Kappa Eta PLEDGE PROGRAM
The syllabus for our pledgeship is as follows:
Pledgeship week 1
1)Intros
a)Reason for pledging
b)What do you hope to get out of EX?
c)Embarrassing moment
2)Norman Shields
a)Purpose
b)Contents
3)Homework #1
a)Why we do them
b)Where to find answers
c)Big brothers must sign homework
d)Memorizations are important: Greek alphabet and Founders names by next week.
4)An explanation of the Process of Pledgeship
a)Mutual evaluation
b)No hazing
c)All went through it
5)Pledgeship Purpose
a)Learn about EX and KH chapter
b)Learn about one another
c)Learn about yourself
d)Have fun: lots of work but valuable, memorable, positive
6)Duties
a)Meals:
i)Assistant Magister checks meals: 7 by next week.
ii)Meal etiquette: Call unless otherwise noted. Be polite. Be flexible. Ask them for times, not the other way around.
iii)Early and often.
b)Trip: Schedule.
c)Party: $600: choose date; choose theme make invitations; plan week before; choose chairman
d)Project: $150 to do something for the house
e)Dinner: $200 to do something for all bros
f)Games: Kill consul
7)Magister and A-Mag
a)Advocates, friends
b)Want to see you succeed; don’t be remiss on your responsibilities
c)A-Mag will help you keep track of responsibilities
8)Big bros
9)Ground rules
a)Act like pledge brothers: respect one another; disagree respectfully.
b)Hang out together, help one another out, etc.
c)Four Walls!
d)Have fun! Snap!
10)Why you, now, EX?
a)Friendship
b)Brotherhood
c)Parties
d)Moral code
e)Discover self
f)Expand horizons
g)Alumni network
11)Candle
a)Ulysses reading
b)Explain “For the good of the Alpha Mu Pledge class”
c)Explain “Contendere, Correre, Reparire, Et non dedere”
Pledge week 2
1)Recap
a)Collect homework and Norman Shields - AMag
b)Any stories?
c)Any issues?
d)Meals: don’t get behind by next week. 16 meals.
2)Business
a)Memorizations: Greek alphabet and Founders. - Magister
b)Kappa Eta Lore: Stories to learn
c)Homework #2. Memorize Jordan Standard.
d)Pledge trip? make sure the date still works.
e)Pledge party: date and coordinator.
f)Pass out 400 A’s and financial obligations contracts.
g)Queastor visits.
3)Discussion
a)God Clause
b)Point of contention
c)Norman Shield (p. 12) – point out bottom of paragraph.
d)Loose interpretation
e)Discussion
f)History of EX
g)Summarize – ask them to summarize
h)Why break from DKE
i)Who is your favorite founder?
j)What resonates most from the history?
k)Is Sigma Chi relevant for today?
l)Mission of EX
m)What is Sigma Chi’s purpose? (p. 15) What does it mean?
n)Would you add or subtract anything? What resonates most and least?
o)What would your top three be?
i)Brotherhood
ii)Character
iii)Leadership
4)Candle
a)Reading – Daring Greatly
Pledge Week 3
1)Recap
- Homework and Norman Shields to AMag.
- Stories?
- Issues?
- Meals: 24 by next week.
2)Business
- Collect 400a Forms and financial obligations contract.
- Kappa Eta Lore: Stories to learn
- Quiz: Alphabet, Founders, Jordan Standard.
- Homework: Sweetheart song.
3)Visitors
- Queaster to talk about dues. Collect checks.
- Maybe Community Service Chair to talk about community service – relay for life
4)Discussion
- History of EX
- Constantine Story
- Constantine Chapter
- 1876: Purdue Case: Segue into our chapter.
- History of KH
- H EX and not KH EX
- Motto
- House histories
- Discuss the importance of having a house.
- Losing House b/c Pi Eta Society
- History of getting house
- Before house: survived and thrived. How?
- Dedication, integrity, ties with chapter
- Now with house: what are the dangers? joining for allure, etc.
- Difference with finals clubs
- Our focus, standard, emphasis
- International fraternity, history, diversity
5)Pledge Circle
- Anonymous reading
Usually spring break falls within this week.
Pledge Week 5
1)Recap
a)Homework and Norman Shields to AMag.
b)Spring Break Stories?
c)Issues?
d)Meals: 32 by next week. Alumni meals.
