DELTA CHI

BRIEF
The purpose of the pre-initiation activities is to thoroughly prepare the soon-to-be-brothers mentally, spiritually, and emotionally for the fullest understanding of, and appreciation for, undergraduate and alumni membership in Delta Chi, but that is only part of it. The preinitiation period is a time during which all men who make up the chapter - members, associates, and alumni - examine this special experience we call brotherhood. It is a time to explain brotherhood, to define it, to interpret it. Most importantly, it is time to demonstrate and to celebrate the brotherhood of Delta Chi. The pre-initiation period is a special time. The associate member program has been completed. The associates have prepared themselves by their having put six or more weeks into your associate member program. They have demonstrated their desire to become members by completing the education that taught each man about Delta Chi and how to operate the chapter. Any concept of a test is complete. All associates have made it; they are no longer associates, but rather soonto-be-brothers. (The term associates should still be used for simplicitys sake, but their change in status and the current brothers change in attitude towards the associates should be demonstrated.) Because the preinitiation period is largely a preparation to be received into the Bond, ONLY THOSE ASSOCIATES WHO WILL BE INITIATED SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS PERIOD. Pre-initiation is a time when the entire chaptermembers, associates, and alumnireexamines what we are, what we each have learned, and builds on the ideals that make initiation into Delta Chi a significant experience. There is no better time for a chapter to demonstrate its sensitivity to the personal development of all its members and associates than during this period. To be effective, this must involve members working, learning, talking, and sharing with the associates in an intensely positive way. Therefore, most of the events should be designed for participation by members and associates alike. Each associate must understand that initiation is a serious step; that it is the assumption of the greater, more demanding obligations and duties of a member. Each should understand that Delta Chi membership is not merely a college-time commitment, but is a commitment for life. Each associate should also understand that the lifelong benefits of membership in Delta Chi are immeasurable; how can one measure the value of a lifetime of intense friendship that is called brotherhood? Finally, the pre-initiation period should be designed to help members and associates believe that membership means something. Pre-initiation, in combination with the Ritual, should be the most cherished series of activities your chapter does all year long. A pre-initiation period that truly celebrates brotherhood and demonstrates that membership in Delta Chi is indeed something special is a mark of a great chapter. This period can re-affirm or totally reshape the attitudes of the soon-to-be-brothers towards fraternity and what it means to be a Delta Chi. Its in your hands.
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Pre-Initiation Pre-Initiation

SECTION I: PLANNING GUIDELINES

Holding an inspirational pre-initiation period takes a great deal of planning. When putting together your chapters pre-initiation events, keep the following things in mind: WHEN TO HOLD YOUR PRE-INITIATION PERIOD Check with members and associates before deciding when to hold the pre-initiation period. If the members/ associates are going to be bogged down with tests and/or time-consuming assignments, schedule pre-initiation for another time. The number one reason for being at school is to get an education; the fraternity should be complimentary to that goal. If members and associates have class work due, they will be worried about getting their assignments finished or studying for tests. If you pay attention to your members/associates schedules, they will reward you with a high level of participation. QUESTIONS TO ASK When planning what to include in the pre-initiation program, ask yourself the following questions: 1. How will this activity enhance brotherhood and chapter unity? 2. What will this activity teach the associates and members that will be useful later? 3. How will this activity enhance the meaning of becoming a full member? 4. Will this activity help members reaffirm that Delta Chi membership has significance in their lives? (Does it show them that membership is in fact something special?) 5. Is this activity something I would be willing to have parents view? ALLOW FOR STUDY TIME: 1. Be sure to tell members and associates when pre-initiation will begin at least two weeks prior so that the men may get ahead in all classes. If your chapter has required study hours, increase the amount of time the men must study to help them get ahead. 2. If your pre-initiation period includes weekdays, try to allow four hours each day for studying. There is usually a strong desire on the part of the associates to want to use some or all of this time to talk with the members and other associates. To satisfy that desire and ensure that they do not fall behind in school, allow two hours a day for members to talk with one another (reflecting time) and make sure that they study during the allotted study period. 3. If a man wants to study alone, let him. Preferably, send the associates to the library with a number of members or their big brothers (all should sit alone to prevent socializing). Remember that if the members and associates fall behind in school due to pre-initiation events, your chapter has interfered with its primary goal to ...assist in the acquisition of a sound education... ANNOUNCE THE PRE-INITIATION PERIOD At the regularly scheduled chapter meeting preceding the pre-initiation program, the initiated members need to do the following things: (associates who have attended the meeting should be excused) 1. Outline full details of the pre-initiation period (should be written and passed out). 2. Confirm the decision to initiate each associate. No man should participate in the pre-initiation period if he will not be initiated. 3. Review the Ritual and secrets. 4. Confirm that the F has prepared all materials needed for the initiation ceremony (make sure all items are clean). 5. Confirm that the members performing the Ritual have memorized their parts. 6. Tell members which events are most important so that members who cannot attend all events can attend the most important ones. 7. Ask the members to get ahead in their studies and adjust work schedules so that they will be able to participate more fully. 8. Confirm that a suitable location has been found (for those chapters that dont have an adequate chapter room). DURING THE FINAL ASSOCIATE MEMBER MEETING, THE FOLLOWING THINGS SHOULD BE REVIEWED 1. Fully explain the purposes of the pre-initiation period. 2. Outline full details of the pre-initiation period (should be written and passed out). 3. Tell associates exactly when initiation will occur. The pre-initiation agenda should be approved by your BB, ABT, and your schools Greek Advisor.
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Pre-Initiation

EXPLAINING EVENTS DURING PRE-INITIATION 1. At the beginning of each days events, sit down with the members and explain the events of the day, their purpose, their tone, etc. Although everything should have been explained before the pre-initiation period began, members have a tendency to forget details. If your members do not know what is going on, it will appear to the associates that your chapter is not quite as unified or strong as you claim. 2. Each day, explain the purpose of the days events (along with exact details) to the associates. Like the members, they have a tendency to forget and by daily explanation, they will more fully understand what they are experiencing and why. Do not just assume that they will figure it out - they do not have the perspective of someone who has already been through it. Also, just before the days events end, sit down with the associates and recap what has occurred and briefly explain what will happen the next day. INCREASING PARTICIPATION 1. Participation will be reduced if you schedule too many events or over-ritualize the pre-initiation period. Residential campuses where few of the chapters members and associates work can hold the longest preinitiation periods without sacrificing participation. To ensure participation by as many members as possible, your first priority when planning the pre-initiation period should be finding out which days (weekdays or weekends) most members and associates have few outside obligations and how much time members and associates can reasonably devote to the chapter. You do not want to schedule a four-day pre-initiation period if more meaningful participation is assured by holding a two-day pre-initiation period. 2. The chapter should pay for all pre-initiation events. There should be no bucking up at the door or pay only if you participate schemes. 3. Include a number of meals (paid for by the chapter) in your pre-initiation period. It is best to hold meals either before or after other events to increase participation for the other events. 4. Remember, due to the interference of classes, jobs, study time, etc., it is nearly impossible to get every member/associate of the chapter to participate in every event. You do not need to make events required except the Ritual itself. If meaningful events are scheduled (and members do not have more important obligations), participation will be high. IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE PRE-INITIATION PERIOD 1. Complete all fraternity education tests before the pre-initiation period begins. If you wait until the preinitiation period to complete a comprehensive test or the last test of the associate member program, the associates will feel that the test is a trick. A comprehensive test is not required by Delta Chi. 2. Often, it is best to hold a Bond Strengthening event (see Section III) a few days to a week before the preinitiation period begins to assure that all members are in the right frame of mind. Examples: You might try holding a chalk talk (explained later) or a pass the candle session. 3. Avoid activities directed only at associates. Most pre-initiation events should be designed for participation by both associates and members. Lots of participation in pre-initiation events by members is one mark of a great chapter. Of course, members should participate in the same way as associates (as opposed to watching associates participate). 4. There should be no alcohol at the chapter house or at events during the pre-initiation period. Allowing members/associates to drink will counteract the solemnity you have worked so hard to create. In addition, hazing almost always involves impaired judgment brought on by alcohol use. 5. Require sweater or better to class up the events. 6. You want the pre-initiation experience to start at a moderately high level, subside for a short period to allow both members and associates time to reflect on what they are experiencing, and then move rapidly to a peak (initiation). There seems to be a limit to how long a pre-initiation period can last and still sustain the intense celebration of brotherhood that is desired. Too long and everyone burns out; too short and it just isnt effective. It is suggested that your chapters pre-initiation period run from two to four days. 7. It is the obligation of each undergraduate chapter to design a pre-initiation period that will make the initiation ceremony as meaningful as possible for each new brother. Be careful, however, not to over ritualize the pre-initiation period. You do not need more than two or three highly dramatic events. Overdoing it can be just as bad as underdoing it. Everyone should appreciate the initiation ceremony for its meaning, not for the fact that it marks the end of pre-initiation. 8. Any rules you create for associates during the pre-initiation period should equally apply to members.

