THE EXPONENT: Volume 2, Number 1

News and Commentary for Triangle Leaders Brought to you by the Fraternity Strengthening Committee of National Council

This is the first issue of The EXPONENT in 1996. You might notice a bit of a different look to the format as we've put in some subsections and for those of you who receive paper copies, we've made it look less like it came to you printed from email. Other than that, the content is still intended to help you find ways to improve the status quo at your chapters. As talked about last summer at the Herb Scobie Leadership School, we all make choices every day about almost everything. Only you can choose to do the things that can make this the year that Triangle really began a Renaissance.

Contents

• Brotherhood
  • Brotherhood Building Activities
  • Building a Better Triangle - One Man at a Time
• Chapter Management
  • Chemical-Free Living Environment at Maine
  • Leadership is an Elusive Art
  • Recruitment Survey Shows Trends
• Spotlight on Triangle Chapters
  • LegoMania! at the Minnesota Chapter
• Spotlight on Triangle
  • Programs
  • Reminders
• Spotlight on Prominent Triangles
  • Meet Your Councilmen: Jeff Scott wis87

Brotherhood Building Activities

excerpt from NIC Campus Commentary (Feb. 1993)

Both NIC-member fraternities and campus Greek communities are finding these resources excellent compilations of many existing ideas. The publications are ready-made, user-friendly documents to complement a workshop on Brotherhood building for new member educators and others.

The following is a sample from the first book:

Board of Directors

supplies needed: drawing sheet and pen/pencil
suggested time: 30 minutes
activity agenda: Have everyone write down the names of people who have had a positive impact on them, i.e. family, friends, teachers, pastors, etc. These are people who have had a significant part in shaping who they are.

Explain that there are five traits that people often have (note: not always) who are on their Boards of Directors. Discuss one at a time and have the group share person/people on their Boards who have that particular trait.

(NOTE: If objective is for people to gain a deeper understanding of themselves, then you may want for people to share in pairs/small groups. If the objective is for the group to gain a greater understanding of each other, then you will want for people to share as a group...this will require more time.)

Five common traits of people who sit on our Boards of Directors:

• have high expectations of you
• have a one-to-one relationship with you
• have trusted you
• you have a sense of responsibility to them - you don't want to let them down
• taught you something of importance

(NOTE: These characteristics are the cornerstones of interpersonal relationships which make impact on others.)

Large group discussion questions: (15 minutes)

• what are the characteristics you have acquired from these individuals?
• what individuals sit on your Board of Directors?
• are there any different or unusual types of people who have had an impact on you?
• do these significant individuals have similar characteristics?
• do these people know they're on your Board of Directors? have you recognized and thanked them?
• how many Boards of Directors are YOU on?
• are you establishing relationships with others to help them grow based on the five common traits?

Building a Better Triangle - One Man At A Time

Al Evon ar88

Triangle Director of Chapter Services

• To do something or nothing
• To complete a task or leave it incomplete
• To give any task your best effort or to sabotage it with less
• To raise or lower your standards
• To be exceptional or ordinary
• To be enthusiastic or to whine or be indifferent
• To honor or betray friends
• To keep your promises or to forsake them
• To trust or to doubt
• To be constructive or destructive
• To be careful or to be reckless
• To smile or to frown
• To be kind or to be mean
• To decrease entropy or increase entropy
• To give more than you get or to take more than you give

In the next few months, you will see more and more of the results of our efforts -- a redesigned version of Triangle Building (see the article below) and the newly-created Summit Program, for instance. Some of you may say, "So what? How can a program help me or my chapter?" Well, there are no guarantees, except one: If you don't attempt to use them, they won't help you. Here are some things you may get out of using them if the proper time and effort is put in:

Structured Leadership Development

• You will be involved in the chapter and on campus
• You will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of your chapter and then help to develop a plan to overcome those weaknesses and to take advantage of your strengths
• You will take on great responsibility and improve the chapter environment to foster personal growth for yourself and your Brothers

Improved Recruitment Results

• Your chapter will recruit quality individuals; some of whom may have thought fraternities weren't for them
• Your chapter will have the opportunity and the means to recruit year-round

Improved Retention

• Your chapter will be able to better educate these quality individuals
• Your chapter's pledge education program will integrate and assimilate new members into the chapter
• The chapter will have the means to reward quality
• The chapter's alumni base and Triangle's alumni base will grow as involved pledges become involved actives and then become interested and involved alumni

