Chi

---

Chi is the University of California, Los Angeles chapter of Alpha Phi Omega

History

The following is a history of Chi compiled by Bob Barkhurst:

Beginnings

Chi Chapter was founded in 1931, the second Alpha Phi Omega Chapter on the West Coast and the first in Southern California. Its founders were Eagle Scouts, and for many of its early years Chi had only Eagles as members. This fact was reflected in its major activities during these innocent pre-World War II years. There was a concentration of fraternal-oriented programs: camping and hiking excursions to the nearby San Bernadino Mountains and the beaches, with longer trips during the holidays and summer vacations. On-campus service projects included such things as campus cleanups, aiding in class registration, and raising money for favorite charities.

When America entered World War II, Chi was 10 years old. It was a strong though relatively small chapter and was able to exist during the war years. Most of its projects were in response to the needs of the times: It was active in scrap and grease drives, in draft registration, and in the usual college based "high jinx" of the time, e.g., painting the class year on the seats of male students pants and charging for it. During these years, perhaps because of its available manpower pool, Chi became an important and powerful organization on campus and was beginning to be approached more and more by administrators when they needed something done.

1950s

By the end of the war and into the early '50s, the chapter reached its highest level of importance, a position it maintained into the mid-'60s. During this time, its members were individually active in student government. Alpha Phi Omega organized and chaired a Service Council which encompassed all campus service organizations, effectively directing all service projects on campus. It sponsored a Scout Troop and provided the leadership for a Cub Pack. It helped to run campus elections and took an active part in the direction of the annual UCLA Homecoming Parade and activities. It was involved in voter registration, get-out-the-vote campaigns and campus blood drives. Its UMOC and Homecoming King/Queen contests were the major fund-raising campaigns held annually on the campus.

1960s

By the early '60s, Chi had helped to charter 10 or more additional Alpha Phi Omega chapters in Southern California, but even the strongest of these (Alpha Kappa at USC and Alpha Delta at San Diego State) were, along with Chi, beginning to feel the "anti-organization" sentiment which was growing on college campuses. Chi still had an active program of service, now more community oriented. It designed and built a "vest pocket" park in a low-income community west of the campus. It remained active in voter-registration drives but became more interested in helping individuals than groups (straightening up and painting the home of a senior citizen, for example). Its membership roles were diminishing but still active, still involved, still dedicated. It became more interested in the national questions facing the Fraternity and had an active delegation at the Constitutional Convention ("Con Con") in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1967.

1970s

By the mid-'70s it was a chapter of 10-15 active members and appeared to be struggling. It was still highly regarded by the administration, but its service program had been reduced due to its reduced membership. It was still involved in Homecoming activities but no longer ran the parade. It usually joined other service organizations for large projects. It was, however, still very interested in the political questions facing the National Fraternity and was one of the most verbal chapters when dealing with issues like the place of women in Alpha Phi Omega. Chi and other West Coast chapters were strongly in favor of granting full membership to women and were overjoyed when the issue was finally settled by the 1976 National Convention.

Trivia

• Chi alumni include Earle M. Herbert, National President from 1982 to 1986 and first ever Region X Representative.