SECTION II: ACTIVITIES

This section contains some suggested activities for the pre-initiation period. The activities are divided into categories. To properly design your chapters pre-initiation period, you merely need to pick and choose one, two, or three activities from each category. Which activities you choose will depend upon conditions at your chapter - how long the pre-initiation period will last, what time of year it will occur, preferences of your members, how many sets of initiations are conducted each year, etc. Try to include activities from each category so that your chapters pre-initiation period is well-rounded and demonstrates to all members and associates that membership in Delta Chi is something special. The activities are divided into the following categories: I. II. II. IV. V. VI. Concept of Brotherhood Problem Solving Bond Strengthening Membership Responsibility Chapter Unifying On Your Own

Pre-Initiation

I. CONCEPT OF BROTHERHOOD EVENTS

Although the associate member program introduced the associates to the concept of brotherhood/fraternity, these concepts should be re-emphasized during the pre-initiation period. Each activity is designed to reiterate to the associates and members the true ideals of fraternity. A. Required activity: Welcome to Brotherhood Meeting - During this discussion, the chapter sets the tone for the preinitiation period. Reiterate complete details and explain that the purpose of the pre-initiation period is three-fold: a celebration of the depth of the friendship/brotherhood within the chapter; a preparation by the associates to be received into the Bond, which will occur later in the week; and a preparation of the members to receive the associates into full membership. Emphasize that all associates participating in the pre-initiation period will be initiated and tell them exactly when initiation will occur. Be sure to have a number of members and even alumni at this meeting - there is nothing more impressive to a soon-to-be-brother than to be welcomed to the pre-initiation period by a unified group of chapter members. You want the tone of this discussion to be dramatic and formal, but not so dramatic or formal that associates are afraid to ask questions or begin to worry about initiation. The associates should understand that they are about to go through something decidedly special. For added effect, require coat and tie for all attending the discussion. You may also want to ask everyone to wear white carnations, possibly supplied by big brothers, or the chapter. B. Potential Events: Reading of What I expect to get out of the Associate Member Program essays - During the associate class retreat or first associate class meeting, associates were asked to describe their expectations of the associate member program and fraternity membership. The period just prior to initiation is a great time to read those essays. Remember, each essay was sealed for a reason - no one but the individual author should read his. The essays should be returned to the associates individually. After each associate has had time to read and reflect alone, the group should be brought together for an hour or so. The resulting discussion functions informally as both a unifying and goal setting device. Alternately, the reading of these essays could be done after initiation. Screening of the movie presentation Demythologizing the Animal House Image - This video is presented by Will Keim to the male and female associate members at Oregon State University. Will, a fraternity man, member of Order of Omega, Blue Key, and Outstanding Young Men Award recipient, travels the country speaking to Greeks. He combines humor, wit and ethics in a challenge to all Greeks to strengthen their systems. Chapter History - Invite a group of alumni to the chapter to discuss the chapters early days, its founding, the reasons for the highs and lows, and prominent alumni. The discussion should focus on the amount of hard work performed by members (alumni and undergraduates) that has made the chapter and Delta Chi what it is today and the fact that the current members are caretakers of a tradition that extends both before and after them.
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Delta Chi Internationally - a presentation by a headquarters staff person, Delta Chi International officer/ committee member/regent, or an informed alumnus. The presentation should include a discussion of: government; history; chapter diversity; how to get involved as a BB, ABT member, regent, vice-regent, international officer or member of an international committee, etc. Screening of the Hazing on Trial presentation - Hazing on Trial is an intense, graphic presentation of the prosecution of a chapter president following the hazing-related death of a pledge, through which the traditional arguments in favor of hazing are challenged. Available on videocassette from the Headquarters Office. Passages read around a fire (or in a candle-lit room) - Have a few members read meaningful passages to the members and associates. The passages may include a narrative of chapter history, essays on brotherhood (use published material or essays written by chapter alumni and undergraduates), or material included in this BRIEF. Preambles Meaning - With the associate member counselor, officer, older member, or alumnus facilitating, break down the Delta Chi Preamble into its components. Discuss each ideal separately, asking how it can affect us on a daily basis. Then look at the Preamble in its entirety. Questions such as What does it mean to me to . . . ?, How can I fulfill . . .?, What is our chapter doing . . . ? or To me, this means . . . should be raised. Drawing Exercise - Give intermixed groups of five or six members and associates paper and markers. Send the groups off to create a picture of what Delta Chi means to them. Tell the men that you want concepts, with as few words as possible, and that you are not looking for a picture of a house. After 30-45 minutes, bring everyone back together. Tape each drawing to the wall, compare the drawings, point out similarities, and discuss each groups conception of Delta Chi. Then, create a composite drawing that takes into account all the common characteristics. (The composite drawing can be framed and hung up.) Explain the major points of the exercise: that its natural for people to support what they help create; that the goals of the group take precedence over any one individuals whims; and that deep down, most of our purposes are the same, but they are often expressed in ways that cloud the meaning and lead to misunderstandings. Big Brother Walk - A big brother and his little brother take a half hour to hour to walk around campus. During the walk, they discuss the ideals of fraternity and how the ideals affect each of them.

II. PROBLEM SOLVING EVENTS

These events allow the associates to apply what they have learned about effective chapter management. The sessions may be set up in two ways: A. Associates and initiated members identify areas of chapter operations that need improvement and then come up with potential solutions. B. Associates and initiated members are given hypothetical questions about chapter operations, case studies, or scenarios and asked to find solutions. If the choice is made to work on actual problems in the chapter, be sure that solutions do indeed exist and that groups do not spend too much time working on them - you do not want members and associates to become disillusioned during pre-initiation. The tone of these events should be informal to help encourage associates and members to answer honestly. Although participation by members is not absolutely necessary, each event will be improved if a significant number of the chapters membership participates.

Type A: Solving actual chapter problems.

Retreat - If the pre-initiation period is to be held at the beginning of a school term, you might include your semi-annual retreat as a pre-initiation event. See the Chapter Retreat BRIEF for details about planning and holding a successful retreat. Room-to-Room Seminars - Several members or associates are assigned to a room in the chapter house, members house, or student union. Each group is given a question or series of related questions. Groups of members and associates go from room to room, spending 10-15 minutes in each, contemplating and answering the question(s) posed. The members and associates moving from room to room might be assigned to move in different directions so that the composition of the groups in each room constantly changes. Do

not ask questions solely of the associates - they will feel put on the spot and you will probably not get the honest answers your chapter deserves. An alternate method for holding this event is to assign five or six members to each room. After answering the questions posed, the groups should be brought together to discuss each groups answers. Some potential questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. What could the chapter do to become the perfect fraternity chapter? What about the chapter would you most like to improve? What sort of image does Delta Chi have on campus? Is it an image that is accurate? Is it an image of which you are proud? Would you like to see it changed? How? Are good relations with other fraternities important? What could Delta Chi do to improve its interfraternal relations? Should the chapter be doing better in rush? What sort of things could the chapter (and you personally) do to improve the rush program? On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate Delta Chi and your chapter? Why? Is there any difference between the chapter officers and the other members? Is it beneficial to belong to the Interfraternity Council? How can members of Delta Chi get involved to improve the IFC? You spend $_____ a year on a chapter composite. Is it worth it? You have just met a friend from high school and in a casual conversation he says, I hate fraternities. How would you respond?

