UT (Tennessee) report: Put directors in frat houses

After the notorious "butt-chugging" incident made the UT fraternity system fodder for the late-night comedians, the university put together a task force to find ways to improve. They released their report a few days ago.

One "solution" sounds like mandating "Housemothers/fathers" or RAs for the fraternity houses. I wonder how that would work? Having a "political officer" who reports to the administration leaves a bad taste in my mouth. However, the idea of posting academic performance and ranking online, plus philanthropy activity AND chapter violations may have some merit. A time honored management principle is "you get what you measure". Keeping track of those types of metrics, and perhaps using them as a basis for a prestigious award, could be a powerful incentive. We all know how well that works for intramural sports and Homecoming activities.
What do you think? Is this a workable plan? here is a link to the University of Tennessee press release - you can get to the full report from there.

UT report: Put directors in frat houses | timesfreepress.com:

KNOXVILLE — A committee at the University of Tennessee has proposed remedies for rowdiness that made the campus the subject of late-night TV comedy.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported the committee’s recommendations include full-time directors living in fraternity houses, amnesty for drunken students and their friends when seeking medical help and the online posting of sanctions against fraternities and sororities.

“Alcohol, for this age group, is and will continue to be our biggest issue. It is the root of most of our crimes,” said UT Police Chief Troy Lane. “There obviously was an issue that made us all kind of decide enough is enough. But we’re really not dealing with anything that any other college isn't dealing with.”

The 11-page report released Thursday comes nearly six months after a Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity member was brought to UT Hospital dangerously drunk. Police reports blamed the incident on a wine enema, which garnered national attention. That chapter and, later, the Phi Gamma Delta chapter have shut down at UT.

The 25-member task force was formed to find solutions to poor behavior among fraternities. Members include the UT police chief, students, alumni, faculty and staff. The chairman is local attorney Thomas Hale. The group met about every other week to form its recommendations.

The group found that 14 fraternities were sanctioned 30 times in the last five years, tallying 68 violations that include alcohol abuse, physical abuse, hazing and nudity.

Some of the task force recommendations are immediately moving forward, including expanding the university’s Greek recognition system. In addition to online listing of fraternities’ and sororities’ cumulative grade point averages and philanthropy work, the information will now include chapter violations.

Jeff Cathey, associate dean of students, said the university expects at least some fraternities to move quickly to add live-in advisers.

Also among the task force recommendations is the adoption of new educational programs for fraternities and sororities on hazing, managing risk, substance abuse and the code of conduct. The group also wants to review how effective and consistent campus rule enforcement is.

'via Blog this'

Translation: "They're organized. We aren't. Boo-Hoo"

How the Greeks Killed Democracy - Opinion - Daily Campus - Southern Methodist University: "America prides itself in being one of the oldest democracies in the world-- by the people and for the people. But modern politics has deviated from Aristotle’s original mean. The leaders of our country are not the common man.

Oil tycoons, business heirs, and stock investors dictate the political culture and public policy of our nation. The New York Times found nearly half of Congressmen are millionaires, with a median net worth of $913,000. Congress is made of an established and rising aristocracy.

SMU proves no different.

For the past two years, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon has controlled Student Senate. As current President Austin Prentice steps down from his post next year, unopposed candidate Alex Mace plans replace him. Mace is a member of SigEp too.

Sig Ep is just one of the many Interfraternity Council chapters on campus. The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life reports active IFC member costs can range from $1200 to $2450 per semester.  In short, Greek students have some money.
...
Forty-one percent of the student population at SMU is in a fraternity or sorority. Sixty percent of the candidates running for Student Senate are Greek.  While the numbers may not be identical, they match an overwhelming theme of Greek rule.
Greek order has killed democracy at SMU. The ruling order is an aristocracy branded by arrows, keys, dragons and crescent moons.  Tight race or not, it is a safe bet to assume Greeks will dominate the Student Senate executive board."
'via Blog this'

KA Sues Former Chapter for House et al.

Local Kappa Alpha sued by national chapter for house, possessions

The national Kappa Alpha fraternity organization filed a lawsuit against its former UT chapter, claiming the group owes the national organization hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets.

The lawsuit alleges the UT group hired exotic dancers that performed live sexual acts for recruitment purposes and hazed pledge members. When the national organization suspended the UT chapter for the incident in June, the UT chapter disassociated and formed Texas Omicron, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit demands the return of delinquent dues, real estate at 2515 Leon St., kitchen appliances, artwork and other property the national chapter alleges belongs to the Kappa Alpha organization.

