(Note to readers: I made an error when publishing this blog entry earlier today. The intent, like most of my blog entries, was to make a public relations and marketing observation. It came to my attention that a few chapters are using images like this one in recruitment/rush materials. The message below is intended to ask you to think about that usage and how it reflects on the organization and its values to people outside the fraternity - especially women. On the flip side, I am excited to say that the Executive Office is working to produce a full array of recruitment/marketing materials for chapters and should be making them available this summer.)

Some will find this post funny and discount it and I can accept that. However, I am writing this for the people who will read it and think about it and maybe realize that when it comes to "rush boobs," there is a MAJOR disconnect between the values brothers say they have and the values they are living. Sigma Pi is not alone in this discrepancy - I found similar images for other major fraternities as well. I ask you though, is this the Sigma Pi you brag to your parents about when you get a bid? Is this the Sigma Pi you are excited to bring your sister to when she comes to see you at college? Is this the Sigma Pi you want your daughter to now or someday be affiliated with?

Based on this and similar images, it would seem we are saying the Mission, Vision and Creed are more like this...

Our Mission:

To advance man's quest for excellence [to party]

Our Vision:

Our men will strive for excellence by living our core values.

Our Core Values:

• Promote fellowship [sex]
• Develop character and leadership  [objectify women]
  
• Advance heightened moral awareness [destroy moral awareness]
  
• Enable academic achievement [party atmosphere]
  
• Inspire [lip] service
  

Our Creed:

I believe in Sigma Pi, a Fellowship of kindred minds, united in Brotherhood [to party] to advance Truth and Justice, to promote Scholarship, to encourage Chivalry, to diffuse Culture, and to develop Character, in the Service of God and Man; and I will strive to make real the Fraternity's ideals in my own daily life.

 Is this really what you mean?

Sigma Pi has one Creed. Sigma Pi has one Mission. Sigma Pi has one Vision. And yes, Sigma Pi has one Tagline: A Quest for Excellence.

While other phrases may be representative of your thoughts about Sigma Pi, it is important that everyone uses our one tagline. Why?

Remember, the whole goal of a tagline is to illustrate what’s novel about your organization – and that includes the way your tagline looks, sounds, and feels. Borrowing the familiar trappings of another tagline may be tempting, but it’s not going to set you apart from the pack. Like a good wardrobe, your tagline should be well-crafted, look sharp, and fit perfectly. More importantly, it should be custom tailored to your organization.

I am too often seeing chapters, with the best of intentions, using other taglines - MANY that are the trademarks of other fraternities. For example:

"Men of Honor" - Yes, we certainly would like to think all Sigma Pi brothers are men of honor but that tagline has been used for years by Phi Kappa Sigma

"Two letters, one choice, no regrets" - A very generic phrase used by chapters of various fraternities. I have seen KA, KΣ, ΣΧ (among others) all use this not to mention the groups that use "Three Letters."

"_________ for Exellence," "Excellence is __________" - Variations on "Quest for Excellence" seem ok but Sigma Pi uses "quest" for its ritual based tie. Most fraternities have a goal based on some form of excellence. KA has used "Excellence is our aim."

"A New Generation of Leaders" - This was the tagline for Sigma Pi for many years but as the Mission and Vision were updated to better reflect the Creed, the tagline was too. To best position Sigma Pi against competing organizations, it is important to use the current tagline.

To help you with recruitment and to best portray Sigma Pi for its uniqueness, much effort was given in crafting a tagline that was easy for you to remember and unique to Sigma Pi.

So, it is time to update your Facebook profile pics, cover photos, About pages, websites, etc. Believe me, I know it may take a little work - I am doing it across the international sites and materials.

Join the QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE.

(reference: http://www.taglineguru.com)

It is noon on Friday and, as I often do, I am sitting at my desk eating lunch. Generally while eating I check out a local news site and then I visit a popular "frat" blog site to see what derogatory quotes and photos have been posted since my last visit to make sure that none clearly call out the fraternity I work for daily or the fraternity that holds my membership.

Admittedly, I find humor in many of the posts - which is the problem for the Fraternity Movement. Our own brothers (& sisters) are the ones providing the content for such sites without any regard for the repercussions on their own organization or the Fraternity Movement as a whole. Yes, it does not help that our histories are full of actions and activities that are not the model for today's undergraduates.

However, fraternities today hold their memberships to the highest values ever and have some of, if not the, strongest risk management policies of any campus organization. We do not permit hazing. We do not permit sexual abuse. We do not permit underage drinking or alcohol abuse. We do not permit drinking games.

We do believe in chivalry. We do believe in being a gentleman. We do believe in scholarship. We do believe in reaching for excellence. We believe in service to God.

So when you think of posting some funny pic or think of the perfect "TFM" quote, think twice. How are you representing the organization you swore an oath to and more importantly, how are you representing yourself?

We must remember that a photograph (or blog post) is worth a 1,000 words when it comes to the image the general population has of fraternities...and we could use more positive help and less fratty harm.