10. The purpose of any organization is to make the strengths of its members productive and their weaknesses irrelevant. Specifically apply this management principle to your chapter. 11. Can we be good brothers without being men of good character? 12. What role(s) will we fulfill as alumni? 13. How should we treat women at our functions? What can we improve in our treatment of our guests in general? 14. Is it beneficial to belong to an international fraternity? Would we have a chapter without it? Strong Points/Areas for Improvement - Assemble associates and members into a large group. Ask each man to identify both a strong point and an area for improvement of the chapter. Once you have identified the strengths and areas for improvement, break the members and associates into five- or six- man groups to come up with potential solutions. While in groups, you might apply the management principle: The purpose of any organization is to make the strengths of its members productive and their weaknesses irrelevant to your chapter. One might look at this event as a kind of mini-retreat.

Type B: Hypothetical questions, case studies, and scenarios

Devise a model chapter or model program in a certain programming area - Divide members and associates up into groups. Ask each group to come up with a model chapter or to devise model areas of chapter programming (rush, social, internal standards, continuing membership education, etc.) Case Studies - Divide members and associates into groups that will discuss and find solutions to case studies. Once solutions are found, reconvene all the members and associates so that each group may explain its case study and potential solution. Some case studies are included in the Chapter Retreat BRIEF (your Greek Advisor may have additional ones).

III. BOND STRENGTHENING ACTIVITIES

By the time the pre-initiation period arrives, the associates will have warmhearted feelings for the chapter, its members, and the other associates. At least once during the pre-initiation period, the chapter needs to hold a

period during which associates and members may express positive feelings for each other and the chapter. This expression of feelings helps to satisfy the need members and associates alike have to reaffirm their commitment to each other and to the chapter. In addition, bond strengthening events will help each man recognize how deeply fraternity membership affects each of its members and help to strengthen the commitment they have made to each other and Delta Chi. Expression of feelings does tend to cause an emotional release and everyone should be encouraged to pat one another on the back and congratulate each other for a job well done. Bond strengthening events are an ESSENTIAL part of the pre-initiation period. Keep in mind this type of event is often best held after other pre-initiation activities. The Bond - Gather members and associates into a large circle. Each person should be holding an unlit candle, with a lighted candle in the middle of the circle providing the only illumination. A man will walk around the circle and randomly tap people on the shoulders. Once tapped, the man will walk to the middle of the circle, take the lit candle and walk up to the man of his choice, light his candle and tell him why he is glad to have him as a part of the chapter. Alternately, he may remind the man of some special experience they have shared together (playing basketball, talking until 4 a.m., whatever). Once finished, he will return the lit candle to the circles center (he still has his unlit candle). The process will continue until all members have had a chance to speak and to be spoken to. Only one set will occur at a time and once a mans candle has been lit, future speakers will not address him. In this event, the men will have to think of something positive to say about almost everyone, since it is likely that their first few choices will be taken. Pass the Candle - With members and associates intermixed in a circle, a lighted candle is passed from one man to the next. As the candle reaches each, he is free to offer his thoughts or to answer brotherhood type questions that might be asked: What does fraternity/brotherhood mean to you? What about Delta Chi makes you most proud? Define brotherhood. Why did you associate with Delta Chi (both associates and members should be asked)? How has the fraternity affected you up to this point? Just before each man passes the candle, he should say, Proud to be a part of Delta Chi. Singing an appropriate song such as Fovens Mater or the Bond Song is a great way to end the session. Senior Reflection- Place the senior class in a line with the associates facing them. The seniors each address the group by completing the phrase: If I were in your shoes, I would Chalk talk - Gather all members and associates into a large group. One member, acting as recorder, should ask the men what areas for improvement currently exist in the chapter. He will then list their responses on a chalkboard or large sheets of paper. One by one, the chapter should go through each area for improvement, with any member or associate feeling free to comment. Although a chalk talk is not a substitute for a good chapter retreat, it does serve as a good device to eliminate hard feelings that may have developed in the chapter. It is often best held before the start of the pre-initiation period to properly prepare the chapter. Rush Commercials - Ask groups of three to eight members and associates to perform rush commercials for Delta Chi. After giving them about 45 minutes to come up with ideas and stage their production, let them present their commercial for the other groups.

IV. MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY ACTIVITIES

Each of these events is specifically designed to reinforce the idea that all members have a strong obligation to return to the Fraternity what they receive from it. The Fraternity simply cannot remain a good fraternity if all members do not do their part. Moreover, their individual efforts complement each other, so that the total is much greater than the sum of the parts. Staged presentation of Death of a Fraternity - (included in this BRIEF) Dave Westols account of the death of a fraternity chapter should be dramatized by two members in candle or firelight (check with your local fire department first). An alternative presentation method is to build a frame covered by a sheet. The two presenters should sit behind the frame lit by the only light in the room, so that only their silhouettes are seen. At the end of the narrative, the brother playing the narrators part should emphasize that, unless careful, similar events could take place in your own chapter. For maximum effect, use an abandoned fraternity chapter house (or bring a group of members and associates to a former or abandoned fraternity chapter house after the presentation). Adding to the Fire - With members and associates intermixed in a circle, give each a piece of wood, which he will add to what initially begins as a small fire in the middle. A speaker should point out the fact that like a fraternity, the fire becomes stronger when everyone contributes his share. The speaker may also use this event to emphasize the responsibilities of membership.

Lesson of the String - An associate holds the end of a ball of string and tells his fellow associates what he will do for Delta Chi. Then, he throws the ball to someone else, still holding his end. This person, too, tells what he will do as a member. Then, holding the string taut, he throws the string to someone else. The procedure is the future of the chapter and the Fraternity is in their hands - each man must hold up his end to ensure success. He should then drop his end and instruct the men on either side of him to do the same. This causes the web to sag significantly - symbolizing what happens when just a few fail to do their share. After this, pass out 3x5 cards and ask each man to write down what he just said he would do as a member of Delta Chi. Put the cards in a file box and wrap a good amount of tape around it. Tell the group that the file box will not be opened unless someone falls down on his commitment and needs to be reminded. Membership Requirements Discussion - Three or four members should lead a discussion with the associates about membership requirements, emphasizing that initiation is not merely the completion of the obligations of an associate member, but is rather the assumption of the greater, more demanding duties and obligations of full membership. This is also a good time to discuss the chapters/Delta Chis obligations to its members. Discussion with the Greek Advisor - Invite the Greek Advisor over for dinner and a discussion on fraternity life. Be sure that (s)he knows it is your chapters pre-initiation period so that (s)he may prepare accordingly. The Flag - Prior to the start of this activity, compile a list of areas about which the chapter needs to be concerned (areas which create problems) such as members not paying bills, not attending rush events, not moving into the chapter house, etc. A main speaker (chosen because he is recognized as a person who cares a great deal about the Fraternity) should be chosen prior to the event. In a room moderately lit by candles, gather members and associates around a Delta Chi flag. Each person will hold a portion of the flag so that it is stretched strong and taut (symbolizing a strong chapter). The main speaker should first explain the rule of the activity - when you are tapped on the shoulder (by the main speaker) you immediately let go of the flag and step back three steps. He should then explain that a flag is at the whim of the wind; when the wind wants the flag to fly strong and taut, it will; when the wind wants the flag to fly weakly with ripples, the flag will. An analogy should then be drawn with the Fraternity and its members (the Fraternity is like a flag; its members are like the wind). Prior to the event, each area for chapter concern should be assigned to members who will be helping to hold the flag. Once the main speaker has finished his analogy, each previously selected member should briefly explain how his area hurts the chapter (not more than one or two sentences should be said). When he has finished, the main speaker should go around and randomly tap flag holders. How many men he taps is determined by the number of participants and the number of areas of concern you identified earlier: if there are 50 flag holders and ten areas of concern, he should tap five people each time. The next flag holder will explain how his area hurts the chapter. Once again, the main speaker taps flag holders. With each set of tappings, the flag will develop ripples and sags. Finally, there will be only two men holding the flag. The main speaker will tap one. The remaining man should be allowed to hold the flag alone for 30 seconds or so and then he too should be tapped. As the flag falls on the floor, the main speaker should neatly fold the flag, lay it on the floor, and begin to slowly walk out of the room (as if deeply disappointed). Before he leaves, one of the previous flag holders (who it is should be arranged before the activity) should step forward, announcing, This is not my Fraternity, and pick up the flag. Everyone should join him in returning the flag to its original strong, taut state. An alternative way to present the flag ceremony is to gather all members and associates in a circle. Each should hold a lighted candle. As the speakers present how their area hurts the chapter, candles should be extinguished until only one is left to light the room. Then, begin the glad youre here ceremony (described under the commitment affirmation activities section) to bring the room back into full light.

