DEAR BROTHERS Knight Commander's Message
C. Douglas Simmons III (Beta Tau– Mississippi State ‘95)
“The average chapter GPA this past fall was a 3.025 ... In keeping with our motto Excelsior, we will continue to focus on academic excellence.”
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Kappa Alpha Order is thriving! Today, KA has 118 chapters across the nation. KA is growing and at the close of our successful spring term, we are near our all-time high Active Membership at nearly 7,700 undergraduate members. We are also closing in on 185,000 total initiates in our history. Academically, our chapters continue to excel: the average chapter GPA this past fall was a 3.025 continuing a streak of several semesters at or higher than 3.0, our stated Order-wide goal. In keeping with our motto Excelsior, we will continue to focus on academic excellence. With the support of the Executive Council, I created the Province Realignment Working Group in 2022. Their charge was to review current province boundaries and consider reconstituting provinces to better reflect today’s communication, efficiency of resources, and volunteer allocation. Further, they were to consider historical boundaries, geographic areas and borders, Courts of Honor as well as number of chapters. Additionally, they took into consideration the current model and structure of Officer Training Conferences. Following the working group’s report, on July 29, 2022, the Advisory Council voted to reconstitute several provinces. You may read about these changes on page 72–73. Of note, the two pre-existing provinces in Texas including Mikell Province (northern Texas) and Walsh Province (southern Texas) were reconstituted to one province for the entire state of Texas. Pursuant to the Order’s Constitution, I then named this reconstituted province as the J. Michael Duncan Province in honor of our 38th Knight Commander. This summer, we turn our eyes to the 80th Convention and Brotherhood weekend at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida, August 10–12. We will conduct the business of the Order, celebrate our accomplishments, and continue to aim for excellence. We will also elect and install King V. Aiken, Jr., the current Senior Councilor, as the 42nd Knight Commander. I’m excited to be with the KAs in attendance for my 15th straight Convention! I remain proud to be a KA and I am honored to continue to serve as your Knight Commander. May God Bless the Kappa Alpha Order. Fraternally, Fraternally,
The Kappa Alpha Journal (ISSN #0888-8868, USPS #014-747) is an educational journal published four times a year by Kappa Alpha Order, 115 Liberty Hall Rd., Lexington, Virginia, 24450. Periodicals postage paid at Lexington, Virginia, and additional mailing offices. The Kappa Alpha Journal seeks to reflect the Kappa Alpha experience by presenting news of active and alumni chapters, individual members, and the national organization; by addressing current issues facing the Greek system and the Order; by educating and entertaining those interested in the welfare of Kappa Alpha; and by serving as a historical record. The Kappa Alpha Journal has been published since 1879. From 1883 to 1885 it was known as The Magazine of Kappa Alpha. Kappa Alpha Order was founded in 1865 at Washington College (Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia. Today, Kappa Alpha boasts 118 undergraduate chapters and more than 60 alumni chapters across the nation.
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