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Presidential Address
First and foremost, I wanted to reiterate the Fraternity's sincere sympathy and empathy toward the victims of Hurricane Katrina and especially those who are and who are related to Alpha Delts. Again, as we follow the progress of the city of New Orleans, we will start to coordinate efforts and organize any help Epsilon Chapter needs to get back on their feet and ready to take on another semester.
Next, I wanted to publicize this note in regards to our Convention this past month in Northern Kentucky. It was quite the challenge and I thank the Alumni and Actives of Rho Chapter for a successful week.
The National Fraternity introduced a Culture Change in front of the attending delegates. There, we linked our downfalls and failures to the reasons for change and hopefully we will see a steady move toward positive growth and expansion.
Specifically, the Culture Change is attacking three fronts.
The first front is to return all members to an understanding that we are indeed not just a Social Fraternity but a Fraternity founded around other values such as Service, Spiritual, Scholastic, and School-Spirit.
An alum of another Fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi, once stated, "The shortcomings of Alpha Delta Phi exist for one reason: We have failed to stay true to the ideals upon which we were founded." He later mentioned that without always being challenged by our values - if we take for granted the very principles we were founded upon - tradition becomes a relic and brotherhood an excuse.
The Council began to question this at Alpha Delta Gamma and it is more and more clear to us that we have, indeed, swayed too far way from the Five S's and have become too much of an entertainment-centered organization. A return to the Five S's is needed and our True Purpose of being members needs to be re-emphasized.
The second front is the reorganization of our local Alumni Associations. This related to the first front stated above in that with a re-emphasis on the Five S's, hopefully older alumni realize that we are not just a social group but a more genuine organization of Brothers (actives and alums) immersing ourselves in all of the Five S's.
We hope this realization is going to inspire alumni to support our cause. That is, so long as we are hitting home with alumni, we envision they are going to remember their own call to the Five S's and return and help our Chapters succeed in the Five S's. And from there, want to organize themselves in the Alumni Associations. We are grateful for the start of such maneuvers at a number of our Chapters already. More focused and stronger alumni support is nothing but a positive growth factor at Alpha Delta Gamma.
The third front is more emphasis of the existence of the Fraternity through her membership. It was very clear to the Council that we have no strong say at many of our Chapters. Specifically, I think you can agree that National has no leverage over our Chapters aside from the possibility of removing individual memberships or Charters. This has clearly been viewed by most members (Actives and Alums) as an extreme action - hence a bogus threat - and, hence, has since disallowed National to have any strong influence, purpose or reason to exist at the local level.
The Convention Delegates have approved two changes that will alleviate this. First is the implementation of the Board of Governors. The below is what was amended in the Constitution and a replacement to what was the Regional Directors.
Section 1133: National Board of Governors
Every Chapter will have a National Governor assigned to them. This Governor will, per the above, be a strong liaison between the Chapters and National. National can better hear and understand the needs of the Chapter and the Chapter can better hear and understand the needs of National. This includes the Governor performing as a strong advisor to the Chapter in the area of Chapter protocol management, responsibility, accountability and organization in the Five S's.
The second change in this third front that the Convention Delegates approved is the fact that only the Governor or a Current National Officer will be allowed to perform the Water and Wine Ceremony. This maneuver is taken from other National Fraternities for similar reasons as to why this has been adopted at ADG. Everyone should already know that the Water and Wine was originally authored to be the official induction ceremony of Alpha Delta Gamma. New memberships should be allowed into the Chapter so long as the Chapter and new or existing members comply with the typical and necessary responsibilities of an Active member and Chapter.
In conclusion, none of the National Officers expect such a Culture Change to happen overnight. Some changes, such as the Water and Wine authorization and the implementation of the Board of Governors, should have immediate effects. However, the more important aspects - distinguishing ourselves as an organization of the Five S's and the greater participation of Alumni and reorganization of Alumni Associations - we know will take much longer. Rome was, most definitely, not built in a day.
Below is my State of the Fraternity Address which I gave at Convention, it further explains the Culture Change and even what our Fraternity should strive to be. Please continue reading and review the below as well.
City Walled, Brothers,
Dear Brothers,
It was an amazing week in Northern Kentucky. We expressed some very serious concerns and presented some very helpful seminars and discussions.
My views on the State of the Fraternity were expressed at the Final Banquet and are written below. Please read and share your thoughts with your Chapters - whether you are an active or alum.