V. CHAPTER UNIFYING ACTIVITIES:

Since the purpose of the pre-initiation period is to celebrate brotherhood, its important to get everyone together. Which activities you choose are not important; whats important is that you are together. Remember, the chapter should pick up any costs associated with these events to maximize participation. A. Recreation and Entertainment Serenade womens fraternities/womens residence halls - (for added effect, each member and associate should be dressed in coat and tie and holding a lighted candle). Athletic Event (participating) - Try a game of basketball, ultimate frisbee, or softball. Try making each sport progressive: two members from the associate team switch places with members of the member team every so many plays, innings, etc. until both teams are fully integrated (symbolizing the coming together of the two groups - associates and members - into one united brotherhood).

Athletic Event (spectator) - Schedule a chapter outing to a professional or collegiate athletic event - football, basketball, baseball, swimming, cycling, soccer, gymnastics, etc. Board games - Games do not have to be limited to physical sports. Board games such as Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly/Greekopoly, campus history/Greek knowledge games, cards, checkers, and others should also be considered. Movies - You can rent a lighthearted movie from your local video store or bring the whole chapter to a movie theater. Be sure to pick a movie that everyone will want to see to maximize participation. Little Brother/Big Brother Social Event - Almost anything from going to the movies to dinner out to going to an athletic event together is appropriate. Each big brother/little brother pair may go out alone or all big brothers/little brothers may go out as one big group. Afternoon canoe trip B. Meals Three types of meals are appropriate for the pre-initiation period. Formal meals - Coat and tie dinner at a restaurant or the chapter house (say silent grace and use waiters to serve and clean up), brunch on the weekend, a formal dinner to welcome the associates to the pre-initiation period, formal breakfast/brunch just prior to the performance of the Ritual, etc. A nice touch is to include key or area alumni. Informal meals - These meals should be held when you want to lighten up the pre-initiation period. Examples: a barbecue, late night snacks, go out for pizza, members and associates are grouped together to cook for the rest of the group, etc. Big brother/Little brother meal - Big brother buys a meal for his little brother. This meal is also a good time for the little brother to give his big brother the memorabilia (such as a paddle) that he may have made for him. C. Service Work A great way to unite a brotherhood and lighten up the pre-initiation period is to do some kind of service work. Members and associates may perform service work to: 1. Local or University community - Paint/repair homes of the underprivileged, clean-up an area of the city or University, participate in a fundraising program for the University or local charities, donate blood, hold a canned food drive, etc. The important thing is that each person is helping another, less privileged member of society. Chapter operations - Hand write notes or call your alumni to increase support for the chapter, hold a one-day fundraiser, reorganize the test or officer manual files, etc. The chapter house - The project should be large enough to involve all the members and associates: build a deck, paint the house, etc. The pre-initiation period is not the time for regular maintenance or clean-ups that you should have accomplished before the pre-initiation period. Should some cleaning be necessary, be sure that it is performed equally by associates and members or that, preferably, the members do all the cleaning. Associate class memorabilia - Associates should make some memorabilia to remind them of their class. Examples: associate class plaque, a drawing of the class, picture of all associates, class paddle, etc. Making class memorabilia should be one of the few pre-initiation activities associates participate in without members.

2. 3.

4.

VI. ON YOUR OWN EVENTS

A. Studying/Classes/Work Generally, most of the day should be reserved for members and associates to go to classes, to study, and to go to work. Avoid scheduling any event during the day (unless its a weekend day of course). You simply cannot get the participation necessary for a pre-initiation event to be effective during weekdays.

B. Free Time Everyone needs free time during the pre-initiation period: to go to the store, to meet with professors, or to simply have some personal time. If you do not give members and associates free time, participation will drop, mental activity will diminish, and your events will be counterproductive.

SECTION III: SAMPLE PRE-INITIATION PROGRAMS

See Section II for details and presentation tips. PROGRAM I Thursday 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m. 11:30 p.m. Friday 4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. 11:30 p.m. 12:00 a.m. OPENING DISCUSSION FORMAL DINNER DISCUSSION OF CHAPTER HISTORY STUDY TIME SERENADE MOVIE

Pre-Initiation

COOKOUT CASE STUDIES DEATH OF A FRATERNITY

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST SHORT DISCUSSION Outline the days activities and the purpose of each COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT BIG BROTHER BUYS LUNCH FOR HIS LITTLE BROTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT CONTINUED FREE TIME SOCIALIZATION HOUR Hosted by the associates FORMAL DINNER DISCUSSION WITH THE GREEK ADVISOR DEMYTHOLOGIZING THE ANIMAL HOUSE PASS THE CANDLE ENDING DISCUSSION Quickly recap the days activities and discuss the follow ing days activities

Sunday 11:30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

BRUNCH OUT MEANING OF RITUAL DISCUSSION RITUAL DRY RUN RITUAL BROTHERHOOD DINNER

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PROGRAM II Thursday 4:00 p.m. CHALK TALK A chalk talk held before the pre-initiation period begins is a good way to eliminate any hard feelings that may have developed in the chapter. (Hard feelings between members will diminish the effectiveness of the pre-initiation period). REGULAR CHAPTER MEETING -Review the goals, objectives, purpose and presentation themes of the pre-initiation period -Review the schedule and participatory recommendations -Review the Delta Chi Ritual and Fraternity secrets (associates should be excused from this portion of the meeting) FINAL ASSOCIATE MEETING WELCOME TO BROTHERHOOD DISCUSSION FORMAL DINNER STUDY TIME AT THE LIBRARY Study hours should be broken up by an hour-long break. The break may take place at your student center or a popular campus hangout. Of course, the members accompanying associates at the library should also take a break. BUILD ASSOCIATE CLASS MEMORABILIA If finished, hold a game of progressive softball PIZZA DINNER ROOM-TO-ROOM SEMINAR SHORT BREAK/FREE TIME PREPARE AND PRESENT RUSH COMMERCIALS CLOSING DISCUSSION Go over the days events and their purpose and explain what will happen the next day CHEER FOR CHAPTERS INTRAMURAL TEAM FORMAL DINNER Invite the Greek Advisor for dinner with a discussion on fraternity life to follow STUDY TIME AT THE LIBRARY BIG BROTHER TALKS TO LITTLE BROTHER This is a good time for them to discuss fraternity life and the remainder of the pre-initiation period FINISH BUILDING ASSOCIATE CLASS MEMORABILIA If finished, hold a game of basketball

Monday 6:30 p.m.

8:00 p.m. Tuesday 5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Wednesday 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 8:45 p.m. 9:30 p.m. 10:45 p.m.

Thursday 4:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m. 10:30 p.m.

Friday 3:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 11:00 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

ASSOCIATES AND THE SENIOR CLASS PREPARE DINNER FOR THE CHAPTER SHORT BREAK/FREE TIME THE FLAG DEMYTHOLOGIZING THE ANIMAL HOUSE IMAGE THE BOND

11:00 a.m.

12:00 noon 8:00 p.m. Monday 8:00 p.m.