Attorney Robert Alden is an alumnus and board member of UT Texas Omicron. He said he believes the lawsuit is just a way for Kappa Alpha to embarrass Texas Omicron because it is the only chapter to ever leave the national organization.

“The lawsuit is full of inflammatory language intended to generate bad publicity for the chapter,” Alden said. “They are completely irrelevant for the merits of the legal claims they’ve made and are inappropriate to even be in a pleading.”

But Kappa Alpha said in a Tuesday press release that its former Texas chapter violated the fraternity’s law when it decided to form a “rogue, independent chapter” while holding $200,000 of possessions the national organization says belong to them.

“Kappa Alpha law expressly forbids this action,” the organization’s press release said. “Regrettably, the national organization will have little choice but to seek the expulsion of each individual, undergraduate or alumnus involved in this effort.”

Alden said the national Kappa Alpha organization filed the suit after the alumni board and active UT chapter decided to leave the Kappa Alpha organization when the national office made allegations of fraternity misconduct in May. The national Kappa Alpha organization punished the chapter by threatening to seize its fraternity house.

Dean of Students Soncia Reagins-Lilly said the University will conduct its own investigation into the allegations of the lawsuit. The University had already been working with Kappa Alpha national and local representatives since 2004, when the fraternity was suspended because of hazing, when new hazing allegations arose in 2011, a statement released Tuesday said.

“We take allegations like this extremely seriously and will not tolerate hazing of any sort in our student organizations,” Reagins-Lilly said in a statement issued by her office. “We began investigating immediately. The lawsuit lays out additional allegations that we will also look into.”

Alden said alumni conducted their own investigation into allegations of hazing and sexual misconduct.

“The alumni advisers for the chapter investigated these allegations and we have not found any evidence of hazing,” Alden said. “As for the sex show, there’s a lady with her sidekick who comes around to all the fraternities and offers her services. Omicron wasn’t the only one. She does this nationally.”

Alden said the UT chapter enacted its own disciplinary measures that it believed were more appropriate than national Kappa Alpha’s more severe terms.

“It’s not acceptable behavior,” Alden said. “We’ve taken corrective action, and that kind of thing will never happen again.”

© 2011 Texas
Student Media

You Can't SAY That Here!

Has this ever happened at your chapter? Or do you just not mention any possibly suspect activities to those who might take exception?

Last Wednesday I went to our local chapter's monthly AVC meeting, where I sit as VP. During the Chapter President's report he mentioned a social activity with a sorority scheduled for later in the semester. When he told us what type of event they were planning there was a collective gasp, followed by a chorus of "You can't say that!", "Call it something else!", and "Don't even breath that word in the direction of HQ!" from the alums, all of whom are familiar with the way-things-work-in-Richmond. Take note - no one suggested that the event itself was in any way out of line. We know these men and we know what they are planning is going to be fun and harmless. But the name itself has a toxic reputation. The chapter president agreed and immediately came up with another title (as opposed to another event).

We then moved on to the next items: Plans for the upcoming CLA officer training conference and reminders that applications for the RUCK Leadership Institute are due soon. Irony much?

There are two things wrong with this picture, in my view. 1) We (alumni volunteers; HQ staff) seem to have become so politically sensitive to some activities because they have been misused in the past that we cannot even entertain the idea (publicly) of doing them correctly now. 2) We are counseling our undergraduate members, who are looking to us to be mentors and to build them into leaders, that it is OK to lie about our actions. Maybe you could call it a nudge-nudge, wink-wink, but it is disingenuous prevarication nonetheless.

The more I thought about the message we sent to the undergrads the more uncomfortable I got. So here I am, talking about it. If the event concept is so bad it cannot be mentioned shouldn't we have counseled the undergrads to do something else? If the event is harmless shouldn't we have warned them that the event could be misunderstood so they need to be ready to defend their actions?

One should propose solutions, not just whine about problems. Here is what I propose - Alumni volunteers and staff: Make judgements on actions, not the words surrounding them. Be prepared to give the guidance that is needed (if possibly unwelcome) and to explain why you feel so strongly.  Undergraduates: Speak honestly about plans and intentions and be prepared to explain your actions in detail if questioned. Ask for better reasons than "HQ says no." Am I idealistic? Probably. But better that than a liar.

