A problem

[SPEfratting]

Let me premise this post by saying I am from a BMP chapter in the mid-west...

Ok, here's my issue...

Does anyone else have a problem with the BMP being based on an insurance policy. If you all didn't know, that's what it is based upon, you can look it up if you think otherwise. Originally there were a few fraternities who wanted to reduce the liability for thier chapters, of course having a chapter with no hazing, trying to promote a dry house would mean virtually no liability. I get more skeptical each year concerning the BMP. At it's heart, it's basically a marketing/business ploy enabled to allow nationals to decrease thier liability and make the Greek system look better in the eyes of "authority" whoever that may be. It seems like the fraternity is operating under a facade..saying it increases brotherhood blah blah blah all these other positive aspects while totally not taking into account it's true goal, again originally enacted to reduce liability.

Also I have a problem with the traditional chapters being neglected like they are second rate.

Remember that membership quiz thing online from last year, does anyone know if results were posted, I think it would be interesting to compare satisfation amongst BMP vs traditional chapters and see if it is actually working as they say or if they are just making baseless claims.

I don't know what to think, I guess it may just be the litigation happy society, as other fraternities are embracing similar programs (Beta Man of Principle and SAE True Gentlemen)

Sorry if some of this is going off on tangents, it's just some venting...feedback appreciated

[wspanic]

Nationals suck.

You will find this with every fraternity, including Sig Ep. I'm from a traditional chapter and we don't get much respect from Nationals because we don't want the BMP. We never will and when we do, I don't want to be affiliated with that chapter.

[TrueSPE]

I couldn't agree more. You both said it well.

I thought the BMPs looked down on us too. Glad to hear they realize it for the sham that it is.

You'll find this website is dominated by them, though. People who are more interested in turning SigEp into an honors society than a social fraternity. Ill-defined "virtue" and toolish "diligence" at the cost of brotherly love, the rock on which the fraternity is founded. Wonderful.

[PsychTau2]

Excuse me for crashing, but let me say that I'm not a SigEp and I don't want to argue...but I am curious...

From what I'm gathering from all of the posts above, it sounds like your are saying that the BMP doesn't build the same amount/type of brotherhood that a traditional chapter does. Is that right?

If so, what is it about the BMP that keeps that brotherhood from happening?

(and if I'm misinterpreting your posts, please let me know).

Once again, not looking for an arguement, just a discussion...

PsychTau

[flow]

What you need to understand is that running a fraternity is a business. Despite it being a non-profit organization, the success of the fraternity lies in the money.

One thing I would get really mad at nationals about when we started up was they said priority was "recruit recruit recruit". And most of you know what can happen if a brotherhood grows too fast. More recruits for us meant more moeny for nationals. Lower insurance premiums and less lawsuits mean more money for nationals to expand and get bigger.

Unfortunately fraternities are businesses, and if they weren't they wouldn't exist on a national scale.

[SigEpMike]

I'm from a BMP chapter, and i just want to say that i do agree with u TrueSPE. while i love my chapter, the BMP probably isn't the best thing for the fraternity because it is becoming less social and more honors society. i think a balance between the two would be a better choice for the brothers and for nationals. And i do have a lot respect for traditional chapters, keep it up.

[Alaska_SigEp]

I'm from a BMP chapter and I think the BMP is total bullshit to be quite frank. It sucks the brotherhood out of the organization and it ties the hands of many because a few want to impose the rules of the BMP. BMP has made it nearly impossible for my chapter to recruit and it gives absolutly no pride or feeling of achievement to the brothers. It makes SigEp more like a club anyone can join than the selective brotherhood our founders meant to establish. To all the traditional chapters that continue to take flak from nationals and refuse to change, I say, keep it up....

[TrueSPE]

Originally posted by PsychTau2
Excuse me for crashing, but let me say that I'm not a SigEp and I don't want to argue...but I am curious...

From what I'm gathering from all of the posts above, it sounds like your are saying that the BMP doesn't build the same amount/type of brotherhood that a traditional chapter does. Is that right?