FORMAL BREAKFAST AT A RESTAURANT DISCUSSION Go over the meaning of rituals in general (be sure you do not directly reveal anything about our Ritual) and the commitment the associates are about to make READING OF THE ASSOCIATE ESSAYS/REFLECTING TIME This period gives the members time to do a dry run of the Ritual INITIATION SOCIAL or BROTHERHOOD EVENT

RITUAL REVIEW The Ritual and Fraternity secrets are fully reviewed with the new members to ensure that they understand and appreciate all. The BB should review the commitment the new members have made.

PROGRAM III Tuesday 6:30 p.m.

REGULAR CHAPTER MEETING -Review the goals, objectives, purpose, and presentation themes of the pre-initiation period. -Review the schedule and participatory recommendations -Review the Delta Chi Ritual and Fraternity secrets (associates should be excused from this portion of the meeting) FINAL ASSOCIATE MEETING -Review the schedule -Review the participatory responsibilities

8:00 p.m.

Thursday 9:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m.

CHAPTER HOUSE CLEAN UP SORORITY/WOMENS RESIDENCE HALL SERENADE

Friday 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

PROGRESSIVE SOFTBALL ASSOCIATES HOST SOCIAL HOUR Remember, the pre-initiation period is a time for members

5:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. 11:15 p.m.

and associates to celebrate brotherhood together-no women should attend this social hour FORMAL DINNER CASE STUDIES DEATH OF A FRATERNITY CLOSING DISCUSSION Recap the days events, reiterate their purpose, and explain the following days events. A great way to end the session is to pass the candle.

Saturday 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. 10:15 p.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Monday 8:00 p.m.

SERVICE PROJECT FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY The chapter should provide lunch during the project FREE TIME BIG BROTHER WALK DELTA CHI INTERNATIONALLY PREAMBLES MEANING THE FLAG CLOSING DISCUSSION DEMYTHOLOGIZING THE ANIMAL HOUSE IMAGE

BIG BROTHER BUYS BRUNCH THE BOND REFLECTING TIME FOR THE ASSOCIATION Members may use this time to perform a dry run of the ritual INITIATION BROTHERHOOD DINNER

RITUAL REVIEW The Ritual and Fraternity secrets are fully reviewed with the new members to ensure that they understand and appreciate all. The BB should review the commitment the new members have made.

SECTION IV: INITIATION

Keep in mind that initiation, like the rest of the pre-initiation period, is performed not only for the associates but also for all members-undergraduates and alumni alike. While the members may have personally witnessed many Rituals, each performance is someones one and only initiation into Delta Chi. We owe that individual the best and most accurate performance of the Delta Chi Ritual that we are capable of giving. The pre-initiation period and initiation serve to remind us of our oaths and the commitment we have made to our brotherhood. The initiation Ritual is Delta Chis most solemn and dignified fraternal act. Accordingly, it should be presented in a manner that is a credit to Delta Chi (i.e., with honor and dignity). The Ritual of Delta Chi must be presented exactly as detailed in the latest version of the Ritual Manual. If you are not certain that you have the latest version of the Ritual Manual, call the Headquarters. NO CHAPTER OF DELTA CHI IS PERMITTED TO UNILATERALLY ALTER THE RITUAL PRESENTATION IN ANY WAY. No additions, omissions, or mutations are allowed, just as it would be wrong for an individual chapter member to change policy that only the chapter has the authority to change. If your chapter wishes to make alterations or additions to the Ritual, it must ask the Convention to make those changes. The Ritual presentation may not be altered without the permission of the Convention first. Our Ritual is meant to be a unifying force: it is the one experience common to all men who call themselves Delta Chis. To alter your chapters presentation of the Delta Chi Ritual would be to deny those men you initiate the experience that bonds all members of Delta Chi together. Before beginning the initiation ceremony, make sure that those members performing the Ritual have memorized their respective parts, that all members of the chapter are familiar with the entire Ritual (including the secrets), and that all material needed for the Ritual is clean and in good condition. You should have accomplished all this prior to the start of the pre-initiation period, but if you did not, make sure you do it now, before the first man is initiated. A dry-run of the Ritual will help you guarantee that all members are fully familiar with the ceremony. Be sure to secure the area where you are performing the Ritual and prevent all disturbances: take the phones off the hook, etc. The doors should be guarded, but do not prevent them from being easily and quickly opened from the inside in case of fire or any other possible emergency. An hour and a half before initiation begins, the A, associate member counselor, an alumnus, and perhaps several highly respected chapter members should lead a discussion with the associates about the meaning of the lifelong commitment they are about to make and the meaning of ritual in general. The speakers should feel free to draw on personal experience and on material from Ed Kings Secret Thoughts of a Ritual (included in this BRIEF). At no time should any references be made to specifics of the Delta Chi Ritual. The 20-40 minute discussion will help the associates more fully appreciate our Ritual and understand the commitment they are about to make. When the discussion is finished, you should make any last minute preparations and do a dry run of the Ritual to assure that the members are familiar with every bit of it (if the members leading the pre-initiation discussion are very familiar with the Ritual, the dry run may be done while the discussion is going on). Prior to the start of the dry run, you might read portions of the Ritualists forward to the initiated members as a way to prepare them. While waiting to be initiated, the associates should be together, but asked not to talk. This is a time when they will naturally want to contemplate what they are about to experience. Be sure that the associates are comfortable. If they are uncomfortable, they will unconsciously concentrate more on their discomfort than on contemplating what they are about to experience.

Pre-Initiation

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SECTION V: POST-INITIATION PERIOD

POST-INITIATION DISCUSSION According to the Ritual Manual, the B is responsible for convening the meeting to review the Ritual as soon as possible after initiation and in any case not later than five days after a man has been initiated. The new initiates shall attend this meeting to ensure that they have a full understanding and appreciation of Delta Chis Ritual, secrets, and the oath taken. The BB should, and any interested members may, attend this meeting. The newly initiated men need to read the complete Ritual Manual that includes the Ritualists forward, history of our Ritual, and the epilogue. Each should also read The Secret Thoughts of a Ritual, which is included in this BRIEF. The BB should review the oath taken by the newly initiated one line at a time. Remember, since the Ritual will be in use, the room must be secure (be sure to allow for easy exit in case of fire). Associate Program/Initiation Week Evaluation and Redesign: The key to continued success in a program area is re-evaluation and redesign. An associate program/initiation week that was great two years ago may already be outdated. The question you should ask yourself is, Are the goals actually realized or do we have to tell the new men what they are supposed to get out of it when it is over? Look seriously at your chapter three months later: are the members exhibiting the ideals exemplified by the program? If not, you need to find better means to teach the necessary principles. Keep in mind that some modifications of events are probably necessary each year for the benefit of initiated members. It is imperative that the chapter reassesses the effectiveness of the program and ensures that it meets the needs of the current membership. To evaluate and redesign the programs, the chapter may either hold a retreat (see Retreat BRIEF) or form a temporary committee. If you choose to use a temporary committee, all newly initiated men should automatically be members while all chapter members should be allowed to participate if they wish. Remember, A GROUP SUPPORTS THAT WHICH IT HELPS TO CREATE. If your associate member and pre-initiation programs have been effective, there should be little to no difference between initiated members and men who have been members for a few semesters. Initiate Fathers, Local Businessmen, University Officials and Faculty, Community Leaders, and Friends of Alumni/ Fathers: Many chapters complain about the lack of alumni support and involvement. Other than initiating more undergraduates, there is no better way to increase support for your chapter than by creating more alumni. You can do this by initiating fathers, community leaders, local businessmen, university officials and faculty, and friends of alumni/ fathers. You will be extending the Delta Chi experience to men who either did not have the opportunity for, or did not realize the value of, becoming a fraternity member as an undergraduate. Each man you initiate will grow from the experience of working with the members and associates of your chapter and helping them develop into fine adults. Initiating a man who does not have sons can be especially meaningful. In addition, there are few things that will mean as much to your father as initiating him as a member of your fraternity. In return, the non-student initiates will provide mature direction and counseling. They can become members of your ABT, House Corporation, editors of your alumni newspaper, highly active members of your parents club; the possibilities are endless. Several of Delta Chis most active alumni members were initiated into Delta Chi after they left college. The initiation fee for non-students may be waived in some circumstances, but you must ask Delta Chis Executive Director for approval first. The letter requesting permission should state why your chapter wishes the man (men) initiated and must be accompanied by his (their) Personal Record form(s). In addition, the decision to initiate a nonstudent must be unanimous and the chapter must state so in the letter. Of course, all non-students should be given a copy of the Cornerstone well in advance of the initiation ceremony to allow them to learn about Delta Chi. Non-student initiates need not participate in the associate member and preinitiation programs. Of course, you may initiate non-students at the same time associates are initiated.

