Undergraduate President's Address

1. Aren't fraternities expensive? To join Theta Delta Chi, there is a one-time fee of $375 (CAD) that goes directly to the Central Fraternity Office (C.F.O.). In addition, in your subsequent terms you begin to pay a service fee of $35 per semester to the C.F.O. New members who are unable to pay their initial fee upfront may opt for a monthly payment plan. Almost every organization worth joining has a financial commitment, but you generally get back what you pay for. In Theta Delta Chi, I have received MUCH more than I have paid to this fraternity through the following:
   
   • Economies of scale
     
   • A brother's rent discount on top of already cheap rent
     
   • Full use of a multi-million dollar Victorian house on the edge of campus
     
   • Free parking on campus
     
   • Fully compensated trips to Convention and Recruitment Boot Camp (Boston, Texas, New Orleans, Las Vegas)
     
   • Scholarships
     
   • Job opportunities through the C.F.O. or Alumni
     
   • A free place to stay at Charge houses across North America
     
   • Promotional dividends
     
   • VIP privileges at bars, free drinks at parties
   But in addition to these benefits that have monetary value, there is much more to be gained as a Theta Delt. I consider these to be invaluable:
   
   • Leadership experience (as President or in any role you chose)
     
   • Experience in many other areas including business, finance, sales, and management through the various positions in the fraternity.
     
   • Social interactions
     
   • Encouragement, guidance, and support from your brothers
   I can't possibly name all the benefits of the Fraternity, because everybody gets something different.
   
   
2. Won't I be hazed? Our fraternity has a strict anti-hazing policy. I'm sure everyone has some apprehension when they hear the word "initiation", I know I did. However, the initiation process at Lambda Deuteron has been in place for over half a century, and is based on the values of our fraternity. Values such as self-improvement, trust, and secrecy: the latter likely being responsible for the apprehension. The initiation process is, however, quite mentally and physically challenging. It is an excellent test of a man's character; I know after my initiation I had learned a lot about myself, my strengths and my weaknesses. When thinking about initiation, ask yourself "am I the kind of person that shies away from a challenge?" and know that you will not be degraded, embarrassed, or physically harmed in any way.
   
   
3. "Frat" guys are just drunken womanizers! Though we value social experience at Theta Delta Chi, not all of our activities involve alcohol and/or women. We encourage intellectual development as much as social development. The main goal of almost every fraternity is to "build better men, men of character"; some do better than others. In Theta Delta Chi, we make our values and purpose explicit, and use them as a guide for our actions. For most people, the only time they see fraternity life is at one of our parties, thus they have no other experiences for the basis of their judgment of fraternity men.
   
   
4. People just join a fraternity so they can "buy" their friends. You are not buying your friends if you join a fraternity. It is ignorant to think that you can buy friendship. When I hear people say "you bought your friends" I usually respond with "well, I got a lot of very close friends for a very low price, so I guess I got a good deal". Neither the initial fee nor the bi-annual service fee goes to the brothers. Most importantly, the relationships you form at Theta Delta Chi are entirely up to you-you choose which members to befriend. Learning to deal with and respect a variety of people, regardless of your fondness for them, is a necessary skill. Fortunately Theta Delta Chi is a smaller fraternity so strong dislikes for other members seldom develop.
   
   
5. Don't I have to commit a lot of time to the fraternity? Being a member of a fraternity does not require a huge commitment. We encourage all members to take on a position, but each position has a different time requirement: some require not much more than 1 hour a week. Each member decides his own level of involvement. We always encourage that our members put school and family before the fraternity.
   
   
6. Being in a fraternity will hamper my academics. Your membership in Theta Delta Chi should HELP not HAMPER your academic endeavours. Far too often, I have heard potential new members fret that their grades will suffer by joining Theta Delta Chi. My grades improved when I joined TDX. We are in the process of implementing a minimum GPA for membership standards, and an academic improvement program. Any expert on personal or college success will tell you that you are foolish to attempt college alone. There are people here to help you achieve higher grades, learn more in school, and have a great time doing it.