Enhanced Ritual

• The Ritual will come to life in your chapter because it serves as one of the cornerstones for these programs
• The members of your chapter will live the Ritual daily...not just take it out of the closet for an initiationReduced Apathy
• Structured programming will continue to develop leadership skills through the senior year
• Upperclassmen have roles as advisors and active participants and thus stay interested and involvedImproved Academics
• You will learn how to set priorities, goals, and action plans in place and in motion
• Brothers will help each other with studies and encourage each other to continue toward their dreamsStronger Relationships
• You will form lifelong friendships through philanthropy and Brotherhood activities
• You will form and strengthen relationships with your University and Community as you interact with them

Product

Chemical-free Living Environment at Maine

excerpt from NIC Campus Commentary (Mar. 1994)

Respect among other fraternities is evident. Douglas Robertson, a member of Sigma Chi, was recently elected president of the IFC with 80% of the vote. Robertson defeated candidates from two other chapters.

The term "chemical-free" living environment means that alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes are not used on chapter property or within the physical facility. Members still "go out and have fun. We do not have an alcohol-free membership," says Robertson.

"The purpose in becoming chemical-free wasn't to dry up the house, but rather to go back to the basics. The fraternity did not start as a drinking club. The time had come to get back to what the Ritual means. Alcohol in the house makes the whole thing more difficult," added Robertson.

Concerning recruitment, the chapter is getting a lot of people who are attracted to the Brotherhood. "The fact that we live in a chemical-free environment is not driving prospective members away. The Brotherhood is tight," says Robertson.

New members are coming with solid academic records and high regard for personal integrity. The quality is evident. Although the chemical-free environment is the primary attraction for some new members, the chapter's alcohol policy appears to reinforce the decision for most men to join the Brotherhood.

Sororities on campus agree with the positive changes in Sigma Chi. The women consider the members gentlemen, and the chapter is actively pursued for social activities. Social activities are held at a local restaurant and bar. The chapter charges an admission fee to cover the cost of a live band. The restaurant checks all Ids, dispenses all alcohol, and collects all cash for drinks. Not only is the chapter saving significant wear and tear on its renovated chapter house, but it has lowered its liability by both not serving alcohol on its property and not providing the alcohol with chapter funds.

Response from alumni has been favorable. Both personal involvement and financial contributions are up. From classes prior to the early 1960s, participation has "gone straight through the roof," says Robertson.

When members want to study, the house is quiet to study. Members still have fun, but if they want to drink, they must do it away from the chapter house. With no alcohol in the house, there is not temptation or distraction. Starting with one lone Brother two years ago, the Sigma Chi membership has grown to 32. The chapter house holds 35 and will be filled to capacity next fall.

Maintaining a chemical-free living environment cannot be taken for granted among the membership. "Every semester we have to look at why we are doing it. We are going against the norms of society, and everyone in the house has to understand the reasons for being chemical-free. We make a conscious effort to know who we are and why are here," says Robertson.

Although chemical-free living environments are far from the norm within the fraternity community, the idea is gaining acceptance among undergraduates not only on the Maine campus, but across the country. Two other Maine chapters are considering duplicating Sigma Chi's effort. In addition, the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at Valparaiso University (IN) and the Alpha Tau Omega chapter at Indiana University have established chemical-free living environments. Leadership

Leadership Is An Elusive Art

Merle Newlon lou73

(from Aug 1991 Triangle Exponent)

"The complexities of modern society may be steering our youth away from leadership" (Gregory and Britt, 1987). Indeed, the futurists are making some startling (and sometimes frightening) predictions about the 21st century. For example:

European cities will ban private cars. Magnetically levitated trains will be able to reach speeds of 300 mph. Pills will increase human memory by 400%. Digital sketch pads and voice recognition systems will allow us to enter data without a keyboard. Thermodynamic glass, which resembles a video tube, will replace plastered walls. With a verbal command, you will instantly be able to change the color and decoration of your home or office. The American front lawn will vanish. The production, sale, and service of human spare parts (artificial eyes, legs, and hearts) will be a bigger business than auto parts. Fire resistant robots will rescue people from burning buildings.