2)Business
a)Quiz: Jordan Standard, founders, Sweetheart song.
b)Schedule pledge dinner.
c)Trip, party, project, dinner
d)Sweetheart serenade
e)Homework: Memorize Spirit, Creed. Memorize American Pie.
3)Organization of EX
a)Grand Chapter/Grand Council/ Executive Committee
i)Powers to each
ii)History
b)Organization of KH EX
i)Executive Committee offices
ii)Which would you be and why?
iii)Other positions
iv)Which would you be and why?
4)What is a good brother? – story about NY cheating
a)Jordan Standard
b)Brotherhood/friendship
c)Participates: takes roles.
d)Goes to Chapter
e)Helps brothers out.
f)Represents EX.
5)Ideologies
a)Read over the spirit of Sigma Chi and discuss its meaning [p. 31]
b)Read over the Sigma Chi Creed and discuss the meaning of its fundamental themes [p. 20]
c)Discuss role that ritual plays in organizations
d)Meaning of being a ‘brother’ in Sigma Chi vs. being a friend outside of Sigma Chi
Pledge Week 6
1)Recap
a)Homework and Norman Shields to Amag.
b)Stories?
c)Issues?
d)Meals: 38 by next week.
e)Memorizations: Jordan Standard, Founders, Spirit, Creed.
2)Eric Gregory (Chapter Founder) – introduction
3)Business
a)Community Service
b)Dues
c)Kill the Consul: Pick Coordinator:
d)Pledge dinner: well done
e)Pledge party: Jared coordinator.
f)Pledge project: Coordinator?
g)Pledge exam: Will schedule for final week
4)Discussion
i)Discussion on the Spirit
ii)temperaments, talents, and convictions
iii)‘genuine friendship’
iv)how can we avoid heavy self selection?
v)Ideas about rush
5)Addressing Issues
a)Pledge dinner
i)Concerned bros
ii)Reasonable because did not affect anyone
iii)Now that it has, cancel event or rework it
iv)Meant to be Fun, but not if it contradicts our ideals
b)Pledge Councils
i)Purpose to air issues and resolve them
ii)Successfully been resolved
c)Fraternity founded on ideals
i)Ideals are exactly that: can never be achieved
ii)But bros strive for them
iii)Strength of Sigma Chi is built upon them
d)Some individuals
i)Dislike their actions
ii)I will be speaking with them, both at Ex Comm and individually
iii)Glad I found out now; I will take care of it
iv)Please let me know if you should feel like that
e)Pledge classes
i)Since last spring, magisters have focused heavily on ideals
ii)Reaction to previous pledgeships
iii)Much the same, but some has changed
iv)Part of the reason you guys feel the way you do is that we’ve emphasized what Sigma Chi can be, and what bros strive to make it
v)Purpose was so that when you become brothers you will strive such and be great brothers
vi)Other pledge classes had less of a focus on that, although that is still a large part of their brotherhood
vii)You will be the champions of the ideals
6)The cool event.
i)Readings: footprints, serendipity
Pledge Week 7
1)Recap
a)Homework and Norman Shields to AMag
b)Meals: finish by next Thusday at 5 PM.
c)Memorizations: Creed and Spirit. Jordan Standard. Founders. Alphabet.
2)Business
a)Pledge Party
b)Pledge Exam Study guide: Wednesday at 9:15
3)Discussion
a)How does our chapter fit in with national?
b)How should it fit in?
c)What do we get/why should we care?
d)Do we feel kinship with other sigs?
e)What does it mean to be a Sig after graduation?
f)What about ritual: importance, conservatism, change?
g)What would you create as ritual?
h)Is EX what you expected?
i)What have you gotten out of pledgeship?
j)What do you want from your brotherhood? Take it. It’s yours.
4)Candle
Pledge Week 8: I-week.
As indicated by the syllabus, Kappa Eta uses an 8 week pledgeship program. To ensure that this is possible, we begin our rush as early as possible each semester. We are also beginning to take steps to implement a stronger Rush 365 system. This way we can rely less on a short, event packed rush, and more on an elongated year-round rush, thus leaving more time during each semester for pledgeship.
The benefits of such a pledge process are clear. The longer the process, the more integrated the pledges are when they begin to function as brothers in the fraternity. They bond more as a pledge class. They gain the opportunity to better conceptualize the ideals of the fraternity. And finally, they gain a sense of duty and responsibility to the fraternity, which seems to be a direct result of how much time and effort they have put into pledging.