting based on your values is easy. You shouldn’t haze; you should uphold the honor and reputation of your group, etc.

More often, you have a choice, and there’s no one who can tell you which choice is the best.

Do you choose an absolute values-based course and potentially fall out of favor with the people you govern, like Bush? Do you make some values compromises, satisfy more people, and settle for moving things a bit more forward than you found them, like Clinton?

G

Sadly, I think it’s become an easy answer.

“Looking to the ritual” doesn’t always work for me.

Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.

For example, a values-centered approach works for me as an argument against hazing. Hazing – and the mistreatment of people, generally – doesn’t fit with our founding rituals in any way. However, many of our fraternities’ founders were anything but tolerant of religious and racial diversity. Looking to the ritual of some organizations doesn’t do

about the author T. J. SULLIVAN is a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, and a founder and CEO of CAMPUSPEAK, the nation’s premier agency providing educational speakers to colleges and universities.

He writes a blog for student leaders at www.tjsullivan.com.

g

Cross Council Collaboration: Tools for a Productive and Successful Fraternal Community

ASK QUESTIONS As previously stated, don’t be ashamed to ask questions about certain things that you don’t understand. Whether it be recruitment or intake processes; hand signs or calls, it is always helpful to be aware of the culture of the groups that you work with. This is a great starting point in attempting to build a relationship that may not initially exist. The statement of “they don’t understand us and we don’t understand them” is no longer a valid excuse of further partnerships.

INVOLVE YOUR ADVISOR Asking your advisor for input with your efforts is not something that should be overlooked. He/she has the appropriate resources to tap into in order to see great change occur. This is another individual who you will want to keep informed of your vision and progress with strategic planning. The oversight that your advisor can offer is a pertinent part of the equation. Just think, he/she is doing these types of things for a living!

SUPPORT Levels of support between councils should extend beyond large community events such as Greek Week. Sponsored events like Unity Weeks, Panhellenic Badge Day, educational workshops, fundraisers and various other activities should be well attended by members of every council.

By no means is one expected to attend a program every hour of the day, but showing a genuine and intentional effort of support is sure to reciprocate itself. Meetings of each respective council should also not be overlooked. These meetings are ideal general information sharing regarding council business and activities and are a great way to stay informed with what each council is doing. A strategy to help facilitate this is to develop liaison positions on each council. These positions will have the responsibility of attending peer council meetings and provide two way communication between governing councils.

REACH OUT TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS You may be able to attend a conference like MGCA or others similar to it once a year. Attendance at these conferences is the prime opportunity to utilize all of your resources at one time. Reach out to your peers at other institutions because many times they may be facing the same issues that you are. There are other times when student groups may have been in your shoes and have found ways to overcome the aforementioned obstacles and are functioning as a collaborative entity at their institutions. Whatever the case may be, peer to peer resource exchanges is a way to get the ball rolling!

OPEN ALL LINES It is important to keep all stakeholders in the community informed. Too often we find that strategies are implemented, ideas are shared and communication occurs without all councils being involved in the conversation, which in some ways may create dissonance among certain groups. In some circumstances, there may be things that are discussed that do not pertain to a particular group. While that may be the case, no one likes to be left out of the loop especially when the decisions being made affect the entire community directly or indirectly.

Veronica Hunter // Lehigh University Take a moment to reflect on this conceptual Greek community: There are 21 NIC fraternities, 10 NPC sororities, 6 NPHC organizations and 3 NALFO groups. The community has four different councils: IFC, PHA, NPHC and MGC. The community has oversight by one Greek Advisor, who is the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and two graduate students. Funding is low for the smaller councils, while the IFC and PHA councils have an abundance of monetary resources. As you walk down Fraternity/Sorority Row, you see beautiful fraternity and sorority houses that you gaze at from afar in admiration. This brief conceptualization is the make up of many of our fraternal communities across college campuses today. As you can see from the brief description given above, these organizations have their own characteristics that make them fairly different from each another. They range from various demographics including history, ethnicity, culture, memberships and many others that are namable. Because of these differences, it is often that one will suffer misunderstandings and disconnect among the leadership, which in return could causes a lack of cooperation among the councils that comprise the fraternal system.

006 // connections // 2008.spring

As one may be faced with these differences in their own fraternal community, some common questions and or themes that arise include: “where do they get all of their money and why don’t we have any?”, “why don’t they show up to events that we sponsor?”, why can’t they participate in Greek week like all of the other chapters, there are so few of them and so many of us and vice versa, and they don’t understand what we do or what we are about. While many of the above stated questions are thought provoking and serve some truth, we must not remain stagnant and let them consume the potential for great productivity in our fraternal community. Take a second and think back on a time when you may have been asking some of these questions. Be it that we usually ask ourselves these questions at the peak of frustration, do we take the time out to think about a possible resolution to the issue?

Do we sit back and really dig deep in thought about the possible answers for inquiring minds to know? If not, here is your chance to do so.

