Lambda Chi Alpha Nationals Resign From The North American Interfraternity Conference

Dan Regester11 years ago

After 106 years as a member of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), Lambda Chi Alpha has severed ties with the association. The fraternity’s Board of Directors passed a vote to resign its membership this morning citing ideological differences with the new direction the NIC is taking as the reason.

From Lambda Chi:

“For more than a century, we have supported the NIC’s efforts and advocated for its stated principles and values,” said Fletcher McElreath, chairman of the Board, Lambda Chi Alpha. “Unfortunately, the NIC has recently elected to pursue counterproductive tactics that we believe are antithetical to our values and we cannot support them.”

Recently, the NIC has been struggling from internal governance dysfunction that has led to in-fighting and the development of factions that are a distraction from the pursuit of the NIC’s mission.

“We face many challenges in the Greek system today and this internal squabbling has rendered the NIC increasingly paralyzed in its efforts,” said Bill Farkas, chief executive officer, Lambda Chi Alpha

Lambda Chi Alpha prides itself on being an organization that meets or exceeds all NIC standards and the fraternity will continue to hold its chapters and members accountable to standards that are equal to or greater than those advanced by the NIC.

“Lambda Chi Alpha will continue to pursue the development of strong co-curricular partnerships with our host institutions across North America and to promote an environment where all like-minded Greek organizations can be successful,” Farkas said. “Unfortunately, we will do so outside the umbrella of the NIC, unless or until, we are convinced that the NIC’s policies and values are consistent with ours and consistent with the best interests of our campus communities.”

Lambda Chi joins Phi Delta Theta and Kappa Sigma as the only three major social fraternities to leave NIC (Phi Sigma Kappa left but has since rejoined). Individual chapters of these organizations are still free to join the Interfraternity Conference at their university, and most if not all charters still recognized by their schools undoubtedly have a seat in IFC at their institution strictly to not face issues with PAN sororities.

Nationals can do this without much repercussion, but, unfortunately, if your chapter was to do the same with the local “Super Friends” of Greek life, you’d be severely limiting yourself with what you can “permissibly” get away with and the girls that associate themselves with your organization would have to do so on the down-low.

[via Lambda Chi]

Image via Knight News