Calling It Quits
July 17th, 2008 by Art Hebbeler. Popularity: 51%.Earlier this year, the chapter which I served as High Pi was involved in an incident that almost brought great discredit to the Fraternity. It wasn’t exactly a chapter event, said the undergrads and young alumni involved, since it was at the house rented by several actives, alumni, and at least one non-Lambda Chi. It was the type of event I feared. “If it looks like a chapter event to the outside world,” I had been telling the guys, “then it needs to be treated like one.”
In a nutshell, the event resulted in suspension of the chapter (suspended sentence) by the university and probation by the General Fraternity and an Alumni Control Board. That was too light a penalty in my eyes.
When the event first happened, and I finally got informed by the chapter president (who did everythink BUT call me when the problem first happened), I called the High Zeta together at my home for a meeting. Pending further investigation, I told them, I was removing the High Alpha from office and placing the chapter under alumni control. This wasn’t the first time they had done things behind my back, but this time, two young people almost lost their lives.
When I notified the General Fraternity HQ of my actions, I was told immediately that my actions would not be backed up by HQ, and furthermore, they would not step in to stop medding by another alumnus, even though they had first told me that the other alumnus was out of line.
Flabbergasted, the only thing I could say was, “Without support that I was promised, I think I’ll have to step down.” Without a second passing, I hear, “Thank you for your service. Good-bye.”
After a degree of further study by the univerity and HQ, the actions which I had first put in place, except the removal of the High Alpha, were all taken. A chapter on the way up, one that was not my own by initiation, but one for which I had fought hard, was now in serious difficulty. Rather than being a part of the healing, I was tossed under the bus by the very people who had assured me in training to be a High Pi that HQ “would always back me up” when acting in good faith for the good of the Fraternity.
Unfortunately, that was not true. I have really been hurt by what happened, and it has taken several months for me to be able to write or talk about the event without getting upset and hurt again. I bleed Purple, Green, and Gold. I have fought to get undergraduates and alumni alike to support the work of our General Fraternity headquarters when that wasn’t in vogue. I have lived my obligations as a Lambda Chi daily for better than 27 years.
But right now, I have to step aside from my interaction with Lambda Chi Alpha until there are some changes–and yes, an apology or two–in and from our Headquarters staff. I am unable to support the individuals there, even though I support my–our–Fraternity. I had looked forward to Phoenix this summer, but I simply could not get the inner strength to go, knowing that the hurt that I had would likely resurface, and in a moment of weakness, I might say something unkind to a brother.
Time will heal things, I am sure. But until there are some changes, I am going to sit down and shut up after this “Voices” entry. I ask your forgiveness, my brethren, for my failures as a High Pi that obviously led to the problems at Phi-Delta Zeta (Maryland Baltimore County), and because of those failures, shall be true to my obligation and invoke upon myself other lawful penalties.
In ZAX,
Art Hebbeler
AA1038
July 18th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Brother Hebbler, allow me to be the first one to say how sad this is for you as The High Pi, but for the Zeta and LXA International.
To many times there is a knee jerk reaction from the seriousness of the infraction of the violation.
We are in a Risk Management position where anything is not allowed no matter how small it may seem, right or wrong.
I have always been anti closing a Zeta for the fau paxs of a few when the Zeta in total is doing well.
So, where is the line drawn? Do We as a Internationl cut and run or work with the fine Brothers who were not involved or let them hang in the wind?
How many past, current and future Brothers are harmed from this move?
So, my concerne is that you are not going to be working with LXA.
Frustration I am sure is the key word! Been there so it is nothing new.
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:59 am
I agree with Mr. Earp; as a brother, then Alumni, and now as an older Advisor to my chapter, I have never liked the notion that where two or more brothers gather, so does the fraternity. The many should not be punished beacuse of the actions of a few.
However, Mr. Earp, I think Hebbeler does have a point. I too have seen the times where a large group of actives threatened the chapter’s existence. I too noticed HQ’s reluctance to step in and back the High PI even though he actually had a large Alumni group in support of him and the actions that needed to be taken.
It was almost as though Nationals said, “sorry we are not in the business of righting the ship but it better get righted or else”.
In ZAX,
David Baldwin
Sigma-Tau 193
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I was told in my chapter that the actions of a few affect all of us. The actions of a few are the reason why my chapter was probated or suspended three times while I was a brother, not to mention the times before and after. One of the primary definitions of “brotherhood” is to take responsibility for ourselves and, in turn, our brothers.
If two members of chapter XYZ screw-up and get the entire chapter in trouble, then the entire chapter is at fault for not stopping those brothers before it got too far. Brotherhood is a culture.
Though it sucks that a non-fraternity house event can be classified as a fraternity event because two or more brothers are present, unfortunantly the lawyers have had their way. Frankly, it’s ridiculous because how can two brothers go anywhere without holding the liability for anything that happens along the way to anyone? The precident is there, technically! Nevertheless, that’s life. It’s been part of the downfall of fraternities, or at least their transformation (however positive or negative that may turn out to be).
When I was a brother, the chapter was disliked by the University administration, many professors, and I’d say a majority of students. There was bad blood and distaste everywhere, for no reason. No matter what good we did, something negative would happen to us that would shoot us down. That is partly bad management, but also partly not our fault. But that is how things are these days. Personal freedoms and personal accountability fall second to money, power, and control the more time goes by. Welcome to America!