Many fraternity and sorority members on campus really do want to work together, but certain obstacles get in the way.

The biggest and most apparent of these is cultural differences. While cultural barriers do exist, they should not be used or seen as a crutch in forming a relationship with your fraternal counterparts. One should not be afraid to ask those questions that may be seen as embarrassing. Truly understanding each other will only help in attempting to create a more cohesive, productive and influential community. While reading the above stated comment, one may say “Well that is easier said than done”. If that is the case, below you will find a few tools to help you along the way. While this list is not an exhaustive one, it is a start in helping students bridge the gap with council collaboration.

SET A VISION If you want to see your community evolve, it is important to create and set a vision. To reiterate the previous point, all constituents need to be involved. Now, let’s be mindful that this evolution will not happen overnight and quick fix methods should not be the end goal. Setting a vision for your community is not an easy task. Therefore, you will need devoted students to help out with this form of strategic planning, which brings on the next point.

SWAP IDEAS In order to influence those in the community to do the work and make positive change, it is vital that the leadership is sharing the vision with peers. Creating space and opportunity for council leaders set the premise for a groundbreaking fraternal movement will allow those involved to set the tone and have a voice at the table. Change cannot occur with one sole mind. Whether it is a separate meeting created just for executive board members of the council or something more informal, bringing collective minds together is sure to put you ahead of the game.

GAIN PEER BUY IN There is nothing more frustrating than a council with a great idea and affiliate organizations that are not interested in community improvement. This common scenario causes the planning and implementation of any big picture efforts to come to a halt. A vision is completely empty without the minds of the collective body. Utilizing chapter presidents as vehicles of inspiration among their respective chapter members and peers is a great way to get all constituents on board with what you are trying to accomplish as a community. However, let’s not assume that just because the leadership has shared their vision that it is definite everyone will approve of it. Part of getting buy in is also accepting the viewpoints and wishes of those who will be your change agents.

This article is not an end all be all, but is meant to inspire change among student leaders and those who advise them. Collaboration is sought after by student leaders on a regular basis. When you continuously add people to the equation, it has the potential to make things more difficult. The easy thing about collaboration among fraternities and sororities is that you all have similar purposes, values and missions that you all live by. You have the common bond of brotherhood and sisterhood that extends beyond your respective organizations into a community that upholds the “greater Greek good”. Who will step up and take on the challenge? Will it be you?

G

Key Steps to Bridge the Gap: Ask questions.

Support.

Open ALL lines.

Set a vision.

Swap ideas.

Gain peer buy in.

Involve your Advisor.

Reach out to other institutions.

veronica hunter

THAT’S SO GREEK! Jessica Pettitt Campuspeak

Often times, I hear people negatively stereotype the fraternity and sorority community. They use words like “Frat boy” and “Soro Ho” to describe individuals that they assume must be fraternity or sorority members maybe because they are wearing khakis or heels in bad weather. Then there are the really frustrating stereotypes and assumptions like, we buy our friends, have access to all of the tests and papers of alumni so we make the grades and are really dumb; of course Greeks are alcoholics and use a lot of drugs – either to party or to stay thin and pretty; we are also slutty, easy, players, teases, never go to class, throw parties with date rape drugs, - this is just the tip of the iceberg. Although stranger things have happened on a college campus the stereotype exists that these events are characteristics of “group think” or of “Greek Life.”

008 // connections // 2008.spring

Now before anyone gets their letters in a twist, yes, it is hard to hear that we are negatively stereotyped. It may be even harder to see how you may actually contribute to these stereotypes. If someone saying “That’s So Greek!” bothers you as a member of a fraternity or sorority, then why is “That’s So Gay!” seemingly common language on college campuses? Maybe if people who were not fraternity or sorority members knew a little more about actual Greek experiences, they would be able to check their own stereotypes, judgments, assumptions, and behaviors. Maybe if we Greeks understood more about the language used in the LGBT community we could do the same.

In the shadows of a politically correct movement, many are trying to use the most inclusive and supportive language to describe others.

These words are often even created as the political pendulum sways from left to right or steadies in the center, it also changes depending on the community you are in or the company one is surrounded with.

However, it is important to also note that language and language preferences are very individual things determined by personal identity, community membership, and politics. Language also varies by age, gender, class, race and ethnicity, and region of the country. So what are you to do? Recently, I have had a number of conversations about my language choices so I thought I would share with you and then you can decide where to go next.

I use LGBT to name the non-heterosexual community. I sometimes even use ‘gay’ as the umbrella term. What is the difference and who cares? To some, Gay only refers to homosexual white men. This can feel marginalizing to women and bisexuals not to mention the transgendered community, because usually there are strict social constructs set in place as to what it means to be a man or a woman and unfortunately our society often leaves little wiggle room. Then there was GLBT, I mean GLB, actually, GL. The modern gay movement was visible through active white gay men and a few lesbian women (G and L) that bravely signed their real names during early equality protests and marches. To be more inclusive to women and their involvement in the movement (again, I am implementing the same rigid social constructs as to what it means to be a woman), L was placed first and the B added due to the silencing and invisible status of the bisexual community.

