St. Cloud State University

Purpose

The SCSU Fraternity & Sorority Community is a comprehensive learning community that intentionaly integrates academic learning; personal development through Leadership, Academic engagement and success; Service & Philanthropic activities; diverse community experiences and Character & Values development.

Mission

     “To host a community of learning to explore and develop leadership ; academic engagement and success;  global community involvement through service and philanthropy; one's character and values in relation to others, ones fraternity/sorority, and ones communities; to engage in lifelong bond development;, as well as, the practice of fellowship through principles encompassed in our rituals.” 

Vision

Each fraternity and sorority will use their espoused values as stated in their missions, creeds, purpose, and rituals and integrate them into their intellectual, interpersonal, and intrapersonal experiences.

Vision of SCSU F/S Governing Councils

 Values Congruence

Fraternity and Sorority mission statements eloquently and clearly define our activities as supporting and enhancing the mission of higher education. We aim to “raise the bar” for student membership and address inappropriate behavior that does not reflect ‘What we say we are about”. When we welcome new students to seek membership, they know what to expect when they choose to become part of our organizations. They have a clear understanding of our expectations and we are doing our best to be consistent between what we espouse on paper and what is actually in practice. Our actions speak for our values. Where do we spend our money, time and leadership efforts in relation to what we say we value as Greek Organizations. This starts with better understanding of ourselves as individuals so we are better prepared to fully commit to our organizations and what they are about.

As a Fraternity/Sorority Learning Community we

• will develop and maintain a scholastic program for our members that will enhance and encourage their academic success in the spirit of a community of learners;
• recognize the importance of serving our community;
• will foster brotherhood and sisterhood between all Fraternities & Sororities;
• will educate and promote healthy lifestyles;
• will respect the dignity of people while embracing the free exchange of ideas and beliefs;
• will be responsible for our actions and recognize their implications in the Fraternity & Sorority community and campus community;
• will encourage leadership education, development, and training; as well as, promote leadership opportunities for our members.
• Will engage ourselves in global educational experiences..

Rationale

College and university presidents, the presidents of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC), and inter/national Greek organization executive directors joined together to develop a presidential initiative to transform the collegiate Greek environment. http://www.naspa.org/kc/fsa/pastprograms/valuescongruence/document.cfm

February 20, 2004)

A Call For Values Congruence document developed out of this meeting and highlights five recommendations to support the strength and betterment of our Greek communities through aligning behaviors and practices with the founding values of our organizations. There is great value in our tradition and it is recognized that “a thriving Greek community can enhance student learning and leadership, build strong ties between the institution and its future alumni, and develop well-rounded students who value community and citizenship” (A Call For Values Congruence, http://www.naspa.org/communities/kc/community.cfm?kcid=6, February 20, 2004).

Why Academics & Scholarship is important:

Modern fraternities began as literary societies. Phi Beta Kappa was the first Greek-letter fraternity, and its members created it in order to discuss their class lectures and political issues of the day. Today, although we see ourselves as are decidedly more social, academics need to remain the first order of business. The academic goal of each chapter/fraternity/sorority is to be above the All Men's or All Women's Average of SCSU. This focus is going to bring us to the table to reaffirm an academic culture that is at the center of successful Fraternities/Sororities across the country.

Scholarship was one of the founding principles of Fraternities & Sororities. Since we were founded at academic institutions the atmosphere surrounding our development has been deeply rooted in academics. According to "The American Fraternity" an article written by Betty Mullins Jones, the Greek association in fraternities and sororities comes from the fact that all the early members studied Greek as an academic requirement. The college fraternity was also formed for social and literary purposes during the 18th century.

• “promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning…”
• “an organization of women, which seeks for every member throughout her life bonds of friendship, mutual support, opportunities for self-growth, respect for intellectual development…”
• ” but they also created a fraternity steeped in the traditions of the past and dedicated to the Pursuit of Learning.”
• The pursuit of brotherhood through scholarship, leadership, service and social experiences
• The intellectual ambition of the Fraternity shall be the attainment of highest scholarship
• Focus the Fraternity on personal character development through leadership, scholarship, community service, and positive social experiences.
• We seek the highest ideal of womanhood, and we try to gain this ideal by cultivating not only the power and passion for seeking intellectual development but, also, the spirit of love and charity
• To foster a nurturing environment that provides women the opportunity to achieve their potential through life-long commitment to intellectual growth, individual worth and service to humanity.
• We promote the pursuit of knowledge. It is the key to a fuller, richer life. We gain it through education.

Why Leadership is important:

Leadership develops daily, not in a day. You have to work at it, learn, and invest in your leadership development. Leadership is complicated. It has many facets:  respect, experience, emotional strength, people skills, discipline, vision, momentum, timing, and the list goes on. That’s why it requires you to continually grow and develop.

• Fraternities & Sororities offer you a "leadership learning laboratory" to engage you in the leadership 'process" and develop your leadership competenices. Each Fraternity/Sorority, and their Governing councils offer opportunities to experience positional leadership, leadership skills development, and facilitate your Leadership Identitiy Development.
• LAW of the L.I.D.

  Greek Leadership Development Workshop Series

Why Service & Philanthropy is important:

• Fraternities & Sororities engage in Philanthropy & Service in an ongoing manner. You will be part of organizing and participating philanthropic and social activities that engage you in good citizenship principles and orient you to leadership in the global community through speicific causes, needs and awareness initiatives. Each SCSU Fraternity/Sorority sponsors International Causes and Advocacies. This includes volunteering service to community needs and finding a 'deep" understaning of how this fits into their experiences and values for their lifetime.

SCSU Fraternities participate as well as organize "Into the Streets" each year as part of SCSU's 1st Year Student Orientation Program. This is a introduction to all new students to involvement and service to the community.

 

Why Character & Values Development is important:

Fraternities & Sororities are Values Based Organizations. Membership in a Fraternity/Sorority entails committment to the principles & values of that organization,and you will strive to develop and support them. It's an 'ongoing" journey that supplements exploration of your own values and ongoing Identity development. Your peers and supportive advisors will continually challenge you and themselves to develop congruency our actions, attitudes, and behaviors.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

“Chaung Tzu insisted that judgments like right and wrong, good and evil, fair and unfair were just mental habits, ideas that had gained currency through repeated used rather than through inherent truth.”

J. Geary, Geary’s Guide to the World’s Great Aphorists, p. 227

Let’s try on the coat for a moment and imagine this to be true. If “good/bad”, “right/wrong”, “fair/unfair” are simply cultural habits - what’s the alternative?On what basis do we assert “good/bad”, “right/wrong”, “fair/unfair”? What barometer do we use to measure this? If we had a more powerful, more life-serving way of expressing, what would it be?

Because F/S experience focus on Values, its the centerpoint of all they do and why they do what they do. their relevency is found in constant challenge to revisit one's own personal values, the values of their F/S, and how those play out in their behaviors, lifestyles, and student culture.

“DPhiE challenges me on a daily basis to live up to the oath I took as a sister, to be committed to our ideals of Justice, Sisterhood, and Love; to live by our motto- To Be Rather Than To Seem To Be. The people I encounter throughout my daily life may not know of Delta Phi Epsilon or that I am a member, but they should know by my actions that I am a caring person committed to the principles above, and the world should be a better place for my contribution.”
- Dawn McNultu

"The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (as quoted by Charles Koch)