Magazine Article - "The Darkening of the Hall" (Spring 2010): “We have some chapters which pay slight attention to the underlying principles upon which Beta Theta Pi is founded,” Francis W. Shepardson, Denison 1882/Brown 1883 asserted to a crowd of eager Betas at the 1927 General Convention. “When a chapter becomes merely a name…it is a natural question whether it has the slightest value to Beta Theta Pi.” This timeless question, prompted by a handful of rogue chapters at the time, continues to drive the Fraternity’s leadership today. What must be done with chapters that demonstrate a consistent inability or unwillingness to foster a true Beta experience?

The answer has always been a simple choice for collegiate members: adhere to the standards, expectations and ritual of Beta Theta Pi or close the chapter hall doors indefinitely. Unfortunately, members have too often, by their misconduct and disregard for their commitments, selected the latter route. In the past decade alone, the Fraternity has been forced to close several dozen chapters and order their members to disband.

It should be clear to any Beta that this tragic and frustrating outcome is never the end goal. The Fraternity does not gain stature or success by retreating from campuses where men of principle and character once followed the light of the three stars. There is no honor in breaking a line of Betas that spans decades or generations. However, as Shepardson would challenge, there is also no honor in casting aside Beta’s principles and violating that sacred
trust granted from one group of Betas to the next.

Sadly, two chapters have taken this disappointing path and closed their doors during the 2009-10 academic year. The Sigma Rho Chapter at the University of Illinois was disbanded on December 4th and the Epsilon Chi Chapter at the University of Rhode Island was disbanded on December 15th. Both instances shared common behaviors that must be understood
and addressed to avoid the same fate in the future.

The Sigma Rho Chapter, founded in 1902, was once a leading fraternity at Illinois. Yet, a 2006 issue of the alumni newsletter posed a troubling question of, “has the chapter strayed irreconcilably beyond the values that have guided Sigma Rho since 1902?” In the three years following this frank inquiry, and a subsequent influx of support to help restore the Chapter to prominence, not much changed. During this period members were cited by authorities for drinking games, providing alcohol to guests, selling drugs, multiple injuries on chapter property and providing false identification to prospective members. While several men pushed for change and fought to restore Sigma Rho, the culture never reformed.

The Epsilon Chi Chapter, founded in 1993, was also once a strong haven where principled leaders at Rhode Island enjoyed the bonds of brotherhood. Over time, chapter operations declined so significantly that the collegiate members found themselves in a crumbling position. With grades below the Fraternity’s standard of 2.7 for six semesters, $17,000 of overdue debt, and a history of alcohol and drug violations, the members only made matters worse. After a new member ended up in the hospital from being forced to consume alcohol at a Big Brother Night, the chapter officers lied to the University, alumni and General Fraternity.

In each case, the chapter was a shadow of its former self and a bane for loyal alumni hoping to see a tradition continue. Individually, many collegiate members served Beta faithfully and fought to protect their chapter’s future. Collectively, however, they failed to exercise sufficient self governance to ensure their chapters were not merely Beta Theta Pi in name only. Cultures of substance abuse, poor performance, irresponsibility, lack of integrity and violations of law have no place in this Fraternity and they must be confronted with vigilance and zeal by all Betas — collegiate and alumni alike.

“After long reflection and with a good deal of regret,” Shepardson concluded his speech to that 88th General Convention. “I have reached the conclusion that…Beta Theta Pi will be better and stronger with the inharmonious, the indifferent and the hopelessly struggling chapters eliminated, or at least brought up standing to realize that they must get to work as Beta chapters or go.”

See to it that your chapter is a tribute to Beta Theta Pi and not a name only. Demand that your chapter only recruits men dedicated to building up the Fraternity, living its founding values and challenging those who don’t. Only then will we answer Shepardson’s challenge and prevent a similar troublesome fate.