T was added much later on to include the trans (transsexual and/or transgendered) population in the movement even though many trans people identify as heterosexual. Both the B and T often find their home in “not the norm” but then are kicked out again from the “norm” in the non-heterosexual community. Queer is a perfect example of a historically negative and derogatory label that has been reclaimed by a significantly younger population of the LGBT population and signifies an inclusive community of non-heterosexual people, but often includes allies as well. Why does this matter? When a population or individual is unfairly labeled, that matters greatly to the individuals who are working very hard to reclaim their own collectively identity.

Why does any of this matter? The fraternity and sorority community is sensitive about language and is also prone to being stereotyped, much like the LGBT community. Therefore, it is important for members of the fraternity and sorority community to lead by example, be mindful of the language they use, and work to understand its potential impact.

What I mean by understanding and tracking language used is simply realizing the words you use and how you use them. Ask yourself: Are you making any assumptions about the person, couple, or population by using that word? Have you ever asked those that you are labeling you are using the correct or preferred word? While it may be uncomfortable, the step of asking the proper language to use can go a long way to building relationships and breaking down barriers. This way you don’t misrepresent someone’s identity, use the wrong pronoun or name, or miss an opportunity to play match maker. When you hit bumps, recognize perfection can’t be attained by everyone or it would cease to be perfect.

For further conversation on your campus, visit JessicaPettitt.com or CampuSpeak.com

This exercise is one that has been used by a variety of folks and trainers. Many of us have used similar exercises when conducting RA selection process, fraternity and sorority retreats, leadership training, or professional staff training. The format of similar exercises has been modified to fit the diversity and social justice concepts.

The exercise is intended to spark conversation between students, facilitator and others in the room. There is no right answer! In short, the exercise should be used as method of uncovering hidden thought processes that may not be apparent in today’s politically correct environment. This exercise can at times be controversial and uneasy.

GOALS OF THE ACTIVITY To have students begin to discover that they make assumptions about folks based on a limited amount of information.

To have students to begin to discover that their decision making process is embedded in their own value systems.

To challenge students’ perspectives, history, and values as it relates to the information they have been taught.

HEARTfacilitation 411 TRANSPLANT

Bil Liepold Campuspeak

DIRECTIONS Please break the larger group into groups that range between 3-10 (any more than 10 folks per group and the exercise tends not to work).

Each group will need to make a decision as a group with the following directions: You will be given a list of seven folks who all need an immediate heart transplant.

Your group will need to figure out who will live and who will die.

Two of the seven patients will be given the heart; the other five will die.

Your group must make the decision on the given facts for each person.

Your group will be given 5 mins. to make the decision.

In the end, please be ready to talk about your group’s decision.

FOLKS IN NEED OF A HEART Asian male, 25 years old, an attorney, recently convicted of a corruption charges.

Non-documented immigrant, age 56, confined to a wheel chair, is a prominent artist.

African-American woman, age 31, four children, single and on welfare.

White female, 14 years old, sex-worked, and addicted to drugs.

Iraqi-American male, age 42, wife and two children, is a teacher.

Native-American woman, age 27, single, no children, computer specialist White, gay man, age 37.

ROLE OF FACILITATOR In short, the role of the facilitator is to listen to the answers and challenge each answer.

This is not to be a combative role, but a role of challenge and support.

Your job as facilitator is to uncover the thought process behind each of group’s responses. Take your time to unearth the feelings, behaviors, values, and expectations behind each person saved.

QUESTIONS THAT ONE CAN USE Where did you learn that information?

Talk to me about the process you and your group used to save the two folks.

How can you be sure that you saved the “right” people?

Why not save the other folks? What were some of the pitfalls for the others on the list?

How has your family influenced your decision with this exercise?

What was the one factor you and your group used to save the folks?

How does this exercise relate to your recruitment process?

G

Facilitation 411 features group activities and highlights of useful curriculum that you can add to your facilitator binder. This is a way for you to get useful samples of curriculum from some of the leading educators and facilitators in our field.

Do this activity this week with your council or chapter, discuss and learn together. Each issue will have a new and useful activity that you can add to your file!

If you would like to contribute feature curriculum, please email publications@mgca.org.

010 // connections // 2008.spring

For more information on this exercise, please call Bil Leipold at 973-353-5221 or via email at bleipold@business.rutgers.edu.

For more information on bringing Bil to your campus, contact CAMPUSPEAK at 303.745.5545.

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David Coleman

• Showcasing at 2008 WRGA • A regular at MGCA and SEPC Major Greek Program: Making Relationships Matter

Marcus Engel

• Showcasing at 2008 WRGA • Showcased 2006 AFA National Conference Most Requested Program: In The Blink Of An Eye

Delatorro McNeal

• Showcasing at 2008 WRGA • Showcased 2006 AFA National Conference Major Greek Program: The 5 P’s of Your Greek Success!