Oh, the activity? A Scavenger Hunt. For the entire chapter. With a sorority. Nothing of an illegal, coercive, or underhanded nature intended. No stop signs, dead animals, or compromised pledges on the list.

Now, I expect to get a call from the Chapter Pres., AVC Pres., RD, or maybe even HQ about how I should not have said anything. There may be references to "dirty laundry". Be that as it may, I want the conversation to continue here as well.

Thanks to XKCD.com for the pic

Education Foundation head Garry Kief announces changes

The following is from Foundation Trustee Garry Kief. 
*****

March, 2009

Brothers,

Several days ago I mentioned to one of the young SigEps that I work with…”when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

I thought I was being inspirational and expected a weepy response.  Instead, he gagged and we both started to laugh.

Truth be known… as corny as it sounds… the tough really do get going in times of stress, fear, and uncertainty.

In a recent planning session regarding the Fraternity’s Strategic Plan….we discussed the possibility of expanding “Sound Mind, Sound Body.’   Sadly, my suggestion for “Sound Mind, Sound Body, Balls of Steel” didn’t get too far.

But the sentiment remains.

It takes all of those to face the challenges facing us all… be that at work, at home, with personal finances, or in honoring our commitments to give back to a Fraternity that has given us so much.

In these tough times, it’s not uncommon to see others “duck and cover”….and fade away.

That’s not your Fraternity… and not your Foundation.

One amongst us has especially accepted now as the time to come to the plate and “get going.”  He’s accepted the calling to be President of the Foundation…and to lead us through the financial turmoil that is hitting us all. It would have been easy to say “not now;” instead he said “when do I start?”  Just like he did 20 years ago when he was asked to revolutionize the auto industry as a pioneering leader at Saturn.

After a little over eight years in this position….I’m proud to announce that Don Hudler has been elected as the new President of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation.

Along with Don, we have elected a new slate of officers, new Trustees, and new Life Trustees….all of which follows.

As for me….I’m looking forward to serving as Vice President of Program Development….where I can kick start consideration of some of our new ideas and programs…much like the Foundation did with EDGE, RLCs, and the Tragos Quest to Greece.

It should be an interesting year.

Working with all of you will make it even more so.

Just remember….SM/SB/BOS.

Garry

See Garry's full letter and the new makeup of the Foundation Board.

(I think we may have a winner of a new slogan, too.)

30,000 AKA's March on Washington

Thousands Join in Sorority March to the Capitol
By Sindya N. Bhanoo and Keith L. Alexander
Washington Post Staff Writers

Pennsylvania Avenue was a sea of bright pink and green this morning as more than 30,000 people, most of them women of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, marched to the Capitol steps to call attention to the need for education, health care and employment.

The march was part of the sorority's week-long centennial, which the women have been celebrating in Washington since Sunday. AKA is the nation's oldest African American sorority, founded on the campus of Howard University.

As a sign of unity, the march featured members of other predominately black fraternities and sororities, each donning their own groups' colors. The other associations were Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Zeta Phi Beta, Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Gamma Rho and Iota Phi Theta.

Many of the participants said the march was one of the largest gatherings of black sororities and fraternities they had attended.

"Often when we join these groups, it's competitive, but here when we come together, it's a reminder of why we got started in the first place, to help our communities and for academic excellence," said Linda Jaha, 50, an AKA from Oklahoma City. Jaha was joined by her husband, Thomas, 50, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi.

It took marchers about a half-hour to travel from the National Council of Negro Women's headquarters at Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW to the Capitol.

As the marchers made their way down Pennsylvania Avenue, workers in buildings along the route waved and cheered them on. Some of the workers as a tribute waved their pinky fingers, one of the AKA's symbolic gestures.

As the temperature climbed to the mid-90s, the heat became a major factor. Many of the women wore AKA-emblazoned sun visors and carried umbrellas to fend off the sun. At least four women were stretched out on the Capitol lawn receiving medical attention for heat exhaustion. Organizers handed out bottles of water and set up a spritzing tent.

"Yeah, it's hot, but it's worth it," said Lillian D. Wright, 51, an AKA from Pittsburgh who was attending with her daughter, also a member. "We'll never see this again in our life."

