| Lambda Chi Alpha is back |
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| Written by Chava Thomas - Argonaut | ||||||
| Tuesday, 17 February 2009 | ||||||
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Lambda Chi Alpha, a national fraternity founded in 1909, is on the University of Idaho campus for the first time since 2005. The fraternity recruiters will be on campus for the next three weeks and are trying to build a membership of about 30 men. At the end of their tenure on campus, they will appoint 12 chapter officers to lead the fraternity. “They have the opportunity to get hands-on experience building a chapter from the ground up,” said Aiden Mette, recruiter for Lambda Chi Alpha. Lambda Chi Alpha, a national fraternity founded in 1909, is on the University of Idaho campus for the first time since 2005. The fraternity recruiters will be on campus for the next three weeks and are trying to build a membership of about 30 men. At the end of their tenure on campus, they will appoint 12 chapter officers to lead the fraternity. “They have the opportunity to get hands-on experience building a chapter from the ground up,” said Aiden Mette, recruiter for Lambda Chi Alpha. Lambda Chi Alpha’s recruiting process is based on students approaching the organization with interest in being part of the fraternity, rather than having “big pompous events,” Mette said. ASUI President Garrett Holbrook has shown interest in being part of the fraternity, Mette said, and is actively recruiting students on campus. “They’re looking to put a group of guys together based on strong leadership, and I’m willing to be a part of anything based on leadership and civic duty,” Holbrook said. Lambda Chi Alpha’s philosophy is based on seven core values — loyalty, duty, respect, service and stewardship, honor, integrity and personal courage. The fraternity doesn’t use the pledge system, which Mette said implied new members were “subservient,” and instead considers new recruits associate members who have the same privileges as initiated members. Initiation for associate members consists of a seven-week “experiential learning process” based on the core values. This is known as the True Brother Initiative. “The big thing we’re excited about is how we have this new programming,” Mette said. Participants in the True Brother Initiative participate in service learning and community service as well as group discussions. “We want two guys on the other side of the circle interacting,” Mette said. Mette said Lambda Chi Alpha uses the word “true” before its programs in the same way that Apple uses “i” before the names of its products. Some programs include the leadership program called True Leader and the True Intrapersonal Development program used to educate members. “We’re centered on values,” Mette said. Lambda Chi Alpha first appeared on the UI campus in 1927. In 1998, the chapter disbanded due to risk management issues and leased their house to Alpha Gamma Rho, another fraternity on campus. Mette said Alpha Gamma Rho and Lambda Chi Alpha had a “fantastic relationship.” Mette said Alpha Gamma Rho is looking into buying the Tau Kappa Epsilon house. Mette said Lambda Chi Alpha’s connections with its West Coast chapters had always been loose, but that was not the case with UI. “We always had a strong connection with Idaho,” Mette said.  Add as favorites (113) | Views: 1842
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