Death does not know a time or place; it often happens when we least expect it. Such was the case a week ago with one of the brightest young fraternity men I have had the pleasure to meet at Eastern, Ryan Struebing. Ryan was one of the few undergraduates who really “got” the big idea of fraternity. The fact that Ryan was exceptional is reflected today in his fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi. He was instrumental in changing the organization from a group of quiet sideliners to active leaders. The renaissance of the group is reflected not only in leadership, but also in scholarship when they won the Fraternity Centennial Scholarship Award in 2000. It was no coincidence that the group grew in stature in both leadership and scholarship as those two attributes go hand in hand.

During Ryan’s tenure, Delta Sigma Phi achieved its highest level of performance as an organization in a decade, and the momentum he helped to generate has helped them to continue their leadership among the campus’ men’s fraternities.

In his editorial opinion of April 29, 1999, Ryan was concerned that the concept of “fraternity” had atrophied from one of high personal ideals to one of parties, intramurals and “months practicing for Greek Week activities, such as air band and tugs.” He questioned whether events such as building Homecoming floats, weekly social functions, and excessive practice for campus activities were really “preparing men for the social requirements needed in the working world…” He asked his fellow campus fraternity men to “reflect upon the purpose of their individual fraternity – the betterment of men throughout their college career.”

Ryan told of the founding of his own fraternity and the diversity we hold up now that was suppressed then by the college administration:

“On a cold, December night almost 100 years ago, my fraternity was secretly founded. Many non-greek people may not understand that numerous fraternities and sororities were founded secretly. Two men were the head founders of my fraternity. They held secret meetings because one founder was Jewish and the other was Christian. The University they attended would not allow them to create an inter-religious organization. Other greek organizations, whether a fraternity, sorority, minority fraternity or minority sorority were created in a similar manner; they stood for issues that were not socially accepted at that time. These organizations overlooked biased public opinion and enlightened their members with knowledge and understanding.

“I know that every fraternity has a secret ritual, and in this ritual is the purpose of their individual fraternity. A fraternity’s ritual may be worded differently, but they all stand for the same thing – the betterment of men throughout their college career. (Since) fraternities hold our ritual dear, why do we not practice the ritual in everyday life?”

As we begin the 2002-2003 academic year, now is a good time to reflect on the ideals of our campus fraternity chapters. Do you recognize these ideals in the men you meet who are the living representatives of these chapters at Eastern? Baird’s Manual of American College Fraternities (1991) lists the following cardinal principals or purposes of the organizations.

-Alpha Phi Alpha (1906): “manly deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind.”

– Delta Chi (1890): “to promote friendship, develop character, advance justice and assist in the acquisition of a sound education.”

– Delta Sigma Phi (1899): “belief in God…loyalty to constituted authority…sanctity of the home and the sacredness of the family bond.”

-Delta Tau Delta (1858): “a constructive adjunct to higher education by contributing to the moral, spiritual and social development of its members.”

-Lambda Theta Phi (1975): “scholarship, Latin unity, respect for all cultures and brotherhood.” (Lambda1975.org)

– Lambda Chi Alpha (1909): “democratic and progressive principles.”

– Phi Beta Sigma (1914): “principles of brotherhood, scholarship and service.”

– Phi Kappa Theta (1889): “scholarship-achievement; character formation; loyalty to God, country, campus and fraternity.”

– Pi Kappa Alpha (1868): “congeniality based on character (Hart, History of Pi Kappa Alpha, 1934) in scholars, leaders, athletes and gentlemen.”

– Sigma Chi (1855): “The Jordan Standard…of admitting no man to membership in Sigma Chi who is not believed to be a man of good character, a student of fair ability, of ambitious purposes, and congenial disposition, possessed of good morals, having a high sense of honor and a deep sense of personal responsibility.”

– Sigma Nu (1869): “Honor, truth and love.”

– Sigma Phi Epsilon (1901): “Virtue, diligence and brotherly love.”

– Sigma Pi (1897): “A fellowship of kindred minds, united in brotherhood…to develop character…”

– Tau Kappa Epsilon (1899): “an organization, which should aid development of character and ability of its members.”

As Ryan Struebing added, “Nowhere in anyone’s fraternity ritual does it say, ‘As a member of XYZ fraternity, you should go out to Ike’s and Stu’s every weekend,’ or ‘as a member of XYZ fraternity, you should consider yourself better than others.”

He wrote that his opinion would be unpopular with many fraternity men on campus, but he stated that “I am prepared for this commentary to be unpopular with my greek colleagues … I believe that I am standing up for what is right. Looking back at our fraternity history, isn’t standing up for what is right the reason we were originally created?”

Ryan was advocating for credibility among fraternities. Kouzes and Posner stated in The Leadership Challenge (1995) that credibility is doing what you say you will do. As in the West Point Creed, does fraternity behavior really “follow the harder right rather than the easiest wrong?” As we reflect on Ryan Struebing’s short life but lengthy list of personal achievements, perhaps we can best honor Ryan’s memory and his dedication to fraternity ideals by reflecting on our own purposes and work to become better men.

We are soon embarking on men’s fraternity recruitment week. New members will be added to each group by Friday, Sept. 20. Are there more Ryan Struebings waiting in the wings? If the American College Fraternity is to survive the challenges before it into the 21st century, we need more great undergraduate leaders with the vision and commitment to ideals that Ryan lived and modeled so well.

*Eberly also is a professor of counseling and student

development, and president of the Center for the Study of the College Fraternity. He can be reached at 581-7235 or cfcge@eiu.edu