City Walled, Brothers,
National Convention - Northern Kentucky August 13, 2005 Every year I have the "privilege" of addressing the entire Fraternity and to give an update as to the State of the Fraternity. I can start only with this past week, as it has been a milestone for Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity. We have addressed some very serious issues plaguing us and inhibiting our growth. And by changing the Culture of the Fraternity we hope to increase alumni involvement into the local Chapters and most importantly, instill a renewed understanding of why we are Alpha Delta Gamma. In order to understand the Council's thinking in regards to why we decided on Culture Change midway through the last fiscal year, however, let me summarize with the following: We continue to have problems gaining recognition on a couple of campuses due partly to questionable practices of the members. We have little response from our actives in regards to their National Responsibilities - from their accountability to turn in dues and insurance to submitting a roster. Less than 50% of the active membership is on a payment plan or has completely paid off dues. We continue to lack in strong membership growth so much that we nearly lost 1 Chapter due to lack of membership. We have 1 Chapter's Charter suspended for 1 year for fighting with another student organization. The school's primary reasoning for the suspension was to "deal with the considerable internal problems and behaviors plaguing the chapter." We had alleged illegal substances at candidate events. Sure maybe, *just maybe*, some of these things just happen - but when you're talking about a Fraternity as small as we are - these things are unacceptable. Your actions as an individual speak louder than the actions of a member drowning in the vast sea of membership in a larger Fraternity. It is time for a return to accountability. This Fraternity's membership and Brotherhood should no longer be held hostage against this quasi-Civil Disobedience. Just as a University disciplines or expels students because of poor grades or inappropriate behavior - we should be just as helpful but not naïve to any member who demonstrates conduct unbecoming a member of this National Fraternity - or broader, conduct unbecoming a decent member of society. I think everyone agrees that this organization today, her history and her future, deserves better than that. I see this Culture Change as the means in which to start to solve these problems. And only by having more experienced members intimately involved in our Chapters are we going to change this. Because if we don't change how this Fraternity operates - if all actives and alums don't gain the respect of all of the same, if we don't re-focus our efforts, restate our mission - we will continue to remain stagnant or sink with the same problems. And unfortunately, such malignant problems take a huge toll on our Officers and other Government members. There's only so much disappointment and exhaustion any one officer can take - and I further believe that not only is it a factor driving officers and directors from their office, it is keeping many individuals from stepping forward to take the reigns. I hope what I've said so far has furthered your understanding of what I, and the rest of the officers, have to go through day-in-and-day-out. I hope you've gained a stronger understanding for our desire for change - and our desire for a new beginning. Please understand that it is not my intention to simply bring you down tonight. But I am merely and very frankly stating our reasons for Change. And perhaps, I've just been meaning to express some "tough love" for a while now. I've probably been expressing what so many National Presidents have suppressed in the past. Back then, because of the dwindling number of Chapters, talking about Candidate Education or closing down a Chapter was considered ADG's "political third rail". But I don't know how what I've said will automatically kill my career here because I *know* what I've said is hitting home with all of you - all of you who care enough to actually come to this Convention. You know a well as I do, that this Fraternity has much more potential than is being shown. In another Fraternity's call for change, Ed Donohue, Past National President of Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity, once stated: "What really needs to be done is to peel away the accumulation of practices and habits which distort and obscure what we're really about." He later read a letter that he received from an alum of ADPhi. The alum wrote: "The shortcomings of Alpha Delta Phi exist for one reason: We have failed to stay true to the ideals upon which we were founded. Alpha Delta Phi, like all Greek organizations, has, over a period of more than a hundred years, shifted its focus. At the basic undergraduate level, Alpha Delta Phi has changed from a Ritual-centered organization to an entertainment-centered organization…This gradual shift has taken the Fraternity farther and farther from its fundamental values...Remember, without ever-challenging standards, tradition becomes a [relic] and brotherhood an excuse." Again, without always being challenged by our values, if we take for granted the very principles we were founded upon - tradition becomes a relic and brotherhood an excuse. Strong words, friends. And definitely something that ADG can relate to. I've seen how we've been operating over the past 9 years and our declining membership numbers do not lie. With a renewed understanding of why our Fraternity was founded, and further, a re-emphasis of those ideals and virtues - a balance of the Five S's - we should be in a stronger position to attract high quality and well-rounded undergraduates for membership - members who are aware that there is so much more to the Fraternity than one's own social prowess. I said in my acceptance speech last year in Miami that, as citizens of the United States, we are all trying to live the American Dream. And that as Alpha Delts, we should all be living an Alpha Delt Dream of where we see this National Fraternity headed in the future and what National should mean to our Chapters.
I'm happy to say that we have finally laid out the steps to try to make this dream a reality.