At the Capitol, the marchers listened to speeches from members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and several representatives who are AKAs: Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Tex.) and Diane Watson (D-Calif.).

© 2008 The Washington Post Company.

New Board Member Announced

In a statement to be released later today, Sigma Phi Epsilon Grand President Steve Shanklin will announce the vacant position on the National Board of Directors will be filled by Archer Yeatts, Past Grand President and holder of the Order of the Golden Heart.

"In a special meeting of the Sigma Phi Epsilon National Board of Directors on June 24, 2008, Past Grand President and Order of the Golden Heart Archer L. Yeatts, III, was chosen to fill a vacant position on the Board until the Grand Chapter Conclave in August, 2009. In accordance with the National Bylaws, this appointment is on an interim basis until the meeting of the 51st Grand Chapter Conclave in Orlando next year. At that time, the unexpired portion of the vacated term will be filled by a brother chosen in the ordinary course of the Conclave election process by the undergraduate delegates.

Brother Yeatts’ term of service will begin immediately upon taking the Oath of Office as provided for all elected members to national office in Sigma Phi Epsilon. We are most grateful to Archie for his acceptance of the Fraternity’s call to service and extend our heartiest congratulations on his selection."

The vacant position was due to the resignation earlier this year of Brent Bentrim, who had been elected to the NBD at the 2007 Conclave in Atlanta GA.

Not with a bang....

So, now we see what HQ has to say. Not much.

It is really amazing what you can find if you know where to look and who to ask. This did not come directly from a staffer, but I am confident of its authenticity:

---

Subject: Re: Bentrim Resignation

All Staff:

Brother Brent Bentrim has resigned from the National Board of Directors and resigned his membership in Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. This is an unfortunate ending to his long involvement in the Fraternity, apparently resulting from personal differences with members of the Fraternity's leadership.

The Bylaws state that the board shall elect a member to serve in an interim basis until the next Conclave, at which the Grand Chapter will elect a member to serve the remaining four years of Brent's term.

Sigma Phi Epsilon has long benefited from strong leadership on a clear mission to continue enhancing the relevance of the American college fraternity as a valued partner in higher education. We have an awful lot of work to do. We carry on.

Please make appropriate changes to membership and Board rosters and distribution lists.

Craig.

As much fun as it has been the last few days to wallow in scandal and speculate on who did what to whom, the facts remain stubbornly resistant to change.

Challenge the status quo and you threaten those whose "quo" is the "status." When threatened, the first response is to defend turf. Leaders are those who can inspire others to overcome their tendency to stay put, not those who insist that "not invented here (by me)" is a valid criticism.

From an undisclosed location, I am Diogenes, and I approved this message.

Breaking News - NBD Resignation

We have received word that a member of the SigEp National Board of Directors has resigned.

Brent Bentrim sent his resignation in an email to the board members last Thursday in which he cited his differences with certain policies. The strongly worded email, called "the Buzzard letter" because of certain references, ended with his statement of resignation from the Board. A source who requested to remain anonymous but is acquainted with the facts has confirmed that the board is in the process of accepting the resignation.

Bentrim (College of Charleston '94), was elected to the Board just last year at the Atlanta Conclave.

Our source also confirmed that the process of replacing Bentrim will take place "by the letter" as provided for in the bylaws. Details of the process of acceptance and replacement were not provided because of "possible legal action."

Additional questions about the termination of a key HQ staffer were answered with a comment that the contract runs until later this year and the executive council will make a recommendation to the full board regarding its renewal.

Bentrim's information has already been removed from the fraternity website.

---

Editor's Comment: Because of the sensitive nature of the comments in "the Buzzard letter" we have made a decision not to publish it. In our opinion to do so would not be in the best interests of the Fraternity.

Stay tuned...

We don't normally do "teasers" at S&P, but we got some information yesterday that could be very significant relating to the Fraternity leadership.

For the moment, all we can say is that there may be "gaps" (note plural) soon in some of the senior level positions, both voluntary and otherwise(ambiguity intended).

As soon as we can get solid confirmation pro or con we'll post it here.

ASU threatens to use Eminent Domanin on Frat Row

Arizona State U. officials have warned fraternities on Alpha Drive that the school could invoke eminent domain to demolish fraternity housing unless there is a negotiated settlement... to demolish the fraternity houses. Apparently this is the modern day equivalent of "negotiating in good faith."