If so, what is it about the BMP that keeps that brotherhood from happening?

(and if I'm misinterpreting your posts, please let me know).

Once again, not looking for an arguement, just a discussion...

PsychTau

I don't really know anything about the BMP since I'm from a traditional chapter, but I gather that it's got
1) A zero tolerance policy towards pretty much everything
2) A focus on numbers above everything and grades second to that, rather than on quality men

The only attention we ever get from nationals is pressure to become BMP, but other than that, they leave our rush and daily lives completely alone. As it should be.

[SPEfratting]

Well I've started this thread, and I will comment on how things went for us during the past semesters rush and some more rediculous things ...

rush went very well, large pledge class, but more importantly with quality winning many of the greek wide pledge events

our guys that are going to be seniors (my class) realize that a balance must be struck between BMP and more traditional methodologies while the ones who have graduated a few classes before them were hardcore BMP so I feel we are headed in the right direction with the classes below us on par with our feelings to what/where the fraternity should be heading...

some thing I have a problem with is nationals trying to make us call the house, "the RLC" (residential learning community) and pledges "new members"...a bunch of jargon ::surprise:: to make us look better in the eyes of authority figures such as school admin...come on RLC, are you fucking serious...hey want to meet up at the residential learning community and split a case of Natural Delights, it just doesn't have the right ring to it does it?

take what nationals says with a grain of salt, modify it to what works with your chapter, none of this homogenity shove it down your throat bullshit....as long as you keep pulling quality numbers and don't get caught for anything you won't get in trouble, end of story...

enjoy your summer

[Knight0843]

I'm involved with a BMP chapter and we are petitioning for our Charter this Fall. I have never been involved with the Fraternal Society until I came into SigEp. I must say that the other (opposing) Fraternities on campus seem to have a much closer tie to eachother than we do. Our younger men have complained about everything we older men are trying to start/accomplish. They threaten to call 'hazing' on anything that we make them do. We had them serenade Ladies one night in our House, and some of them called our reigonal director and said we hazed them. This was a completely normal event - slacks, tie and singing to ladies the we invited over. any suggestions on how to beat these little idiots straight or, more importantly, instill some Fraternal Pride in them?? Help me out please. Dont want to close as soon as we Charter.

[Benson7824]

Knight,

I don't know these guys, but I'd say they are either a bad batch of men, or you need to rethink how you recruit and do the Sigma Challenge.

I'm a founding father of my BMP chapter, and we have never had those kinds of problems. How do you guys recruit? Where are you finding new members? Also, what is your Sigma Challenge like?

The reason I ask is that some BMP chapters overuse the "no pledging/no hazing" advertisements that may lead to what you are experiencing...no buy-in to the actually fraternity. You may also want to call in your Greek Life advisor to give a workshop on what hazing actually is, depending of course on that person's view.

Drop me an email at benson7824@yahoo.com if you want to talk about this.

Benson

[TrueSPE]

Originally posted by Knight0843
I'm involved with a BMP chapter and we are petitioning for our Charter this Fall. I have never been involved with the Fraternal Society until I came into SigEp. I must say that the other (opposing) Fraternities on campus seem to have a much closer tie to eachother than we do. Our younger men have complained about everything we older men are trying to start/accomplish. They threaten to call 'hazing' on anything that we make them do. We had them serenade Ladies one night in our House, and some of them called our reigonal director and said we hazed them. This was a completely normal event - slacks, tie and singing to ladies the we invited over. any suggestions on how to beat these little idiots straight or, more importantly, instill some Fraternal Pride in them?? Help me out please. Dont want to close as soon as we Charter.

Man that's unfortuante. What were they expecting?

At some schools the hardest hazing fraternities are the ones that get caught the least, simply because the men who choose to pledge there are aware of what they're getting into and are prepared for it.

Maybe increasing your reputation as a hazing fraternity will help you avoid bullshit like that. Pull the worst aside and tell them they're unwanted and suggest they depledge. If worst comes to worst, ball them out at final vote. You still have that, don't you?