From: Arthur G. Gilkes
To: the PA Alpha Brothers

Subject: December Meeting with W&J Officials Concerning Phi Psi Housing Crisis

On Friday, December 8, 2006. I had the pleasure of meeting with Gerry Stebbins and Natalie J. Giantsos. She is the Assistant director of Greek Life and Gerry is the Associate Dean of Student Life.

The major point that Gerry impressed on me is that he is a friend of the fraternity system generally and has made the Phi Psi’s his project to be on campus, in a house and a strong fraternity in particular. He is willing to go the extra mile because he is a fraternity man who has a great desire to preserve the “Alpha” chapter. Not only are his sympathies with the fraternity concept but he is also active in his fraternity both nationally and at his college. In addition, he has a longstanding friendship with Shawn Collinsworth, Executive Director of the Phi Psi national. Finally, he said that he is even willing to be Pa Alpha’s facility advisor, but he did say that that might scare the brothers too much.

Once the bona fides were out of the way, Gerry went into what he saw as the problems of the PA Alpha chapter. I felt the order of these were interesting. Conduct was not at the head of the list but from what I have seen, as opposed to what I have heard, fourth-and fifth-hand, it is a problem. Nevertheless, Gerry’s listing starts with the nuts and bolts of an organization:

First, he said that there was a problem with dues. According to him there are a number of undergraduate brothers who were are delinquent on dues. He suggested that realistic collection methods and practices be put in place, such as having a collector, signing promissory notes, and going to the magistrate, if necessary. But the real problem is recognizing the obligation and the responsibility of being in the “brotherhood.” Gerry also suggested that this area might be an opportunity for older alumni brother to provide financial counseling to the new undergraduate brother fellowship.

Second was the inability of the chapter to recruit new members, to not only fill the ranks but also to have brothers who will recognize the responsibility of a fraternity commitment and actually live in the house.

Third, the Brothers were not good citizens in that they did not participate in community service. Gerry is concerned that the fraternity must be more that a place to drink beer and do crazy things.

Fourth involved the exercise of judgment and recognizing that there are rules; house rules and college rules. He recounted a couple of instances of juvenile hi-jinks or just irresponsible conduct which was plain stupid. Of course, “us old guys from the big house era” were model citizens. As an aside remember: Move over Big Betty, Hirsch is serving beer and pizza.

The next area of discussion was the annual review. Gerry gave me the documents for the Annual Chapter Review. This is a college-wide endeavor which involves all fraternities and not just the Phi Psis. The areas to be evaluated are: ritual and fraternal values, scholarship, community service and philanthropy, campus involvement, leadership alumni/ae, graduate members, and parents, finances, total membership development, risk management and housing.

This review process is an interesting and important endeavor because it focuses on the relevancy of the fraternity system in today’s college environment, where the college provides living quarters and food services. In spite of the fact that it has been more than 30 years since the college took over these functions from the fraternities, I do not believe that the fraternities have found an alternate raison d’etre, since the housing and feeding functions have been taken away. It is surprising to me how many fraternities have been suspended or just went out of existence at W&J.

Getting back to the Annual Review. Values and risk management are the bookends of the College and the fraternity/sorority life. Basically what is the talking point and what the real concern of the College, and also the national fraternities, is: are these kids doing things that will increase the chance of lawsuits. These potential lawsuits would not only be against the College, which is an obvious target defendant, but also increasingly against the national.

Gerry also emphasized that the fact of life in today’s world is that the College has to minimize its exposure to lawsuits, not just liability. Gerry also emphasized that he and the College do want to keep college life as unencumbered with rules as possible.

Gerry said that he has a good relationship with the newly elected Phi Psi president. The problem is that the new president does not live in the fraternity house, but there was some talk that he might in the near future. I took the “good relationship” to mean that the new Phi Psi president and Gerry are working on the Annual Chapter Report.. The Report is due April 2, 2007.

Although I did not meet with the new chapter president, I did get a chance to speak with several undergraduate Phi Psi’s. These young men seem a little oblivious to the crisis; concluding that the more serious problems will be corrected with the graduation of the present chapter seniors. The brothers I have met are all underclassman and believe that the Phi Psi’s will have an outstanding pledge class. Still, I have been to the College a number of times in recent years and the Phi Psi house has never looked well kept. The chapter members appear to be in need of some hands-on fellowship by the alumni!!

Gerry did mention that the Phi Psi’s were the only chapter that did not have a faculty advisor. Gerry also gave me some grade point average tallies. Phi Psi’s were last in grade point average in every category.

In conclusion, the future of PA Alpha at W&J is uncertain. Time is growing short. Alumni assistance is vitally needed.