The leaders of OCU’s Phi Gamma Delta chapter are preparing for a future with few members and possible departure.
Phi Gamma Delta, also referred to as Fiji, is one of three fraternities on campus. Fiji currently has nine members, said Carlos Sanchez, English senior and Fiji president.
The fraternity was added in 2010 because of the high demand for fraternity involvement on campus, according to Student Publications archives.
The fraternity received its charter in 2015 from International Headquarters and officially became the Omicron Chi chapter of Fiji.
The demand for fraternity involvement decreased overall in the past seven years, with about 75 potential members in 2010 and 46 potential members in 2018, according to Student Publications archives. The demand was lower in 2017, with 23 potential new members.
The male population at the university has decreased since Fiji was established as well, with 809 male undergraduate students in 2010 and 526 in 2018, said Registrar Charlie Monnot.
Fiji has five elected positions. These positions are president, treasurer, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, and historian.
“We’re currently allowing graduating seniors to hold offices just so they can teach the new guys their positions. Because otherwise we’d have a freshman who would be holding a position with not knowing anything about it,” Sanchez said.
Blaze Stark, history/political science senior and Fiji historian, said this was abnormal. Election terms normally begin in spring semester and end fall semester.
Fiji elections this year will take place after Spring Break, technically making them emergency elections, said Matthew Lavery, acting sophomore and recording secretary for Fiji.
“Right now, with our current structure, it would be a huge hassle to restructure us and then keep going on the same course,” Lavery said.
The fraternity’s five core values are friendship, knowledge, service, morality, and excellence. Members often volunteer for the Harn, a local historical farm, and their main philanthropy is the United Service Organizations, Lavery said.
“Our main philanthropy is the USO, which seeks to help active, nonactive and retired members of the military. Whether that’s a USO show while they’re stationed somewhere, or if that’s assistance later, readjusting to civilian life. We like to donate money or actively volunteer for them,” Lavery said.
Sanchez said the fraternity is in open recruitment. The organization can offer “snap bids” to prospective members. If accepted, the student then becomes an official pledge for the organization.
The Fiji chapter is in contact with the Phi Gamma Delta headquarters to discuss recruitment strategies for next semester.
“We’re hoping to double. But, at the very least, we want to be able to stay at nine guys when the seniors graduate,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez and Stark said an easy way to get involved is to talk to them and the other members. Fiji members also will host events this semester, including monthly game nights in the Great Hall in Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center.
Fiji will host a philanthropy week for USO on Jan. 22-25. The current plan is a four-day bake sale followed by Phi Gamma Melta, an all-you-can-eat grilled cheese event, Sanchez said. There are no plans yet for the other three days that week.
Stark and Sanchez said there is a possibility the chapter may have to close due to a lack of membership.
“The situation is, I think we all want to try our hardest to keep going. But, at the same time, I think some of us are resigned to the fact it might not work out. And I think a lot of us are kind of trying to—and succeeding, I think—in getting in that mindset, ‘Hey, just cause the chapter has to close doesn’t mean we’re not still gonna be brothers, we’re not still going to be friends.’ And it just removes the stress from the entire equation,” Stark said.
Sanchez said Fiji is still an option for people interested in joining Greek life.
“None of the Greek organizations here on campus are the stereotypical fraternity,” Sanchez said. “But, if you’re just looking for a small, close, tight-knit group of friends, and if you kind of just like nerdy things, that’s really it. You don’t even have to like nerdy things, just a group of nice guys that are always there to help each other out.”
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