Pledge Information

 
On May 20, 1841, Chi Psi Fraternity was founded at Union College.  While it was the eighth fraternity in the country and the fifth to be founded at Union, it was the first to emphasize the fraternal and social principles of a brotherhood, rather than the literary characteristics of existing societies.  From its founding, Chi Psi has had a uniqueness that has persisted throughout its history, particularly because it has sustained an innovative tradition.

 This innovative spirit has spawned many firsts in the fraternity world.  In 1846, Chi Psi Fraternity was responsible for constructing the first fraternity house in America.  The undergraduates at the University of Michigan constructed a log cabin in the woods in Ann Arbor to provide a meeting place for the Fraternity, as the faculty was then hostile to secret societies.  The undergraduates dubbed the cabin "the Lodge," and this tradition has continued today as all Chi Psi chapter houses are called "Lodges."

The Lodges of Chi Psi presently exist on 30 campuses across America.  Chi Psi is known by the fact that it extends membership to only the very best schools.  Chi Psi chooses its host institutions by carefully analyzing the student body, the academic standards, the endowment, the faculty, and the alumni activity of the institution.  Additionally, the Fraternity extends membership only to institutions which have sufficient regional concentrations of active alumni to support the chapter.

 To properly oversee the chapters, Chi Psi developed the first consultant program in which full time professionals of the Fraternity visit each chapter to ensure that the undergraduates adhere to the ideals of the Fraternity.  Today, this program is a standard practice in the fraternity world.  Chi Psi has still remained unique, however, in conducting this standard program.  Whereas other fraternity consultants visit 60 to 70 chapters a year, Chi Psi's consultants visit no more than 15 chapters, allowing for thorough and effective visits due to the small size of our intimate association.

In 1926, Chi Psi anticipated the enormous educational pressures that would begin to bear on college undergraduates, and as a result the Fraternity undertook the first Alumni subscribed Educational Trust Fund in the fraternity world.  A unique outcome of this first fund drive was that almost 50% of all living Chi Psis contributed to the effort.  Also, in less than five years, the Trust fund had received approximately $565,000, an astonishing figure, especially given the fact that the drive was conducted at the height of the Depression!  This fund now maintains manageable assets of approximately $2 million, in addition to each chapter being required to have its own independent educational foundation.  The Trust has been responsible for providing innovative leadership programs and generous fellowships and scholarships to fulfill the needs of undergraduates.

  Our latest "first" revolves around leadership training.  In 1990, Chi Psi became the first fraternity to offer a National Leadership Training Program (NLTP) to every undergraduate Brother.  Although other fraternities have offered leadership programs, their training has been restricted only to elected officers of each chapter.  The Chi Psi Educational Trust realized the need to offer all undergraduates a sequential four unit program that coincides with the four years of college.

  The result is a comprehensive, four year National Leadership Training Program that begins with the freshman's introduction to college life and study requirements, then turns to self awareness, moves to group and community leadership skills, and concludes with career guidance in the senior year.

  The benchmark of the final career guidance unit is the mentoring program.  Seniors are matched with alumni mentors working in the student's chosen field to provide counseling and to assist them in employment search techniques.

  For over 150 years, Chi Psi has dedicated itself to refining and elevating fraternal friendship.  Concomitant with this realization has been the need to foster more than just friendship by assuming the complimentary role of educator in the name of brotherhood.  With its innovative leadership and scholarship programs, small size, committed alumni volunteers, and rich financial resources, Chi Psi looks forward to the challenges of the 21st Century, and to maintaining its status as one of America's preeminent fraternities.

 The Chi Psi has stated its position, periodically, in support of constructive, educational, and inspirational programs, and has asserted unequivocally its opposition to hazing and pre-initiation activities which do not contribute to the positive development and welfare of pledges and members.

Because hazing and other pseudo-initiation practices have not been rejected and eradicated completely in undergraduate activities, and therefore remain a menace to the well-being of the college fraternity system, the Chi Psi reaffirms its position on this question.

• The Chi Psi believes that true fraternalism is nurtured in an atmosphere of social and moral responsibility, respect for duly constituted authority, and loyalty to the principles of higher education.
• The Chi Psi further believes that while social behavior cannot be legislated, a fraternity without morally sound precepts and practices is not a constructive influence upon college men.
• The Chi Psi further believes that the fraternity has a solemn obligation in the development of its pledges and members and that this responsibility extends alike to the institutions where it is presented; to the parents and others who make possible the education of pledges and members; to the communities where Alphas are accountable for good citizenship; and to the college fraternity system or the Chi Psi.
• The Chi Psi further believes, despite the fact that much progress has been made, that one of the most damaging instruments to the fraternity system is the employment of a program of education which includes hazing, and that this unproductive, ridiculous, and hazardous custom has not rightful place in the fraternity system or the Chi Psi.
• The Chi Psi defines hazing as any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule.  Such activities and situations include paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; treasure hunts, scavenger hunts; road trips, or any other such activities carried on outside the confines of the Lodge; wearing, publicly, apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts of buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; late work sessions which interfere with scholastic activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with fraternal law, ritual or policy, or the regulations and policies of the educational institution.

If any individual Brother or pledge, after receiving the policies, practices, and procedures of his Alpha or any other Alpha, feels, as a matter of conscience, that this statement of position has been or is being violated, that Brother or pledge is strongly requested to make a confidential communication to the Central Office concerning such violation.