A major section of this change, Brothers, is Alumni participation and a renewed emphasis on being in a "Fraternity for Life". We should always keep an eye on the active members….but alumni should be the stronger voice. It is time to remember that Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity is not just an organization of undergraduates. And I know it is a subject on any member's mind: "How can I give this much time if I have so little time to give?" Brothers, I have been asking myself this question for a very long while myself. And not only have stretched myself thin because of time and patience, but I have also been on the receiving end of non-compliant and non-responsive actives, exorbitant dues and insurance not received, ridicule on my opinion as a National Officer…but I am still here. And the fact of the matter is, if we cared enough, if we felt for the actives in ensuring their experience of ADG is as important and life-influencing as it was for us; if we felt that ADG is what molded us into the person we find ourselves today; then there is no excuse to give what little time we can. I'm not asking everyone to be an officer or be National President. But we cannot ever forget the Fraternity and our call to help our Brothers. I'm not a preacher but a couple of Sunday's ago, the Gospel revealed that Jesus Christ fed 5000 men plus women and children by giving and changing what little He had into a surplus of food for everyone. My parish priest connected the story to us in our daily lives. And even though it may look hopeless to us as far as helping; even though we may have so little; it us up to us to give what little effort and time we have available, for the betterment of life in general. And if you feel that your life is indeed better with ADG, then give what time you can to ensure the same for the younger members of our Fraternity. And actives here, I don't want you to think I'm not talking to you - because you too will be an alum soon enough. But your understanding as an active on what it means to be an alum hopefully was redefined this week. You, as actives, need to know now how much you will be needed in the future. And you need an understanding of what an Alum can actually do for you and the Chapter. I invite these gentlemen if they are here to stand up and remain standing: Peter Manning, Chuck Priddy, Damian Pataluna, and Anthony Schembari who lead a group of other alums if they can also stand if they're here: Chris Seigfreid, John David, Jarrad Roby, Jack Horn, Lewis Bertolucci, Jeremy Gettelfinger, Brent Coomes, and Joseph Murphy. These men have, and are showing, the very meat of the Culture Change as they have stepped forward as Alums to bring in nine new members of Xi Chapter in the month of April. (A standing ovation was given at this time.) What happened in Louisville in the 4 weeks of April, as I said, is the very meat of what we want this Culture Change to be. It is clear that those alums remembered that we are indeed a Fraternity for Life and they sacrificed and stepped forward not only for the existence if their Chapter but for the good of the new actives who will now experience what ADG is all about. We cannot be at the same level as some of these other small national Fraternities 10 to 15 chapters larger than us. They have so much alumni support that one Fraternity gives every new active a laptop and they award good grades by paying a member's rent for the semester. But simply, for now at ADG and without costing a dime, we merely should recognize that we have a responsibility to make sure that our Active members are getting the most out of their college experience through the Five S's. At the undergraduate level, the Fraternity should be a catalyst to understanding human interaction, friendship and trust. The Fraternity should help those members who want to be leaders or can be leaders - GROW into leaders. And most importantly, The Fraternity must be the classroom that teaches how to help, not only each other, but the world of men and women around us. THAT is our culture change, Brothers. With the help and realization of the Five S's, this organization should have a renewed focus in making sure that we are, indeed, assuring all members' futures as educated, decent, and successful members of society. Alumni should not be the actives' fathers, but we simply want to remain as their equals, their Brothers - Brothers for Life - the way ADG was meant to exist! When Anthony Desantis (Twan) came into office in 1996, there was a huge excitement provided only by the fact that one of our own, a 21 y/o, was taking command of the National Office. It was an automatic calling to bring Chapters back into the fold with National. It was a very "Active-Focused" administration. It's safe to say that the Blackstock and Lind Administrations were both still "Active-Focused" administrations. Having served as Executive VP during that entire time, I saw a lot of my work revolved around Chapter problems. Now we come to the Cabrera Administration. And with all that we've done this week in regards to this Culture Change I think it's safe to say that we are not just Active Focused but "Active-becoming-Alum-focused" "Fraternity-for-Life Focused". Honestly, much of my motivation has been coming from the officers who I have the honor and pleasure of working with and for. Jim and Alex both approached me on the Saturday night after the election last year and pledged on their honor to me that they will do whatever it takes to make this Administration a successful one. I thank them for that. Because of this will to succeed - because of our vision and leadership for the future - we would not be calling for Change as we are now. We are in a progressive and, dare I say, radical stance at forwarding the National Fraternity and changing the Culture of what it means to be an Alpha Delt as an Active, AND NOW, as an Alum as well. Four dedicated men founded our Fraternity in 1924. We are standing our ground 81 years later with more than 10,000 surviving members. Each one of us contributes in one way or another. Never think that just you, by yourself, cannot make a difference. Keep the momentum we've gained from this Convention going forward not only for your Fraternity but for yourselves as *a member* of *Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity*. The State of the Fraternity? Brothers, consider us now in a State of Change. Thank you.
City Walled, Brothers, |
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Presidential Address 
Dear Brothers-
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