SECTION VI: CONTINUING MEMBERSHIP EDUCATION

Remember that membership education does not end the day a man is initiated or reviews the Ritual. It is an ongoing process that only begins with the associate member and pre-initiation programs. The newly initiated young man is only on the threshold of knowing where he is going in life. His experiences as a member will continue to help shape his philosophy of life and patterns of behavior. The importance of the day-to-day activities in the chapter should not be undervalued. It is through the day-to-day activities that the individual learns to live and work with others. He struggles, he fights, he debates, he is constantly frustrated by the attitudes he perceives in others. He compromises, he shares, he loves, he is constantly awed by the generosity he perceives in others. He learns how other peoples minds work. This experience gives the young man the skills, wisdom, and perception to deal with life, things that are likely to be great assets in dealing with the awesome challenges ahead. The fraternal experience can be good; it can be great; and, unfortunately, it can be mediocre or poor. What seems to distinguish the good chapter experience from the bad is a persistent effort on the part of each member to expose the chapter and its members to new people, new ideas and new ways. Chapters that ignore this obligation stagnate and die. To ensure a good fraternity experience, your chapter should develop a continuing education program. Some ideas for continuing membership education: 1. Invite members/associates from another mens/womens fraternity or residence hall people to a chapter function (especially dinner). Invite a BACCHUS, GAMMA, or SEAK representative to discuss responsible drinking and alcohol awareness. Invite chapter alumni to discuss chapter history and the importance of alumni involvement. Invite Delta Chi regents, vice-regents, international officers/committee members, and headquarters staff to discuss various fraternity topics. (These men will often make a special trip to your chapter. All you have to do is ask). Invite the university historian, Greek Advisor, or an alumnus to speak on University history (including local Greek history). Invite a housemother (yours or another chapters), faculty member, or alumnus (or his wife) to speak on etiquette, grooming and dress. Invite a campus placement office representative to speak on career planning and interviewing techniques (with emphasis on conducting mock or videotaped interviews). Invite a university counseling services representative to speak on crisis management and suicide prevention. Invite a university student services representative to speak on the changing of sexual roles and date rape. Invite the citys mayor or police chief to speak on the Greek systems relationship with the local community. Invite a university student services representative to speak on campus organizations and how to get involved. Invite a university testing or student services representative to speak on study/test-taking skills and time management. Invite the Greek Advisor to speak on the need for Greeks to work together. Invite university professors/administrators to speak on a topic of their choice.

Pre-Initiation

2.

3. 4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 10. 11.

12.

13. 14.

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15. 16.

Invite a firefighter to discuss fire prevention and how to survive in a fire. Invite a representative from the Red Cross or American Heart Association to teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Invite the college/university president to discuss the schools future. Invite alumni from different professional and career fields to talk about their jobs, how they got them and how to prepare for a career like theirs.

17. 18.

If your chapter has a sit down dinner, invite the speaker(s) to dinner. They may hold their presentation or lead their discussion afterwards.

LETS GET SERIOUS

Most Fraternity men, graduates as well as undergraduates, become very self-conscious when the Fraternity Ritual is used out of context. For example, used in an informal discussion, there is a feeling of awkwardness and uncertainty about what they are doing. It is the purpose of these questionnaires to first help the participants become aware of the nature of ritual and how it ought to be used in an informal and personal way and second, to be able to assist the undergraduate chapters in using the Fraternity Ritual in the same way. There are some fundamental questions we must attempt to answer: 1. 2. 3. How can we motivate our fraternity brothers to seriously read the Ritual? How can we motivate our fraternity brothers to seriously discuss the Ritual? How can we motivate the undergraduate chapters to seriously, and correctly, perform the Ritual?

The fraternity ritual is important because it deals with the moral problems of every man. The fraternity ritual attempts to explain our two fundamental relationships: our relationship with ourselves and our relationship with others. We must do a better job of explaining these relationships in a) the membership development program, b) the preinitiation program, and c) the post-initiation program. Ultimately, by a better understanding of the Ritual, we should do a better job of living it.
-adapted from materials developed by Edward M. King June 1984

RITUAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How did I feel during my initiation?

2. How do I feel now when I am participating in or observing initiation?

3. What part of the Ritual is most significant to me and why?

4. What part of the Ritual is least significant to me and why?

5. What effect has the Ritual had on my life?

If any part of your answers to the questions above involves something that may not be written, simply discuss it when appropriate and/or reflect on it personally. Do not violate your oath with what you write here but still try to express your feelings.

DEATH OF A FRATERNITY

BULLETIN: January 20, 1972-Sigma Beta Fraternity of Michigan State University died today. Death was attributed to lack of funds and interest. Surviving are twenty brothers, a flag, and two bells. Funeral arrangements were not immediately available. Tom Johnson, president of Sigma Beta Fraternity, MSU chapter, sat in a wicker rocking chair in his comfortable off-campus apartment and talked about his fraternity and why it died. Its hard, really hard to believe its actually gone, he said, rocking slowly back and forth. The Rules of the Game say when you fight and struggle for something you believe in, then youll win. We didnt. I guess you could say our troubles began about the same time they did for everyone else, in the autumn of 1968, he continued. I had joined the year before, and that was my first term in the house. I guess it wasnt the best time to get in. Fall term, 1968, was a bad time for all fraternities. The Greek System, long the recognized way of getting through college while living the good life, was suffering from a general lack of interest by the student body at MSU. For many years membership in a fraternity had been the highest possible status attainable by young college men. At Michigan State as well as other universities, fraternity men were the leaders in government, the athletes, the social lions. Fraternities were the only alternative to the dormitories, for all practical purposes, and the Greek System dominated campus life in almost every facet. The rules of the game say when you fight and struggle for something you believe in, then youll win. We didnt. But by the middle sixties, a change was becoming apparent. Interest in parties, the bars, homecoming floats and water carnivals began to wane, replaced by social activism sparked by anti-war sentiments. Anti-military-establishment-facist-capistalistic-industrialcomplex movements made themselves felt. The New Left, the counter-culture, the movement had begun, and with its beginning, a corresponding decline in interest in fraternities and other traditional forms of college life appeared. Fall term, 1968, was the last term, according to older Greeks at MSU, when rush brought out a respectable showing of men interested in joining a fraternity. In previous years it was not uncommon to entertain as many as 350 to 400 men per night at a large house. Winter term of 1969 most houses recorded nightly rushes of 35 to 40, or fewer. Another factor that fall was the emergence of the party guys as the dominant group in the fraternity. So called because of their penchant for parties and good times, but little else that was constructive, they became, according to Johnson, the rule rather than the exception in the chapter. The new pledges, accordingly, looked up to them as the best example of a Sigma Beta and followed their lead. Every chapter, Johnson noted, has party guys in a minority. They add some depth and balance to the group. When they become the majority, however, negative forces are set in motion. The result was that we kept developing more and more guys who looked to the fraternity as a good time and nothing else, Johnson said. Still another factor in the beginnings of the Sigma Beta downfall was the easing of standards for entry. Many fraternities, faced with the recruitment and activation of a large pledge class or the possibility of going under, eased or eliminated entire requirements for activation into the fraternity. Sigma Beta followed suit, to the detriment of the pledge program and eventually the chapter. By eliminating much of the work and knowledge requirements, Johnson said, the pride and feeling that you have had to work and sweat for something was also eliminated, resulting in a lack of spirit and feeling of accomplishment once pledging had ended. Johnson stubbed out a Marlboro in the already overflowing ashtray in front of him. I always figured we had a pretty tight house, you know, in comparison with others at State. By spring term of 69, though, things had changed. You couldnt really put your finger on it, but the differences were there. One change had been the retirement of the housemother at the end of winter term. The effects were subtle but noticeable, as manners deteriorated at supper, the traditional fraternity song at the end of a meal became history, and the general volume of noise rose in the house. A housefather was hired for spring term, but failed to have the desired effect, and in the interest of money was not rehired the next fall.
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Pre-Initiation