Dr. RonDr. Binder Ron Binder

Lenny Dave Lenny Dave

StephenStephen Gray Gray

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Patti Ramey Patti Ramey

Most Requested Most Requested Programs: Programs: Most Requested Most Requested Programs: Programs: BecomingBecoming a Legendary a Legendary Man Man Living Like Living Mama Like D Mama D LEADethics: LEADethics: The 2008The 2008 Last Call Last Call Solution Solution David Coleman “The Dating Doctor” 11 Time Campus Speaker of the Year!

Matt Glowacki Matt Glowacki

• Former •National Former President National President of AFA and of AFA and • As seen• at AsMGCA seen atand MGCA SEPC and SEPC • Showcased • Showcased 2006 AFA2006 AFA current AFA current Board AFA Member Board Member Most Requested Most Requested Programs: Programs: National Conference National Conference Greek Programs: Greek Programs: But We’veBut Always We’veDone Always It This Done Way! It This Way! Most Requested Most Requested Program:Program: GLBT: It’sGLBT: a Reality!

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Most Requested Most Requested Programs: Programs: The Bad The Bad Bad Apples Bad Apples The FourThe R’s Four to Membership R’s to Membership

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February’s conference was the first time that the MGCA and the NBGLC combined efforts and to say the least, it was quite a success. As you can see, all of these conference participants had a GREAT time in Chicago, we hope you did, too!

These photos and others are available for purchase via GreekYearbook.com

014 // connections // 2008.spring

Two Fraternities. One House.

A Book Review by Scott J. Allen, Ph.D., The Center for Leader Development

Most students who choose to be involved in activities on campus want to do the best they can. They want to be good leaders. “Emotionally Intelligent Leadership” by Marcy LevyShankman and Scott Allen is an exciting new resource to assist students in that process.

“Emotionally Intelligent Leadership” breaks leadership down into digestible concepts. It is not a complicated guide or reference, but is logically arranged and easy to read. The book provides a helpful step-by-step approach to understanding who you are and how you lead. It offers a path to learn about yourself and improve your skills.

Leadership is a learned behavior. For those who want to take an honest look at their abilities, this book is perfect. It serves as a checklist of skills and aptitudes needed to succeed as a leader and shows how those skills interrelate with each other.

The learning process comes from a real examination of personal skills; however, do we understand why we behave in certain ways and how that behavior affects our leadership? In reality, many of us practice these principles, but in a haphazard and inconsistent way. We accomplish things through trial and error, not realizing the relationship between our actions and others’ behavior.

This piece will challenge the traditional way we approach leadership. It will require honest reflection of your personal style of leadership. It allows for individually paced work. The reader can stop at any point and work on a principle without having to rely on the next chapter of the book. The ideas and concepts get progressively more complex which enables a greater understanding of yourself and your abilities.

This book will assist you in taking a fresh look at yourself and your abilities. As you do so, all you need is a willingness to be honest with yourself and a few friends or colleagues you trust to share in your journey. The book will assist you in focusing on skills, examining what might not be working well, and learning ways to improve. This will surely be one of those books on your shelf that is used over and over again.

G

scott@cldmail.com www.centerforleaderdevelopment.com

Phi Kappa Tau and Delta Tau Delta were the two chapters that expressed interest in sharing a fraternity house. Both chapters were newer fraternities to Virginia Tech and had similar numbers. With such a new and untested idea, the brothers of both chapters needed to buy in. The concept of two fraternities sharing one house concerned many of the members for a variety of reasons. Both chapters were concerned with how recruitment, rituals, meetings, socials, and everyday life would coexist with two different groups. There was a strong sense of hesitation; however, when the advantages of obtaining a fraternity house were considered, both chapters decided that the new idea was worth trying for a year.

The Virginia Tech community represents a stereotypical ‘college town’ with a strong relationship between the community residents and the University community. Decisions made for Virginia Tech always affect Blacksburg and vice versa. The issue of fraternity and sorority housing is no exception.

Both fraternities began occupying the house in the fall of 2007. The leadership from both fraternities came together to ensure that we could jointly provide an environment where our fraternities could coexist and e gain an appreciation for each other. The two most important ideas that each fraternity needed to remember were planning and consideration. Planning was important from a logistical standpoint.

There are many different aspects of the fraternity experience and both fraternities had a desire to use the fraternity house in order to enhance that experience as much as possible. Whereas most fraternity houses can be used at a moments notice for any event that arises, in a dualfraternity house, prior planning becomes essential. Both fraternities have weekly meetings, recruitment events, ritual events, service projects, philanthropy events, social events, and brotherhood events. With all of the events that each fraternity held, conflicts were unavoidable, but with the proper planning, the necessary changes could be made to make everyone happy.

Taking Action

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

Three years ago my fraternity lost its house.

