Knight Commander's Message
“The forebearing use of power does not only form a touchstone, but the manner in which an individual enjoys certain advantages over others is the test of a true gentleman.” – Definition of a Gentlemen
Dear Brothers, Each fall, thousands of KA brothers return to their campuses and to their academic, fraternal, and social pursuits. These are exciting times for Active Members. I believe that each KA brother plays a key role in affecting the future of our Order. In no area of operations is your role more important than in risk management, which is my third objective as Knight Commander. As an Active Member it falls to you to enforce and comply with the Order’s Risk Management Policy at the chapter level. While the policy may often seem designed to limit a chapter’s ability to socialize, its actual aim is safety and the healthy growth of each member. You must make values-based decisions in regard to risk management. Hazing is defined but not limited to those actions described in the Order’s Risk Management Policy. Simply stated, that means you cannot ever haze! We are threatened everywhere we turn by the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs, which often result in hazing. Increased availability and temptation to participate enable poor choices. These are huge issues for the Kappa Alpha Order and for colleges and universities. Hazing remains one of the most serious threats to the Order. Hazing is not only strictly forbidden, it is against state law, our values, and the customs of the Order. You must conduct yourselves as gentlemen at all times. Remember Lee’s words in the Definition of a Gentlemen, “the forebearing use of power does not only form a touchstone, but the manner in which an individual enjoys certain advantages over others is the test of a true gentleman.” Your adherence to the risk management policy, or your lack thereof, can have a profound impact on your life, on your chapter, and on the Order as a whole. It is not an exaggeration to say that in the recent past, a lack of enforcement of the policy has led to incidents where brothers, ladies and other guests were injured, where ladies were assaulted and where members have lost their lives. These incidents are traumatic. I ask you to consider how you would feel if a decision you made or didn’t make cost the life of one of your brothers or someone else. It has happened, and most regrettably, it will happen again. Do what you can to keep it from happening on your watch. I am confident that every brother is up to the task. Please be mindful of our ritual, our values, and our future. Have a great year! Fraternally,
William E. Dreyer Knight Commander
Fall/Winter 2012
2
The Kappa Alpha Journal
EDITOR Jesse S. Lyons Creative Design Tria Designs Inc. CONTRIBUTORS Jay Langhammer, Kent McMichael, Rick Moore, Erik T. Showalter. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Knight Commander William E. Dreyer Senior Councilor Darren S. Kay Councilors King V. Aiken, Jr., L. Blair Bailey, David P. Barksdale, Sam O. Leake, Jr., C. Douglas Simmons, III National Undergraduate Chairman W. Anderson Wasden KA/KAOEF Executive Director Larry Stanton Wiese
HOW TO CONTACT THE JOURNAL Editor, The Kappa Alpha Journal P.O. Box 1865 Lexington, VA 24450 (540) 463-1865 (540) 463-2140 - fax email: jlyons@ka-order.org TO CHANGE AN ADDRESS Fill out Alumnus Update on the website or send both your new and old address to Lisa Metivier at the above mailing address or to: lmetivier@ka-order.org