Focusing on Our Future

Focusing on Our Future

A New Model to Build Courageous Leaders

The delegates to the 174th Ekklesia in Washington, DC, faced a weighty legislative agenda in the form of proposed amendments to the Constitution, Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation. At the top of everyone’s mind was the proposal from the Archons to eliminate pledging. Another group of amendments would simplify the process for chapters to discipline members, including, most significantly, giving chapters and their officers the authority to suspend and expel members, authority previously reserved to the Archons and Ekklesia. Beyond these two momentous proposals, there were numerous amendments on fraternity governance and other matters not directly impacting undergraduate chapters. Working through this agenda would require focus and stamina.

While the Ekklesia is an opportunity to celebrate Phi Gamma Delta’s history and traditions, it is, more importantly, a time for undergraduate and graduate leaders to look to the future. In his State of the Fraternity address at the opening business session on Friday, August 12, retiring Archon President Nic Loiacono put the challenge this way: “Successful organizations embrace change as a means of ensuring their sustainability.”

It has been said that the future is built on a knowledge of the past and an honest assessment of the present. In the latter regard, three data points – one internal, the other two environmental – stood out:

• During the previous four years, the Fraternity had disciplined 38 chapters for hazing, closing 16. Efforts to eliminate hazing – focused on education and accountability and stretching back over 60 years – had not been effective enough to attain our goal.

• Male college enrollment had been in decline for a decade, with no expectation that this trend would reverse soon.

• Research had found that 35% of men who consider fraternity membership do not join because of their perception of the typical fraternity experience, led by concerns over hazing.

Schooled in the language of courageous leadership, the delegates recognized that Phi Gamma Delta faced a testing point. They understood the need for a different approach to bring in new members, one which puts a greater emphasis on quality recruitment and reduces the power dynamic inherent in pledging and at the heart of fraternity hazing. As a result, delegates to the 174th Ekklesia - 96% of whom represented undergraduate chapters - voted to eliminate pledging effective July 1, 2024, and to immediately allow chapters to initiate new members without the probationary period known as pledging. By fall 2024, all undergraduate chapters will be required to initiate new members within four days of acceptance of an invitation to join. In the meantime, chapters continuing to use the pledging model must limit their new member education period to four weeks.

Congratulations to Alpha Omicron at Akron for being one of the first 32 Early Adopter chapters!

Phi Gamma Delta becomes the seventh fraternity to eliminate the pledge status and process. Other fraternities are considering similar action or have reduced the period from pledging to initiation significantly in recent years, as have a number of host institutions.

A New Model

In moving away from the pledging model, the Fraternity is not leaving a void. The framework supporting this transition has been in development for almost three years. In early 2020, the Archons adopted a strategic initiative to “find, pilot and deploy innovative ways to become a Phi Gam.” This prompted an evaluation of the methods then used to recruit, assimilate and develop members and consideration of ways to improve those methods. The project included learning from other fraternities that had seen improvements in recruiting, retention and member experiences as a result of changes in recruitment and membership programs.

From this analysis three compelling lessons emerged:

• Although we often talked about “valuesbased” recruiting, existing resources did not adequately prepare chapters to evaluate potential members against the Fraternity’s values. Further, the “rushed” format of recruitment still prevalent on many campuses did not provide the time or setting to get to know a prospect before inviting him to join.

• The pledging, or probationary, model for bringing in members sets up a power dynamic between brothers and pledges that hinders the development of friendships and makes it more difficult to prevent hazing.

• The pledging model, with initiation as the goal and something to be earned through learning facts and checking off a list of tasks, encourages an attitude that the responsibilities of a pledge are greater than those of an initiated member and that member education ends with initiation.

Thoughtful consideration of these lessons drove the development of two new programs:

• The Growth System: A continuous, values-based recruitment system that allows a chapter to make a full and honest evaluation of a prospect before extending an invitation to join. Continuous means that recruitment happens year-round and is not limited to the formal recruitment setting typically organized by an IFC.

• Built to Lead: A multi-year member development framework that begins on day one of affiliation and extends learning about the Fraternity beyond the first six to eight weeks, engaging brothers throughout their undergraduate experience and giving them an edge in career and in life.