We did not lose it for judicial or financial reasons; our lease merely ran up. The fraternity that we had leased the house from for the previous five years, Delta Tau Delta, was ready to come back to our campus. And while the house provided the Delts with a strong foundation for their recolonization, it left my chapter without a house. We were in a difficult situation and were left with many questions about the future of our new chapter. Where would we live? Where would we perform ritual?

How would we recruit? How would we merely congregate? All of these concerns left a pervading feeling of depression on the chapter that would not be solved until this year.

Decades ago, Blacksburg made the decision to eliminate Greek-zoned housing in the town. Any fraternity or sorority houses already in existence were grandfathered in. Since that decision, the number of Greekzoned houses throughout town has decreased. Virginia Tech decided to make the investment in fraternity and sorority housing by building our on-campus fraternity and sorority housing section called Oak Lane. Oak Lane is comprised of 18 residence hall-styled houses that have been built in three phases over the past 15 years. The houses are maintained by the university and a suitestyle living environment, along with a kitchen, study, and great room. Approximately 32 students live in the houses and the great room serves as a meeting and ritual space even for our largest groups.

Can it really work?

Virginia Tech hosts a very large fraternity and sorority community.

Our community supports 65 fraternities and sororities on a campus of 26,000 students. The four different governing councils have chapters of members ranging from four to 120 students. At the time of this predicament of no longer having a house, my chapter represented an average-sized chapter at Virginia Tech with 40 members. No other off-campus fraternity houses were available, and we were not large enough to maintain the membership numbers needed to live in an Oak Lane house. This situation was common for many of our fraternities, and no solution had been found. That was until our Fraternity and Sorority Advisor brought up the original idea of ‘What if two fraternities lived in one Oak Lane house?’… Could it really work?

It is important to make the clarification that a fraternity house does not make a fraternity; brothers make a fraternity. It is possible for fraternities to exist and thrive without having a designated fraternity house, as many of our chapters have proven. Fraternity and sorority life identifies the common tenets of scholarship, service, philanthropy, and sister/ brotherhood as its values. While a house does not improve GPAs, increase volunteer hours, raise more money, or create friendships, it can serve as a tool to support a fraternity in embodying its tenets. This is why the unique idea of sharing a fraternity house was appealing to our chapter.

Consideration became the other important priority for each chapter; we needed to be considerate of each other’s events. Additionally, common courtesies were needed for the living environment as both chapters expected a clean and quiet house. These considerations did require a conscious effort, but were easier given our interfraternal spirit. Both chapters understood the importance of chapter meetings, recruitment, ritual, and other events and through mutual understanding sought to respect each other through consideration.

Our experience with a dual-fraternity house has been a success. That is not to say that the house never had issues. The house is an ongoing process that takes effort from each chapter. Each chapter must continually practice planning and consideration in order to reduce any problems. Any organization that is in a similar housing need should explore the possibility of a dual-fraternity house. Obviously, the situation is not traditional, but as fraternities and sororities see a growing need for housing, untraditional options need to be explored. I am proud to say that our two fraternities have signed a lease with Virginia Tech for the next three years. We have two fraternities and one house. We believe it can work.

G

Scott Cheatham Graduate Assistant, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Virginia Tech Advisor, Epsilon Chi Chapter, Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity

Term Thesar Sam Centellas, Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity

us

Crossing = Initiation Historically linked to the phrase “Crossing the Burning Sands” it signifies the “crossing” from non-member to full member and signifies their initiation into the fraternal organization.

Strict Colors = Pin Placement Cultural Greeks place a strong importance on color and only allow their letters to be displayed in their organizational colors. This is similar to the importance that NIC/NPC Greeks place on the location and occassions at which they wear their active member pin (badge).

Neo = Shiny The Latin term, Neophyte, is sometimes shortened to ‘Neo’ and refers to a member until a new line has crossed after them. Essentially, these are members that have been initiated but are the newest members in the chapter. New initiates, new members, shinnies, or other terms are synonomous on the NIC/NPC side.

Pledge Class = Line Members in a Line are usually numbered with the number one being called the “ace” or “captain” who is essentially the same as a NIC/NPC pledge class president.

018 // connections // 2008.spring

Intake = Recruitment The major difference between these two terms is their different stances on recruitment: NIC/NPC Greeks’ stance is seek and select new members through a formalized recruitment process and Cultural Greeks expect potential new members to seek out chapters.

Call/Chant = Songs Many NIC/NPC groups have songs that are symbolic to them, Cultural Greeks have chants. They are used primarily to identify fellow members in social settings whereas NIC/ NPC groups use their songs for formal events such as initiations and formal events.

Probate/Surfacing = Serenades Many NIC/NPC new member classes go door to door to other Greek chapters and their new members serenade other chapters as a way of introducting their new members to other chapters. Most typical in NPHC groups, a probate is a public presentation of a Line to the public and other Greek organizations.

Dear Experts: It seems like a lot of gay people have been trying to join Greek Life lately. This, to me, seems like a serious problem… what can we do to stop this?

