Lambda Chi Alpha has been on the campus of A&T since 2001 as a colony, and now it seems that the fraternity is on its way to becoming a charted chapter. “We hoped to be charted as early as Apr. 16,” said Cliff Lowery, director of Multicultural Student Affairs and advisor of Lambda Chi Alpha.
Lambda Chi Alpha is currently a colony, meaning they can only accept associate members through their various social events and programs, and men who want to join must express their interest in the organization at which time the brothers would take a vote and decide on their membership.
Difficult tasks like these have been some of the major problems Lambda Chi Alpha have been challenge with since their colonization in 2001. “It’s hard to keep members because minority [presence] students often time transfer to other schools,” said Lowery. “But I am happy to say that we now have the 20 member needed,” add Lowery.
Lambda Chi Alpha is a fraternity that represents diversity and believes that their organization will give students an outlet from the other fraternities and their standards. Lambda Chi Alpha was founded in 1909 on the campus of Boston University by Warren A. Cole.
Today, Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men’s fraternities in North America with more than 227,000 initiated members and chapters at more than 300 universities. The fraternity was the first organization to eliminate hazing, “We treat each man as a man and nothing less,” said Terrell Brown, President of Lambda Chi Alpha.
In Lambda Chi Alpha the associate members are given the same right as there brothers who are full members. The associate members are able to hold offices in the fraternity as well as being able to have a vote in the fraternity. Instead of hazing, the fraternity uses different methods in creating brotherhood in the organization. They have social events, community service projects, and they also attend activities on campus together as ways of getting to know each other and creating a bond amongst one another.
“I enjoy watching two member play football together and eat lunch together, because it’s difficult for them to find time together since they do not all live in a specific area,” said Lowery.
Once the colony becomes a chapter the associate members then have the choice of becoming brothers of the fraternity, at which time the associate member declares that he wants to become a brother. Then he is taken in by his fellow member where they go through the process of about the fraternity and how to be a good brother to the organization. Unlike the other fraternities on A&T’s campus it is not traditional for Lambda Chi Alpha to have probates.
“As a colony we are not allowed to participate in probates,” said Brown, “but next year we will have to come up with a way to introduce ourselves to the public,” Brown added.
It is also not in the Lambda Chi Alpha tradition to have a step team but once the colony is chartered on this campus the members want to form a step team in hopes that other chapters of the fraternity will follow them in creating a new tradition.
“A lot of the guys are very excited about forming a step team,” said Lowery. The fraternity looks at this idea as another way to have fun and bond with each other.
Another thing that the fraternity wants, once they are chartered, is a plot on campus. The members have already discussed ideas about having a plot and what area they would like it to be on. The members have already selected a plot manager and have been looking at a few sites that they will recommend to the campus, “If all goes well we could have a plot by next fall,” said Lowery.
Lambda Chi Alpha wants everyone to know that they are not trying to take over any fraternity, the members just look at this new venture as a change.
“Lambda Chi Alpha represents diversity and a way for those who can’t relate to the other to fraternities to have some place to belong,” said Brown. This is a common misconception that Lambda Chi Alpha is not a real fraternity but with the charter the fraternity is hoping that others will see them as a real fraternity.
“I feel like Lambda Chi Alpha may not be recognized to the public as a real fraternity at first but in time the public will grow to except them for what they are, a real fraternity,” said Matthew Melvin, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. In spite of the the lack of support that Lambda Chi Alpha may have, they believe that A&T is going to accept them.
“The guys and I are excited about becoming a chapter on A&T’s campus, and it has been so exciting working with these guys for four years and watching them develop into men,” said Lowery. “I see these guys doing great things with Lambda Chi Alpha in the future.”
- Alexis K. Mason