Another factor that fall was the emergence of the party guys as the dominant group in the fraternity. Pledge programs became more lax term by term. Spring term of 1969, the pledge marshall sat down with the fairly good-sized class and asked them, What do you guys think you should have to do in order to go active? We lost about half of those guys, Johnson grimaced. But then, can you blame them? What kind of pledge program is that? At the end of spring term, 1969, Sigma Beta outwardly appeared to be in good shape. Inwardly, the cracks were beginning to appear. The physical shape of the house was poor, dangerous cliques had formed with definite lines among brothers; financial responsibilities were beginning to be regarded as a joke. Guys kept saying, wait until next year, well be better. We had a lot of new guys moving in, and we still had some guys who cared about the house, who would pick up after the others and carry the responsibilities. Fall term, 1969, however, brought new troubles to Sigma Beta. Rush was way, way down, according to Johnson, and the few men who did come through the house seemed unimpressed. A small pledge class was formed, but again the mortality rate of pledges dropping out was high, over fifty per cent. In addition, relations within the house were strained. Many fraternities, faced with the possibility of going under, eased or eliminated entirely requirements for activation in the fraternity. People seemed to forget about consideration, other people, brotherhood if you want to label it. Guys would have their girlfriends up in their rooms, and their roommates would burst through the door half drunk, yelling, banging on the walls, stuff like that. You couldnt study around there, people had stereos up loud, and there always seemed to be some commotion going on. Fraternity traditions continued to fall victim to the efforts to streamline pledging and make the house easier to live in, with less complications. I always figured we had a pretty tight house, you know, in comparison with the others at State. Take away the traditions, all of them, and as Tom Johnson and Sigma Beta found, only the house and some guys living in it are left. The idealism, the goals, the brotherhood, the feelings of belonging after accomplishing the same thing that others for years and years have accomplished, are gone. Sigma Beta is a non-secret fraternity - non-secret in that it does not have a grip or passwords or long, mysterious rites and rituals of activation. The MSU chapter had always prided itself on that, Johnson said, and even though the Sigma Betas had only been on campus since 1952, they were among the six or seven biggest chapters in terms of numbers. When other guys told us of two-day rituals and stuff like that, we always laughed and said we didnt need it to have a good chapter. And before then, we didnt. I still dont think you need it to have a strong fraternity, Johnson continued, but I see now where we cut our own throat by taking away everything that made us different from, say, some co-op or something. Leadership was another problem. The president elected that fall term was, as Johnson put it, a good guy, a good leader. But winter term, 1970, he left to student teach. His replacement was a second term active who had moved into the house just that fall. He was young, naive, and inexperienced in the position. He was unable to cope with the pressures that were to bear upon him the following terms, resulting in a loss of confidence in house leadership at the very time strong and efficient people were needed to put Sigma Beta back on its financial feet. People seemed to forget about consideration, other people, brotherhood if you want to label it. Johnson, by now the unofficial leader of the element in the chapter that saw the problems developing, tried to raise enough support to have the president replaced with someone with more experience and ability. He failed - the majority of the brothers felt that to take away the young presidents position would hurt him and alienate him from the house, and thus he stayed on.

By now financial problems were plaguing the troubled chapter. An addition to the house had been built several years previous, and the entire structure had been re-mortgaged, resulting in a higher house bill. With the decline of numbers of men in the house, and the irresponsibility of brothers in payment of bills, the financial problems were compounded. The last meeting of spring term of 70 was a real zoo. Things came to a head, I guess, and you could have heard the shouting at the west complex across the campus. Some of the stuff was cleared up, and we made plans for the coming year to be a kind of building year for the house, with a return as far as possible to the old days. I guess it sounds kind of funny now, but then things seemed to be shaping up a little. The young ex-president leaned forward, gesturing with his hands. We werent even sure whether we could open up the house that fall, because we wouldnt have enough guys to keep the bills down, to break even, much less make a profit. But some of the upperclassmen said theyd stick it out, for another year, for the fraternity. It made me feel good, to hear stuff like that. It was the old Sigma Beta spirit, you know? Fall rush was planned in great detail. Meetings were held that summer, work committees named to clean the house and yard; advertising space was purchased in the State News. Only one thing went wrong, Johnson said. No one came through rush. With the decline of numbers of men living in the house, and the irresponsibility of brothers in payment of bills, the financial problems were compounded We should have figured, but nobody really thought that things had changed that much. We just thought that if we did things like we had done them before, then everything would be okay, back in order again. By then no amount of posters or ads would bring people through rush, you had to have the dorm contacts and go out and get rushees. We didnt have the horses. Johnson spoke softly, the words coming slowly, carefully, as though he was unwrapping an old wound. That fall of 1970 was an abortion, he said. Although a few people eventually came through the house, due to frantic efforts by Johnson and several others, only two pledged. It was a heavy blow to the sagging chapter spirit, and its effects were felt to the end of the term. Noise and lack of consideration for others in the house reached monumental proportions. Many of the seniors who volunteered to live in the house for the entire year called it quits after final exams in December of 1970. They were just bummed out with the whole thing, and no amount of talking, promises or threats would make them change their minds, Johnson said. The alumni advisor, who had maintained casual relations with the fraternity over the past three years, now said they had to pay off some of the debts run up over the 69-70 school year. With even fewer brothers in the house, with the possibility of raising the house bill and forcing even more out, with mortgage payments due and no immediate source of money available, the fraternity fractionalized and split up. With rush at a standstill, the Sigma Betas made the only possible decision - to close the house. The rest of the story is standard cause and effect. Many of the brothers moved into an apartment complex east of the fraternity house on River Street in East Lansing. Some didnt. Others deactivated. Those that moved into the apartments tried to maintain the chapter integrity but found too many restrictions, too many walls. Rush was attempted in the spring of 1971 but failed miserably. Johnson, who had been elected the previous fall, decided to tool up the brothers left for one more crack at rush the fall of 71. It failed again. On January twentieth, 1972, Johnson and 19 remaining brothers voted the fraternity out of existence. Their chapter remains with the university, to be used again perhaps someday in the future when another group of young men will want to form a chapter of Sigma Beta at MSU. The big colonial-style house still stands at the northwest corner of River Street and Park Avenue, but the tasteful gray paint has peeled away, leaving ragged patches of bare, worn wood. The green trimmed shutters hang at crazy angles, with slats broken or missing, and most of the windows are shattered or cracked. The lawn is overgrown with weeds and strewn with litter. Students with classes in nearby Aker-Fee complex and construction workers resurfacing Park Avenue near the house use the potholed and dusty parking lot. The Sigma Betas thought that by letting the house fall to ruin, the city of East Lansing would change its zoning of the corner and allow a gas station to be built, thus giving the fraternity about $250,000 in payment to pay off debts and construct a new house to be used for parties, meeting and social functions only. The city hasnt backed off, though, Johnson said. Im not sure what well do with the old wreck right now. I get sad every time I walk by it. I guess everyone does, he continued. The guys who worked, who cared, sure, we got discouraged, wanted to quit, but we always figured wed somehow pull it off, that it would never get this far.