WORKING ACROSS COUNCILS Kelly Jo says: Hmmmm… not sure if you have heard or not, but statistics say that 1 in every 10 people are gay. So, take a look around, people! That means that out of your chapter of 80 members, potentially 8 of your brothers and sisters are gay. Does their sexual orientation make them ANY LESS better members? The last time I checked, sexual orientation has NOTHING to do with the ability to lead and guide our organizations to be better. We need to focus on being good interfraternal members and supporting friends and brothers/ sisters who are struggling with their ‘coming out’ process… versus focusing on NOT being known as the “gay fraternity”.

Kristymarie says: My question is to you would be which of your fraternal values promotes exclusivity, discrimination, homophobia, or any other type of behavior that categorizes people and deems them a “problem”. Sexual orientation has no effect on the integrity and an individual’s belief in and commitment to fraternal values….

I do, however, question your beliefs and commitment to those values.

ask the experts

Sarah says: Reality check! You probably already have someone who is gay in your chapter… no really, you do. Unfortunately, we don’t always foster the environment that we pride ourselves on during recruitment… one that is accepting, welcoming, and embraces differences; therefore not everyone who is gay feels comfortable sharing that information. They are probably scared of a negative reaction… hmmm. Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, trying to get gay people from joining Greek life is discrimination. You know someone who is gay; you yourself have probably even gone through something difficult or embarrassing for you to share. Remember how that felt? Respect others. Embrace differences. Just because you invite someone who is gay into your brotherhood/sisterhood doesn’t mean that they’ll hit on you… they may not even find you attractive… plus, you’re their brother!!

Kristymarie Flores // Sigma Lambda gamma National Sorority, Inc. Kelly Jo Karnes // University of Iowa Robert A Marias // Kettering University Shelley Sutherland // Mid-American Greek Council Association Sarah Williamson // Texas Christian University

Dear Experts: I am a new Chapter President of a chapter that has been hazing for quite some time.

One of my goals this year is to eliminate hazing, which has proven to be quite a feat. For the most part, chapter members don’t want to change and I don’t know what to replace it with… help.

Robert says: Hazing is like a cancer in the Greek community and the best way to get rid of cancer is to CUT IT OUT! If the members don’t want to change, then it may be time to change your members. Cut the deadweight and rebuild your chapter based on the foundation set forth by your founders. Ask your Greek Life Office and Headquarters staff for help. Bottom line: anything worth doing will take time and effort, don’t expect it to be easy but it will be worth it!

Shelley says: Use drastic and all resources available if the hazing is about to take place immediately, but assuming you have a few months to work on the problem, do all or some of the following: Talk to the experts (in confidence, if necessary). Experts include headquarters staff, the Greek Advisor, an attorney, the NPC/NIC/ NALFO/NPHC/NAPA, etc. There is a national hazing resource center, nationally recognized speakers, hazing hotlines, and much more. Explain your problem and start collecting ideas.

Identify others in the chapter who agree that hazing is wrong and form a task force to brainstorm twenty ways to work on the problem.

Be sure each chapter meeting and activity includes messages that discourage negative behavior and thinking and include messages about respect brother/sisterhood, and the values of the organization.

Utilize the members of the chapter that do not support hazing and do some research on positive new member activities and programs done by others. Look at your chapter competition and identify the chapter that gets the most new members and initiates more new members and find out what they are doing. You don’t need to copy them, but learn from their success and do whatever they do… but better.

Identify leaders in the chapter who think hazing is good and put them into situations that force them to become more aware of the problems and opportunities to change. For example, they can attend campus speakers, campus and regional Greek conferences, fraternity/sorority national workshops, watch a video, read a book, etc. There are several websites available that tell the story of someone that has died or been injured as a result of hazing. They include peer comments and feelings and the stories can be quite compelling.

WANT TO BE AN EXPERT?

If you are a professional who has great advice, email publications@mgca.org and let us know that you are interested in being one of our future Experts.

020 // connections // 2008.spring

Dear Experts: The sorority women on my campus always say that they want us to host more social events; they want more creative and fun themes going on, and they constantly saying they want to feel safer at our houses. So, if women are so “values-based” then why do they show up for all of our parties, drink our beer, and then leave when the beer runs out?

Shelley says: The problem is probably a campus wide problem and simply calls for a focus group discussion. Ask the council or Greek Advisor to assist in planning one way or a series of programs that address the problem. Find a strong skillful facilitator and invite selected leaders from all of the chapters to meet in a neutral place to discuss the problem and try to brainstorm some solutions. Prepare ahead of time and ask representatives of each side to present their case. Example questions: Why do the women act this way? Why do the men allow it to happen?

Kristymarie says: Because you allow them to.

Because the type of women that do this are also generally the type that your chapter wants to party with.