I guess they have a "Manifest Destiny"

The University is "prepared to aggressively work toward a negotiated agreement" to demolish and rebuild Alpha Drive, said Carol Campbell, ASU chief financial officer, in a Nov. 12 letter to Alpha Drive representatives and University officials.

"It was obvious what she was threatening," said Jeff Abraham, a spokesperson for the Alpha Drive property owners. "It is certainly our hope that we don't get to a point where eminent domain is required, but it is something the University will keep in its back pocket."

Eminent domain is a term that describes the state's power to appropriate property to be used by the public.

ASU has the power of eminent domain with approval of the Arizona Board of Regents — who govern the state universities — and for educational or university purposes, Campbell said.

"I'm not saying we'd exercise (eminent domain) in this case," Campbell said. "We have used it in other instances to assemble land that was needed."
[...]
The Nov. 12 letter was the first time ASU officially stated that the project would replace the fraternity houses with residential properties under control of ASU, Abraham said.
[...]
The San Diego-based Pierce Company was originally chosen by the fraternity property holders to develop new fraternity housing after Alpha Drive was demolished, but another developer, American Campus Communities, would be the sole developer of any student housing, Campbell said in the letter.

"This comes as a shock," said Andrew Burns, the treasurer for the alumni board of Sigma Phi Epsilon and a 2001 ASU graduate.

Burns said he only could speak for Sigma Phi Epsilon, and not the other fraternities.

"ASU, to sum it up, is saying 'we are essentially going to redevelop that land, and we're going to redevelop that land with ASU, you can either give it up, or have a little bit of input,'" he added. "We understand (Alpha Drive) is run down, we understand the crime rate is high.

"We want to protect the Greek system."

ASU Web Devil - Eminent domain could be used on Alpha Drive

Usual and Customary Politics

I and I am sure everyone else was glad that the National Board of Directors and the elusive -  membership unknown - and double-secret OGH Nominations Committee saw fit to suspend the rules unilaterally established by a previous NBD and present Brother Archie Yeatts with the much deserved Order of the Golden Heart at the end of his term as Grand President. Probably few undergraduates really do appreciate the years and years of service Brother Yeatts provided to the Fraternity prior to his tenure on the NBD and subsequent election to GP. Congratulations, Archie, and let's hope that such silly rules established by a scorned board member(s) don't repeat themselves in the future.

So, now that I have your attention, perhaps a little history lesson and one clear resounding example will give you a peek behind the curtain of mystery in our Fraternity's body politic.

As far back as I can remember (over 15 Conclaves), it was always customary to present the outgoing Grand President the Order of the Golden Heart Award (if he didn’t already have one). It is much deserved as anyone who has diligently served a term or two on the National Board and then a two year run as Grand President has devoted a considerable amount of concentrated volunteer time to the Fraternity. That is up until the 1989 Conclave when a dark horse candidate trumped the heir-apparent in his campaign for Grand President. This, of course, sent shock waves through the "good ole boy" politics much more than most will admit. Once the "dark horse's" reign was completed in 1991, there was retribution to be delivered. The first move was to enact an emergency resolution to immediately go into effect with the 1991 Conclave that the Grand President would no longer be given the OGH at the end of his term. It then became “tradition” that the Past GP would receive his OGH at the next Conclave. In 2005, this was suspended for appropriate reason and, in this writer's opinion, was appropriate again in 2007. However, retribution continued for our 1989 Dark Horse GP who should have, according to the new rule, received his in 1993 .... He did not receive his OGH in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, but finally did in 2001. Guess it would have looked bad for the Fraternity if a living Past Grand President didn't have an OGH by the Centennial. 

It is interesting to also note the Heir Apparent that the Dark Horse upset was closely tied to the OGH Nomination Committee (while the constitution of this committee is possibly the best kept secret in the Fraternity, this author knows for an absolute fact, that the Heir Apparent served and may still be serving on the OGH Nomination Committee).

This author feels very strongly that we should go back to the earlier precedent of giving the outgoing GP his OGH. It just makes sense.

The other lesson here is that when you begin to upset the body politic there are penalties to be paid. It would be interesting to see what other clandestine, double-secret activities might be discovered if one lifts the curtain higher and lets the light of day in. Does the old boy politics still extend to alumni nominations process? That will be an insider story in the next installment of Usual and Customary.

Great indeed is the mystery of the Fraternity (politics, that is).