The above listing reflects the end products of the new realities and those realities include the following:

1. Unstable, unpredictable, external environments
2. Constantly evolving and changing technology
3. The global marketplace
4. Increased diversity in the workplace
5. Increased need for and reliance upon information
6. The "skills" gap
7. Increased competition
8. Realization of natural environmental limitations
9. Interdependence of problems
10. Paradoxical goals (Van der Veer and Lucas, 1991)

So, perhaps more than ever before, Triangle needs to develop LEADERS. We need to capitalize on the opportunities that are available to our members and officers. Hopefully, the following items will give you some building blocks. You can learn leadership skills, and we definitely encourage you to take leadership classes and participate in leadership workshops, but the will and the fire must come from within you.

Allen (1991) has created some new assumptions about leadership for the future.

1. Leadership will not be hierarchical. Leaders will need to exist at all levels, working towards a common vision.
2. Leaders will need to think and work in the intangible realm.
3. Leaders will need to lead from the heart as well as the head.
4. Leaders will think about power differently. It will be used to empower others with skills, abilities, and self-confidence.
5. Leaders will need to focus on the big picture. Vision will need to be attached to the community and the environment. Decisions will have greater impact due to the interconnections between the world and their organization.
6. Leaders will need to be able to deal with ambiguity and be flexible.
7. Leaders will experience and feel comfortable with rapid change.
8. Leaders will involve other people in decisions and treat them with respect and consideration.

Recruitment Survey Shows Trends

excerpt from NIC Campus Commentary (Sep. 1994)

Overall Trends:

more students are joining fraternities - 21% (38)

no change in # of students joining fraternities - 34% (61)

fewer students joining fraternities - 45% (83)

Trends on Campuses Using Fraternity Forum:

more students joining fraternities - 37% (48), no change - 38% (49), fewer joining - 25% (32)

Trends on Campuses with Deferred Pledging:

more joining - 17% (8), no change - 33% (15), fewer joining - 50% (23)

Trends on Campuses Allowing Chapters to Bid Outside Concentrated Rush Periods:

more - 39% (32), NC - 48% (39), Fewer - 13% (11)

Trends on Campuses Requiring House Tours And/Or Visits to Each Chapter:

more - 16% (7), NC - 34% (15), fewer - 50% (22)

Likewise, 37% of campuses using Fraternity Forum are reporting more students joining fraternities (the U of MN reports a 500% increase in Rush numbers due to FF) compared to 17% overall. The success with FF appears to be more a function of implementation than design. Campuses indicating success with FF did the following:

• Fraternity members were properly training for their participation.
• Fraternity members actively approached non-affiliated students during FF.
• Fraternity members did not wait behind a table for students to show interest.
• Fraternity members did not wear letters or arrive at the FF in a large group.
• Fraternity members actively followed up with all students met at the FF.
• Fraternity members met additional students through those they met the FF.

LegoMania! at the Minnesota Chapter

Mark Snyder minn91 and the Brothers of the Minnesota Chapter

Programs

Triangle Building
A program originally developed by the Connecticut chapter and then formalized and enhanced by the National Director of Chapter Services, Triangle Building is a retreat style set of events that are intended to give an entire chapter and each member the opportunity to find out what is right with the chapter and also find out what can be improved. It is a chapter self-evaluation. It allows for every member of a chapter to participate as the chapter determines its strengths and weaknesses, prioritizes its critical areas, and develops its strategic plan. This activity can help establish a baseline at a chapter that will allow it to flourish for years to come as it is able to identify and then overcome problems which may arise. It also helps a chapter provide itself with a set of skills they will need for life (evaluation, prioritization, strategic planning, goal setting, and solution implementation). Finally, Triangle Building enables each chapter to adopt a set of standards that the membership feels comfortable with, rather than having their representatives of the National Chapter try to force standards upon them.

Resource Library
How many times have you wondered to yourself or your committee, "Man, I'm out of new ideas. I wish we could think of some other things to do." As a chapter officer, you might have asked, "What does he mean I'm supposed to put together a budget? How am I supposed to do that?" Finally, you might have thought to yourself, "What exactly IS a chapter supposed to do as far as [insert concept here]?" Even if you honestly never have thought about those things in those words, there are always new, different, and better ways of doing anything. Since National Council and the National Office realizes this, we have put together a service for our chapters to help them out of the "questioning mode." If you are ever stuck in the muck, trying to figure out how to conduct a meeting, make a Rush calendar, plan out a budget for an office or a whole chapter, put together a decent party, or just about anything else, the National Resource Library is for you! All you have to do is contact the National Headquarters or your chapter consultant by email, snail mail, phone, or fax with your question. Chances are good that the Library will have some answers for you. Why reinvent the wheel every time when you can take a tool that already exists and modify it to fit your specific situation?