These two programs together form a new model for the Fraternity’s work in Building Courageous Leaders and support our transition to a better experience for all our brothers. They complement each other in a holistic approach. Using the Growth System, chapters will recruit men who embrace the values of Phi Gamma Delta and aspire to be courageous leaders who will defend those values at the testing point. Through Built to Lead, we will give brothers the tools for courageous leadership, provide a more fulfilling undergraduate experience, and prepare them for future success.

Smoothing the Path

Recognizing that a change in such longstanding practices can be difficult, the Fraternity and Educational Foundation have committed considerable resources to help chapters successfully implement the new model. This fall, 32 chapters –called Early Adopters – have begun implementation of the Growth System and Built to Lead before the required date and will smooth the path for others to follow. Additional Early Adopters will be added each term through spring 2024, with a goal for at least two-thirds of chapters to be well-positioned for success by July 1, 2024.

Among the resources supporting the Early Adopters will be coaches –staff members or other trained partners – who will work with them to:

• Develop a customized implementation plan

• Collaborate with campus partners and the IFC to navigate campus policies/procedures

• Provide support in execution

• Give and receive feedback to improve

• Familiarize and prepare chapter advisors

Other benefits and resources include scholarship funds to attract and recruit quality men, grants to assist in implementation, travel costs to attend the Fraternity’s recruitment and leadership training and discounts on their insurance assessment.

Perhaps most significant, the Early Adopter option means that chapters do not have to implement this model overnight but can plan their own transitions.

Ensuring Sustainability

With the decline of male college enrollment and a significant portion of college men holding a negative perception of fraternities, Phi Gamma Delta’s future success hinges on providing a hazing-free joining experience and retaining members with meaningful development throughout their college years. To be clear, elimination of pledging is not a silver bullet. However, combined with continuing efforts in education and accountability, it is a significant step to prevent hazing by changing the power dynamic inherent in the pledging/probationary model.

Through the Growth System and Built to Lead, chapters will present a clear alternative to the stereotypes and have honest conversations with potential members about what to expect. David Grady (Mississippi State 1982), a former Archon with over 30 years of experience in higher education, observes, “Overall, this change in how chapters on-board and develop members will contribute to healthier and stronger Phi Gam chapters and provide them a competitive advantage on their campuses.”

As a student affairs administrator, David sees a particular benefit in retention of older members. “Too often, chapters lose upperclass members who no longer see the value in membership, become apathetic and disengage from the chapter,” he says. “Built to Lead will keep members engaged throughout their undergraduate days and enhance their development as courageous leaders.”

The delegates to the 174th Ekklesia completed their weighty legislative agenda, fulfilling their duties with respectful debate, thoughtful consideration and persistence. The gavel drop adjourning the final business session on Saturday afternoon, August 13, was the culmination of months of work by the fraternity staff and volunteer officers drafting complex legislation and educating brothers on the proposals to be considered.

Executive Director Rob Caudill was both gratified and eager to implement the momentous decisions of this Ekklesia. “The amendments approved by this Ekklesia represent a needed adaptation that recognizes the changing world around us,” he said. “They will make Phi Gamma Delta stronger, better aligned with our founding values and better equipped for the future.”

To learn more visit www.phigam.org/StrategicPriorities.

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Membership Related Amendments to Fraternity Laws

• Pledging will be eliminated at all chapters by July 1, 2024. • Chapters may choose to initiate without pledging starting in fall 2022. • Chapters continuing to use the pledging model must limit new member education to four weeks. • When joining without first pledging, new members will be initiated within four days of accepting an invitation to join, or if acceptance occurs prior to an academic term, then within four days after the beginning of the next aca-demic term. • The process for discipline of members is simplified and made less cumbersome. • Chapters and chapter officers now have the authority to suspend or expel members.

The Growth System

Modernizing recruitment to attract and select quality men using a continuous, values-based philosophy.

Guiding Philosophy: Recruitment will be used year-round to make a full and honest evaluation of potential members against fraternity values. Efforts are not limited to the formal recruitment setting typically organized by an IFC. Extending an invitation to join is a declaration of confidence to initiate into the brotherhood.

