CHAPTERS OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AT THEIR CLAs.

Five chapters were officially recognized as Residential Learning Communities during the Carlson Leadership Academies in February. Those chapters are:

• Case Western Reserve, Ohio Sigma RLC
• Montana State, Montana Beta RLC
• Rider, New Jersey Zeta RLC
• San Diego State, California Delta RLC
• Texas Christian, Texas Gamma RLC

RLC status is reserved for SigEp’s truly elite chapters. These 38 chapters support the Fraternity’s endeavors to serve as valued partners in higher education and build balanced men. Case Western, Montana State, Rider and San Diego State all had the highest cumulative GPA of any fraternity on campus, while Texas Christian was second out of 10.

The four components of an RLC are faculty fellow engagement, a living-learning environment, a network of volunteer support and a commitment to personal and academic development. Accreditation is earned once a chapter meets specific criteria in each area.

While these five chapters are newly accredited, the focus on a living-learning environment is already woven into the fabric of their chapter cultures. “It’s a daily reminder of why we’re here,” said Chapter President Jeffrey Parent, Texas Christian ’12. “We’re in college for a reason, and that is to get a degree. The Fraternity is just an added bonus on top of that.”

TCU already has one faculty fellow, and Parent has set his sights on engaging one faculty fellow from each of the university’s academic colleges. He sees value in the relationships brothers can build with these faculty members, and in the chapter’s ability to pitch that advantage during recruitment. RLCs outperform the Fraternity as whole in manpower, with an average chapter size of 83, compared to 64 for SigEp overall.

Montana State has taken their faculty fellow engagement to an even higher level. They’ve initiated their faculty fellow, Brian Kassar, Montana State Renaissance, as an honorary brother, and he even lives in the chapter house.

Chapter President Alex Olear, Case Western ‘13, agrees that the accreditation doesn’t mark the completion of a goal, but a reason to keep pushing his chapter forward. “The distinction gives us something to live up to,” he explained. “RLCs aren’t supposed to be complacent. It motivates our guys to continue to improve ourselves.”

Officially bestowing this recognition on chapters at CLA is a relatively new idea. It has helped increase awareness and understanding of the program for other chapters to hear about the accomplishments of each new RLC, and more chapters now aspire to reach that level.

“We are very pleased with the continual growth of the RLC program and the increased interest we have seen from chapters across the country,” said Shane McKee, Washington State Renaissance, the member development manager on the Headquarters staff. “It allows us to positively impact the lives of so many more undergraduates through a truly transformative and educational experience.”

If your chapter is interested in pursuing RLC accreditation, or wants more information on the program, you can contact Shane McKee directly.

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