The United Council of Fraternities and Sororities (UCFS) is the smallest, newest, and least established council at Virginia Tech…three strikes, right? Well, don’t count the council out just yet. These students are just developing an identity as a council; to expect too much out of them would be setting them up for certain failure and possibly embarrassment. The tenets of faith, culture, and service bind the chapters within this council together but these tenets also encompass all different missions and purposes. To expect UCFS to come together on issues and share values is challenging.

Some of the member groups do not have national organizations to look to for guidance and structure and as typical 18-22 year olds, they also must balance school, work, their fraternity or sorority, and a personal life (if they have the extra time). Let’s be real, to suppose that the UCFS of Virginia Tech with its six small chapters can pull together and build effective and relevant programming like the PHC , IFC or NPHC just does not make sense.

Fast forward to February 16, 2008 as I watched the UCFS pull off the RIOT: Go Hard or Go Home!

UCFS 1st Annual Stroll Show in a large venue on a campus of over 26,000 students. Would you mind passing me a napkin so I can get the egg off my face?

The Stroll Show had an amazing turn out with representation from universities located up and down the east coast. Beyond that, our own Virginia Tech chapters and fraternities and sororities from neighboring states came to stroll to the hottest tracks leaving the audience roaring with ovation. The show featured a nationally recorded all-male a capella group, Juxtaposition, as an intermission treat and concessions were sold at the door for the National Organization of Minority Architects. Each chapter participated and brought something to the table from decorations, colleting money and tickets, hosting, overseeing the judges, to managing the audio visual technicians--every base was covered. It was amazing seeing the frantic eyes of the stroll show committee chair above his smiling face as everything came together.

It was a proud moment as an advisor and yet, eye opening. My expectations of the council that I had been put in a place to advocate for and oversee were much lower than what they should have been. Rather than me pushing my council, my council issued a challenge to me: Go hard or go home. Today, I am a better advisor because my council, lead by a tenacious president in her second term, was determined to band together and do big things. I no longer underestimate their small numbers, I see the value of their diversity and I help them use solid models and best practices drawn from our larger councils to develop their structure. My small council is doing big things!

from the road

this month’s contributor: Eric Beasley / Virginia Tech ebeasley@vt.edu

Best Practices of MGCA Members

On the Road What has your campus done lately that deserves recognition?

Go online to www.mgca.org and submit an overview of a great activity that your council or community has done lately. You could be featured in an upcoming issue.

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10 CU Delta Chi Pledges Arrested After Motel Rooms Damaged

Sorority Closed Over Hazing: University, Ousted Women Differ on Gravity of Allegations

BUSTED. Stupid Things that You Have Done Lately

“A Missouri State University sorority was disbanded for playing drinking games, leaving blindfolded women in a cemetery, and forcing a woman to get an application from a strip club. The national council for Sigma Sigma Sigma yanked its charter, shuttering the local chapter for four years and leaving about 50 members to find a new place to live.”

“Complaints about the chapter surfaced in mid-November after someone reported seeing a woman wearing the sorority’s name being led blindfolded into a house.” The article further states “…, a sophomore member of the sorority, said MSU and the chapter’s national governing board “ruined us” over minor incidents. “We didn’t think at all that we’d be kicked off for anything so petty”.

“We didn’t feel that we had done was that big a deal.” Later in the same article, another member points to the fact that approximately 50 of the 60 new members did not quit the new member process as justification for their actions.

The same member states “It wasn’t like they had to jump off a cliff…It was all in good fun…We didn’t believe it was hazing… No one complained.”

Ladies, please! These responses are, indeed, comical… but in a sad way. Unfortunately, they are alarmingly common when chapters are confronted with hazing allegations. Chapters and routinely respond that the alleged activities were not THAT bad, or that new members did not HAVE to participate.

Let’s just forget about the fact that explicit or implied consent is not part of any accepted hazing definition. New member programs should be designed in a manner that don’t require activities that anyone would want or need to opt out of for any reason. As for these activities not being “that bad”, where is the line of demarcation between “bad” and “not bad”? Seems like these women thought that line fell at “not THAT bad”.

But, most importantly, where do any of these things help any new member be a better member of Sigma Sigma Sigma? How does forcing a woman to pick up an application from an establishment such as gentleman’s club empower her to be a better woman? How does leaving women blindfolded in a cemetery develop trust and respect among the entire sisterhood? The answer is that none of these activities relate to the purpose or mission of any values based organization. They do nothing but create distrust between sisters, make people feel like crap, and propagate a culture that is destructive to not only the image and perception of the fraternal experience, but also the values and mission of each and every fraternity and sorority.

While these situations are difficult, kudos to both Sigma Sigma Sigma and Missouri State University for taking a stand about these behaviors and holding the chapter accountable to the values of the organization and the host institution.

