Chapter officers of those chapters often lie or misrepresent the facts in the mistaken belief that they can continue with those practices. Sooner or later, as the saying goes, it all comes out in the wash. Then, our Risk Management and Standards Committee and the Grand Chapter have little choice but to take the most serious action available. As we often say to members of those chapters, It was not our choice to recommend that the chapter be closed by the Grand Chapter. Fraternity work has a large number of axioms, including some that relate to chapter closings.
Chapters don t die-they commit suicide.
Volunteers and staff cannot continue to spend 80 percent of their time on 15 percent of the chapters. These axioms are premised on fact and hard experience. As we see the chapter slipping, members and sometimes alumni say, You are only looking at the negative-we re in good shape, as good as we were last year. A response might be, Name another endeavor in which, As good as last year will achieve the same results. We all strive to do better, in all ways.