Only one thing went wrong, Johnson said. No one came through rush. Johnson rocks very slowly now. His voice is thick, and trails off at times. Sometimes Ill get a call from the policethey know me by nowand Ill go over to the house; itll be around four in the morning, and there will be maybe five or six brothers, some of the guys who cared. Theyll be drunk, back from the bars or a party, sitting on the living room floor singing the old songs. I cant help it, Ill sit down with them, and well talk about the old Hell Weeks, and raids and parties, and the house. The old Sigma Beta bell, rung at all MSU home football games for years, is gone now, stolen from the front yard, Johnson thinks by a fraternity from the University of Michigan. Johnson smiles quietly. Its kind of ironic, he said. I guess they figured wed chase them and hassle them for it. Im surprised they got it out of those weeds. The second, newer bell is hidden deep within a Sigma Betas closet somewhere in East Lansing - Johnson wont say where. The reasons why Sigma Beta folded - and there are many - could be written down and labeled like a diagnosis of a disease. Poor leadership. Lack of education for new members. The almost frantic cutting away of all traditions and ideals to appeal to more people. Division of the fraternity into separate, polarized cliques. Financial irresponsibility. Lack of good alumni relations and a strong, smart fraternity advisor to help them. Insufficient peer pressure to stifle noise level and lack of consideration. And many more reasons, except one, for Tom Johnson and some of the brothers. The reasons Sigma Beta foldedand there are manycould be written down and labeled like the diagnosis of a disease. I, well, if I had to do it all over again, Id do it, because I think it was worth it, whether we lost or not, Johnson smiled sadly. The old Sigma Beta spirit, you know?

The above story is factual, accounting the demise of an important fraternity at Michigan State. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dave Westol has been an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Kalamazoo County, Michigan, National Vice President and Executive Director of the Theta Chi Fraternity. In addition, Westol has served as the Fraternity Advisor at Michigan State University and has lectured at over 90 campuses and 40 national fraternity/ sorority conventions. As an undergraduate, he served as the IFC president and as his chapters rush chairman (two terms) and pledge educator. Westol is best known for his presentation, Hazing on Trial, a graphic presentation of the prosecution of a chapter president following the hazing death of a pledge.

THE SECRET THOUGHTS OF A RITUAL

There are many of us around. Some of us are very informal and loosely structured; others are very formal and precisely worded. Whether you are aware of it or not, your whole life is based on certain ritualistic patterns. The way you get up in the morning, the way you study, the way you organize your social life, the way you speak and write, these are all based on certain habits or routines that you develop and are performed, by and large, in an informal ritualistic way. Today I would like to share with you some thoughts on another kind of ritual. One that is considered very private and is often esoteric. I am the fraternity ritual. One that you will find locked in a file in the corner of some dark office. Because I dont get used or opened up very often, I have a lot of time to think and Id like to share with you some of my thoughts. Sometimes, I go through a real identity crisis. Who am I? What am I? Why am I? In order to know what a thing is you must first know what it is for. You tell what a thing is for by the way it is used. Although there are some exceptions in the way I am used, let me tell you how the majority of fraternity chapters use me. The vast amount of my time is spent in a dark cabinet, locked up and gathering dust. About once a semester there comes a mad rush for my existence, people literally scrambling, and all of a sudden I become very important. Its really funny because many times they cant find me. They forget where I was placed and a mild panic sets in until finally they dig me out from under the stacks of constitutions, by-laws, and chapter minutes. Once I am found, I am under 24-hour surveillance. Its almost as if Im being digested, but thats not really it; whats happening is that Im being memorized. Im literally studied word for word, phrase for phrase, with, Well let me just copy my part, then the argument gets hotter because somebody says, No, its not legal to copy anything out of the ritual. Some people, however, go ahead and fudge a bit and copy their part and then pass me on. After being up almost all day and all night for a week, I am taken to a dimly lighted room where a number of people are gathered. There I am presented with much feeling and serious drama. It is obviously a moment of great climax for some of the people, for they are seeing and hearing me for the very first time. Shortly after the ceremony, I am brought back to the dark room and placed in the locked file drawer and I am not seen or heard of until the end of the next semester. In this case, as a ritual, what am I? Well, as I see it, I am a perfunctory service that must be performed in order to get new members into an organization. Once the initiation is over, Im pretty much pigeonholed until the next class is to be initiated. However, in some fraternity houses I exist in quite a different fashion. Shortly after the initiation the brothers come in one by one, get me out of the drawer and look me over carefully. Some just like to read me, others try to memorize me. Whatever the case, I like it when they use me. Sometimes they even argue over me, and this gets exciting because you see thats what Im about. Im meant to be read carefully, discussed and even argued about. Yes, in fact, I can even be changed. Im really a very human document, one that was written down some time ago after a great deal of thought of one or two men and I have been reworded, rephrased and re-evaluated many, many times. In order to know what Im really about, I need to be perpetually used and studied. (Too often the members mention me only at initiation time and Im really meant for much more than that.) In fact, one of my most important missions is to help the chapter at its weekly meetings. If I am understood and used properly at these weekly meetings, I can really help the chapter get things together. There are always a few men who dont like to use me and put up a big argument about having an informal chapter meeting. What a joke that usually turns out to be. Most informal chapter meetings last a heck of a lot longer than formal chapter meetings where Im used. As Ive listened to people and watched how they use me, a couple of important thoughts have crossed my mind. First, the fraternities have done an excellent job in keeping me an esoteric document that is, basically a secret document and therein is much of the problem. Not only am I a secret document to the outside, I am a secret to most of the members as well. They really dont know or understand me because theyve never really studied me. Some people, I suspect, would like to keep me very, very secret because if non-members found out what I stood for, they might expect the members to live by it and that would be very difficult. Therefore, they keep me secret and they wont have to change their lifestyle. Although I can be used in different ways and for different things, when you boil me down to my fundamental essence, Im essentially one thing, a system of values. I dont change very much because I am the product of history and the spirit of man and how he relates to his fellow man and to his God. This relationship between man and man, and man and God, has never been a static one. It is confusing and illuminating, painful and exciting, a separation and a reunion and although I appear to be a contradiction, I am really no more of a contradiction than man himself. Too frequently we forget that man is both animal and spiritual in nature, and to reconcile the two can often be painful, confusing and frightening. And that is why it is so critical that man understands who I am and what I am for.

Because I am a system of values, I am therefore, an instrument of self-evaluation. My values are clear and absolute and yet difficult to emulate. To state a few, I am honor, courage, integrity, fidelity, courtesy and I demand self control as well as ambition and humility. What your Founders did is take the idea of friendship and move it a significant step forward to the concept of commitment. Those of you who are leaders in your fraternity chapter - leaders both formal and informal - must continue to ask yourselves how you can improve in articulating to your members the message of your fraternity. Why is it that some of the members get it and others do not? To some the message goes deep and becomes a part of their very being, while for others it never scratches the surface. Ask yourself the question when you attend your regional meetings, your workshops, retreats, leadership schools, how much time do you spend discussing and sharing with each other what personal effect I have had on your lives? Do you, as so many chapters do, use me to start the meetings and close the meetings and become so involved in your day-to-day business that you forget I am there to be reflected upon? For those of you who do understand and use me, are you afraid or ashamed to share those experiences and thoughts with your fellow brothers? Those of you who are fraternity leaders and are not using me in this way are very derelict in your responsibilities, your duties, and the very oath that you took when you became a member and an officer in your fraternity. For, you see, as written in your esoteric manuals, I am really of very little value unless you and the other brothers come, and through your mutual sharing begin to experience the essence and depth of my message. Then you and I are activated by the real charge into your spiritual and moral fiber that is possible for all men but achieved by too few. The effectiveness of my message is in direct proportion to your knowledge and belief in my values. If there is something about me that you do not like, then ask the convention of your fraternity to change me, but for Gods sake do not ignore me. It is the indifference to and the ignorance of my essential message that continues to stifle the growth of the fraternity system. Never has the time been so ripe as this period in our history, when the young people of today on our college campuses are crying out for the kind of message, guidance, value, and leadership that has been so long hidden in my pages. If you would just realize that by better knowing and understanding me, many of your day-to-day problems, housing, collections, and apathy, would simply fade away and not exist. Basically I am a road map to help a person along his journey of life and assist him in his communion with his fellow travelers. Who am I? Your ritual. What am I? A system of values. What am I for? My purpose is not to make you just a better fraternity man, but more importantly, a better human being.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Edward M. King was the Director of Housing and Residential Life at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois. He is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and has been inducted into their Order of Constantine.