Chi
Chi is the University of California, Los Angeles chapter of Alpha Phi Omega
History
The following is an amalgamated histories of Chi written by Bob Barkhurst[1] and members of Chi Chapter.[2]
Beginnings
Chi Chapter was founded November 13, 1931, the second Alpha Phi Omega Chapter on the West Coast and the first in Southern California. Its chartering ceremony was small, with Dr. H. Roe Bartle, the Supreme Grand Master of Alpha Phi Omega, in attendance. Robert Hall Lamott, a sophomore majoring in Psychology, served as president of a founding class composed of seventeen members. There were Edmund Carmody, Malcolm Donohoo, Donald Dotson, Jay Dresser, Henry Hare, Palen Keith, Richard Killen, Robert Lamott, Philip Lukei, John Luebsen, Joseph Maguire, Frank Ohly, Lloyd Pack, Jack Requarth, Edward Saxton, Charles Skutt, and Leonard Stone. One of their advisors was the the president of the school: Ernest Moore.
Chi's 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.
In 1978, the chapter was deactivated. A story told at Chi suggests that the only members left at UCLA in 1977-1978 were a couple of people uninterested in recruiting more members. When they graduated, the chapter went with them.
Rechartering
In 1993, Kappa Chapter brother Dave O'Leary began sponsoring the rechartering of Chi Chapter. By 1996, Francis Alcantara's efforts for UCLA students to continue their dedication to serving others led to the official formation of a petitioning group for Chi Chapter. As a petitioning group, Chi attended the 1996 National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.
In 1997, Chi Chapter was formally rechartered. The founding Executive Committee consisted of Gregory Barnes, a junior English major, as President, Gordon Kwan as Service Vice President, Stacie Ishida as Membership Vice President, Jennifer Yamamoto and Porndej "Palm" Rushatakankovit as co-Fellowship Vice Presidents, Sirintorn Rushatakankovit as Administrative Vice President, and John Chen as Finance Vice President. The advisors included Christine Chan, Glenn Ige, and Kanta Sircar.
The rechartering initiation was held on February 1, 1997 in 2209A Bunche Hall with delegations from Gamma Gamma(UC Berkeley) and Alpha Delta Theta (UC Riverside) present. Thirty-one members and advisors became part of the rechartering class. The rechartering members included Heather Banh, Greg Barnes, Mary Chan, Ken Chang, David Chen, John Chen, Maggie Chen, Christine Chiang, Terence Hayter, Emi Hosaka, Joanne Huang, Troung Huynh, Stacie Ishida, Gordon Kwan, Carolyn Kwok, Rose Lee, Christine Niho, Hoang-Thi Pham, Diana Rivera, Porndej Rushatakankovit, Sirintorn Rushatakankovit, Jennifer Yamamoto, and Clarissa Yu. Francis Alcantara had already graduated by the time Chi Chapter was rechartered, but was later recognized with Honorary Membership.
Chi Chapter had been one of the fastest chapters to recharter by taking only one year to reactivate from partitioning group. Gamma Gamma played a significant role in the formation. Alpha Delta Theta also offered support by attending all events, and bonds had been forged at the 1996 Nationals.
Trivia
- Chi alumni include Earle M. Herbert, National President from 1982 to 1986 and first ever Region X Representative.