Recruitment Workshops for Chapters:

• Social Excellence: Developing the soft skills needed to build relationships • Dynamic Recruitment: Developing a plan that includes best practices in education and use of technology • WeValU: Using the Fraternity’s values to evaluate potential members

ChapterBuilder: A customer relations management (CRM) tool designed for fraternity recruitment that helps chapters organize and manage their relationships with prospects, including evaluating and sharing comments among brothers.

Advisor Support: The BCA Recruitment Advisor will support a chapter in its day-to-day recruitment work, including:

• Mentoring and advising the Recruitment Chairman and his committee • Participating in or leading recruitment workshops • Coaching on ChapterBuilder use • Guiding the chapter on using membership selection criteria

Built to Lead

A multi-level development experience for all brothers that begins on day one of affiliation and extends throughout the undergraduate experience, focused on building and strengthening skills necessary for Courageous Leadership and giving brothers an edge in career and life.

Level 1: Foundation of Courage

• Discovering the power of brotherhood in Phi Gamma Delta • Forging bonds with brothers through shared experiences • Acclimating to fraternal life and its responsibilities

Level 2: Putting Courageous Leadership into Practice

• Where the brother spends most of his undergraduate experience • Assuming leadership roles inside and outside the chapter • Using the Courageous Leaders framework in everyday decision-making • Engaging in deeper learning around the Fraternity’s values, ritual and curriculum

Level 3: Looking Ahead

• As they look to graduation, brothers reflect and pass on the knowledge gained during their undergraduate experience and prepare for the next step in their journey • Applying the Courageous Leaders framework to contexts outside the collegiate experience • Sharpening their skills in project management, public speaking and developing mature adult relationships • Learning about the benefits of graduate membership

Level 4: Not for College Days Alone

• Brothers learn to appreciate the lifelong aspect of membership and the opportunities to engage with Phi Gamma Delta in new ways – attending Pig Dinner, participating in a graduate chapter, advising an undergraduate chapter, and much more

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One Chapter's Early Adopter Experience

Mitch Sonnen (Idaho 1986) first learned of the proposal to eliminate pledging in Phi Gamma Delta from the International Headquarters in midMay. As President of the Board of Chapter Advisors for his Mu Iota Chapter, he quickly gathered the BCA for a virtual meeting to discuss how to proceed and involve the undergraduates, who would need to agree to and implement the changes. Fortunately, graduate and undergraduate leaders had a head start. They already had been discussing shortening the pledge period to a few weeks.

As chapter leaders and advisors discussed how to approach what one BCA member called “a huge fundamental change,” undergraduate resistance slowly gave way to acceptance. Chapter leaders realized the advantage of jumping on board as an early adopter, shaping the program to fit their chapter. Andrew Brown (2023) describes the attitude: “We wanted to be able to make our own process, within the International Fraternity’s rules and guidelines. We’re Mu Iota Fijis. There’s always something we can do differently and better.”

Undergraduates and graduates quickly designed a model that worked for them. Later, when the Chapter offered bids to Idaho freshmen, there was an important caveat – this was a bid to become a member, not a pledge. Mu Iota was the first Early Adopter to initiate men using the Phi Gamma Delta Way. The result was a stellar class of 23 ready to contribute immediately. Those freshmen already are serving on chapter committees, including one on Scholarship who does grade checks on his class and two more on Recruitment, as Mu Iota moves to a year-round recruiting model that already is showing results.

“It’s super important that the new brothers are contributing immediately,” Sonnen says. “Before, freshmen didn’t contribute much for a full year. Now they attend meetings, join committees and are full members. That’s a huge win.”

The early assimilation of new members has had another positive effect: the Chapter is a closer unit with fewer class distinctions and cliques.

There have been two other benefits not directly related to the membership process. Mu Iota’s leaders have learned real-life lessons in change management, and undergraduates and graduates have forged a close bond, with a new appreciation for each other after designing a new membership model in a matter of weeks.

What is the critical factor in this story of early success? Opinions may differ, but this observation from Mitch Sonnen makes a case for attitude, “It was impressive to see the thought leadership from the undergrads and their willingness to change.”