Sigma Chi - University of Missouri

The The Tiger Sig Published by the Xi Xi ChaPter alumni assoCiation of sigma Chi fraternity COLUMBIA, MISSOURI WINTER 2016 P 4B means "Preparation for Brotherhood" and, after a year in testing, it is now the recognized procedure for all Sigma Chi chapters. Its goal is to standardize the pledge period among all chapters and to eliminate opportunities for hazing. It represents significant change in two areas, both of which extend greater control of the path to initiation by the International Fraternity. All information regarding Sigma Chi history and ensuing pledge tests are now online, emanating from headquarters. E-learning, abetted with group discussion, is the format used for education on our fraternity. Pledge test answers, when entered, go directly to headquarters for grading. Headquarters also offers an approved list of events relative to the P4B period. Chapters may offer their suggestions for inclusions to or exclusions from the original list. Chapters will have the ability to appeal in terms of events they still want returned to their schedules if their requests are passed over. Some I-Week events have been assimilated into the pledge period, reducing the pre-initiation period to several days. After this first year of the national rollout of P4B, it will be fully analyzed with alterations made. The second major area of change is that, other than Preparation for Brotherhood—eight weeks in duration—there is no period of the old pledge servitude, no delay of initiation until after the semester. The new members study Sigma Chi, and if they pass the P4B test, they are initiated. This change is much in line with actions being taken by many other fraternities on a national basis. The fragile state of college culture and the sensitivity to anything that approaches already tightly defined hazing has affected these re-directions. Our Chapter has been out in front in terms of recognizing these trends due to minimizing the chance of hazing by having freshmen live out of the house. This program in nearly all respects continues to be well accepted. What about initiation before GPAs are definite? Xi Xi Consul Berry Brooks '18 indicates the Chapter checks grade statuses as well as it can up to I-Week. If grades are low, the new member is removed from the initiation list and/or if grades take a dip later in the semester, the individual is put on probation. If unsatisfactory performance continues, removal from the Chapter ensues. How has the Chapter responded? A good deal of selling the new program to the Chapter by the Executive Committee was required. Information presenting the new program had been furnished in 2015, so its Chapter introduction started last February. The younger members, who lived out of the house as freshmen, were immediately more receptive. Seniors and fifth-year members were a tougher sell, particularly since having lived in the house as freshmen, they had experienced tougher pledgeships. With a few minor exceptions, such as out-of-house members wanting their apartment cleaned, things have run smoothly. A minor miracle Rent collection and avoiding past due accounts have been significant problems for years. Last year, for the first time in modern Xi Xi history, the Chapter was totally current at the end of school. The same, so far, has held true this semester. It appears that moving freshmen out of the house and smoothing personal experiences due to the new program is having unforeseen positive effects on cash control. It, of course, also required excellent performances by Quaestor Michael Parisot '17 and Jack Noble '88, the alumni financial advisor. What are the results so far? In late October, 41 out of 41 initial Xi Xi pledges were initiated into Sigma Chi. This is remarkable since, in the past, the normal pattern has been early attrition due to young men feeling uncomfortable with the change to fraternity life or being resentful of totally different treatment from what they received during recruitment. A university official recently told us that Xi Xi is looked at as a model of operation for fraternities on the MU campus. Our combination of out-of- house freshmen and the new pledge program is proving to be most successful. XI XI CHAPTER ADAPTS TO NEW P4B PROGRAM L ooking up at their future, as they should, are just married Doug and Sally Lane. Their ceremony at our Chapter House last May was the first in Xi Xi history. Doug and Sally, née Mason, have squeezed into the house director's headquarters since school started and seem to be surviving the flow of fraternity life outside their door. House Director Nuptials

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