Koehler, S.(2008, January 16). MSU sorority closed over drinking, hazing. Springfield NewsLeader. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from: http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ article?AID=/20080116/NEWS01/801160417/1007/NEWS01

022 // connections // 2008.spring

Pot Case Spurs Closing of Fraternity “Members of the University of Iowa’s Delta Upsilon fraternity must find new lodging after the international fraternity announced it would close the chapter because of an alleged marijuana right in the house… Four Delta Upsilon members were charged in December with drug violations after police raided the fraternity house and found 650 grams of marijuana, cash, packing materials, scales and drug deal ledgers, court records state.” The four members “have each been charged with possession and/or conspiracy to deliver marijuana and failure to affix required tax-stamps to the drugs. Both charges are felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and a $7,500 fine” Seriously! Where can we even start with this? Not only has an 82 year old chapter been disbanded, but four members of the chapter are facing felony drug charges.

While the alleged actions of the four accused members in this case may have been personal decisions with personal consequences, their connection to the fraternity is the responsibility of every chapter member who may have known that something like this was up. Someone had to know that something was up! If, at best, we give the chapter the benefit of the doubt, we can assume that none of the brothers were being supplied by this cache, much less knew about it all…. But, come on, how is it possible to conduct a “marijuana ring” such as this without the knowledge (and acceptance) of the chapter?

It appears to us that no one felt it was their responsibility or duty to put the interests of the fraternity above the interests of the drug selling members. Why would ANYONE choose to protect these men above the fraternity? We think some members would say it was about ‘brotherhood’. This is surely one of the biggest cop-outs ever heard, but, unfortunately, we have all heard this argument before. Is this really what brotherhood has become? Nothing more than having the back of your brother, regardless of the morality or legality of his actions? That’s crap.

True, the chapter probably didn’t know about the alleged proclivities of these four men when they were offered a bid and initiated. The chapter probably couldn’t stop a member from using drugs much less from allegedly selling them. However, the chapter did have the power to stop these men from allegedly storing and selling drugs in the chapter house. If this chapter stood up and took definitive action to eradicate this behavior from the organization, the outcome may have been different. This chapter might have been around for an 83rd year. When the members of this chapter chose to potentially value their brotherhood and loyalty to the four men that threatened their chapter more than they valued their chapter, there was no turning back. Nice one.

Jordan, E. (2008, January 22) Pot case spurs closing of U of I fraternity.

Des Moines Register. Retrieved March 4, 2008 from: http://www.desmoinesregister. com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080122/NEWS02/801220393/0/ENT01

“Boulder’s Delta Chi Fraternity has been placed on suspension after 10 pledges were arrested over the weekend in Estes Park on suspicion of causing up to $10,000 in damage to two Super 8 Motel rooms. Estes Park police were called to the motel about 2:30 am Sunday and found large holes in the walls of two connected rooms, blood and vomit everywhere, destroyed furniture and a coffee pot filled with urine, according to a police report. Officers said that all the University of Colorado students were underage and suspected to have been drinking alcohol.

There were arrested on suspicion of felony criminal mischief and underage drinking...Officers said they collected cell-phone cameras that the suspected vandals used to capture pictures and video of the trashed rooms.”

This is the second issue in a row that Busted has featured significant damage to a hotel room by fraternity men. Coincidentally, both incidents have occurred in the state of Colorado. What is going on in Colorado? Is trashing a hotel room a strange rite of passage for young men, or is someone pumping stupid into the water? Seriously folks, why is this ok?

Later damage estimates list the damage at $20,000.

A quote from the hotel manager that states some of the students have expressed their remorse and that their parents are willing to pay the costs of the damage. Yes, your eyes did not deceive you, some, if not all of the parents are willing to pay for the damage that their sons did to this motel. What’s up with parents? These guys should be grounded! While this Busted goes out to the students involved, unfortunately, their parents must be included in this because of their willingness to pay for the damage.

As for those cell phones that were confiscated by the police, it seems that they may have had some photos of the damage. They are not attached to anyone’s Facebook profile, but instead, they are right next to the mug shots of 9 of these 10 new members. You can find them online without too much effort. We did.

Miller, V. (2008, February 20). Delta Chi could have to re-recruit after arrests.

The Daily Camera. Retrieved March 5, 2008 from: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/ feb/20/starting-over-delta-chi-could-have-to-re-recruit Miller V. (2008, February 19). 10 Delta Chi Pledges Arrested in Estes Park.

Retrieved March 5, 2008 from: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/feb/19/cu-news10-frat-pledges-arrested-in-estes/ (20, February, 2008). Destroyed motel room leads to frat pledges arrest.

Retrieved March 5, 2008 from: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/15342950/detail.html

The goal of Busted! is to call attention to an event, situation, or practice that has actually occurred and utilize it as an experience that others can learn from.

It is commonly said that fraternities and sororities suffer from unfair stereotypes and are undervalued for our true purpose as values-based organizations. Unfortunately, some fraternity and sorority members commonly mock these stereotypes by behaving in ways that only solidify them in the minds of others. Busted! aims to confront these stupid decisions via direct confrontation.

Actions such as these do nothing but reinforce the negative stereotypes of today’s fraternities and sororities.

Embarrassed? Then knock it off.

.............

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UNIVERSITY ORGANIZATION

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