For those chapters (we believe this means every chapter) that has had a good idea, no matter the area it's in, write it down and send it in. Like the Triangle Building program mentioned above, which was designed by the Connecticut chapter, your idea can be put to good use for your Brothers in other chapters. We all belong to Triangle first and our chapters second and we can help Brothers that we've never even met before by passing along good ideas!

Reminders

Regional Workshop 96
During the course of February and March, the annual Regional Workshops will take place. These workshops are intended to help your members, especially your chapter leadership learn new ways of thinking about Triangle and what it all about, as well as to develop leadership, management, and followership skills. What a man takes away from RW96 is solely up to his desire to learn. Remember that the professional world is demanding more "generalist" skills from us, even those of us who are technical. Eventually, even the most die-hard tech person will manage a budget, a project, and people. Triangle offers each of us the opportunity to learn more about our value system, our knowledge of managing and organizing, and to improve our skills in those areas. This is true even for the alumni who participate.

This is a reminder that the appropriate form must be sent immediately to the National Office if your chapter has not already done so (you may have already won $10,000,000!) indicating that people will be attending from your chapter. For the alumni out there, you also can participate both as a facilitator or as a part of the learning group. Please contact the National Headquarters for more information about how you can be a part of RW96.

Meet Your Councilmen: Jeff Scott wis87

EXP:Tell us about yourself.

Br. Scott: I was initiated in 1987 at the Wisconsin chapter and completed my Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Criminal Justice Certificate (minor) in May of 1990. I'm currently working on my masters' degree and expect to graduate from UW-Milwaukee in May of 1996 with a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology.

I live in Milwaukee, WI. I work as a Case Manager for Wisconsin Correctional Service in the Forensic Community Support Program. I do case-management, which is a job that requires my skills in psychotherapy and social work. My clients are adult criminal offenders who suffer from a chronic mental illness such as Schizophrenia. All of them have been released to the community on probation/parole, bail, or conditional release to outpatient treatment from an inpatient setting.

EXP: In what ways have you been involved with Triangle since your initiation?

Br. Scott: I Pledged in the Fall of 1986 and was initiated in January of 1987. The offices I held as an undergraduate were Kitchen Steward (January 1987-January 1988), Recording Secretary (January 1987-January 1988 -concurrently w/ Kitchen Steward), Comptroller (January 1988-January 1989), and President (January 1989-January 1990). I received the Outstanding active brother award twice, but don't remember the exact dates. I am currently serving as Alumni Board Treasurer at the UWM Chapter.

I started in May 1990 as a National Field Director and did that until 1994 when I started serving on National Council. On Council, I am chairman of the Programs Committee and serve as the Council liaison to the TFEF Scholarship Committee. I also helped to start the NIU chapter.

EXP: Any favorite Triangle memories?

Br. Scott: It's hard to pinpoint a "favorite" chapter memory so I'll have to say 1987-1990 (my entire undergrad experience as a Brother). In terms of memories from my National Organization experience, again, there are too many possibilities. If I had to pick one, it would be when I was installed onto National Council at my home chapter/alma mater.

EXP: What are your goals for Triangle?

Br. Scott: Triangle is in a transitional period right now. I see Triangle as an organization with endless potential. My goal for Triangle is to position it as one of the strongest NIC fraternities. This does not mean necessarily the biggest NIC fraternity, but the strongest one. I want to see Triangle stabilize and strengthen it's position, both internally and externally. We are light-years ahead of some of the other NIC fraternities in some areas, but we are also light-years behind them in others. Ideally, we can pursue a vision of excellence through hard work and effort.

In terms of my goals for myself in Triangle, I'm doing what I like to do for Triangle. I am serving my fraternity. In doing so, I hope to help in creating the best fraternity experience possible for all of my Brothers. I would like to continue to serve at the National level for many years to come. Service to the fraternity is rewarding. I get more from it than I could possibly give to it.