My Brothers:

     As I began my travels this fall with my thoughts clearly focused on our undergraduate chapters, I discovered my prejudices. While I am convinced that my mindset falls within the parameters of my job description, conditional (or should I say traditional) thoughts with respect to the probable outcome of these visits proved to be wrong.

     As you may have discovered by now, the order of my visits as outlined in my administrative travel schedule has changed, I've sort of let things flow and circumstances dictate which chapter to visit and when. That being said lets start from the beginning, Mu is first.

     While it was not my first visit to Mu Chapter as an alumni nor undergraduate, it turned out to be a perfect Saturday morning when I arrived on this pristine campus, without a brother to be found, not even the advisor. Despite such a improper welcome, I was prepared. Mu was supposed to be playing the Alphas in a game of basketball in Robinson Hall at 11a.m. In order to be there in time to participate (yes, I had my stuff, and yes I was going to demand that the brothers let me play), I had to leave St. Louis driving at about 6 a.m., which I did and arrived on campus at 10 a.m. (not bad). To make a long story short, I was the only person at Robinson Hall that morning. They had played the night before and Mu won the game without me. Just to settle the minds that are saying, "Hell brother Polemarch, you are slipping," no, they were suppose to play both days - but after the whooping MU gave the Alphas the night before everyone decided 'NO MAS'.

     The real visit began when I arrived at a brother's apartment off campus. As I entered the place, full of vintage 1960's furniture (smile), the first thing I saw were chapter pictures hanging on the wall, official, framed, with brothers properly dressed - the names under some of the pictures were Brothers Wilt Chamberlain, Gale Sayers, etc. As I turned and asked about the pictures, before I could speak, the brothers pointed to the wall behind me. There hanging was a framed charter with an original signature of one of our Founders. Mu had its charter, and of course they (Mu) reminded me of my statements in Lawton and asked for their money - of course I reneged. And no sooner than they realized 'No Mas' with respect to money the brothers then directed my attention to a Grand Chapter Meeting photo hanging above the most unusual boom box (man you got to see this thing). The photo was from the 1956 Grand Chapter Meeting in Detroit, standing front and center were several Founders and a whole cast of noteworthy brothers - I was like a kid in a candy store, as some of you may know, my wife and I both have an affinity for history and a love for antiquities. Mu Chapter's antiquities I would value at about $5,000.

     By now we were heading to tailgate prior to the football game, and as predicted KU lost, but I had the most interesting conversation with my escort. We talked about what I've found to be a reoccurring theme, our undergraduates are sincerely perplexed with the issue of brotherhood. Especially with respect to making good brothers, and it's the word "making" that's the most perplexing part of the issue. They really want to accomplish something that is neither within their grips nor ours as alumni members of Kappa Alpha Psi. They want to keep their Walt Disney glasses on, they want brothers to be idealistically right. Our conversation now turned to MU's land, an undergraduate chapter owning land - as we talked about housing conditions for our brothers, the amount of money they fork out bi-annually, a second reccurring theme emerged, and I'll address that later.

It's night now, KU is really losing, it was time to head back to the apartment and prepare for the late night odyssey. As we walked what seemed to be miles back to the apartment, we walked past fraternity row, the more we walked the longer it took, and step by step you feel like I imagine African Americans felt during the early and mid 1900's, like you were creeping through some white folks' neighborhood. Somewhere you know you don't belong, and you ponder - why is it that white Greek letter organizations can house their young in these mansions, and Black Greeks are relegated to substandard conditions, even now in the year of the millennium? Mu Chapter, thanks for the lessons!!!

By the way, many of you remember Brother Jessie Milan who served as advisor for Mu Chapter from 1955 - 1977. He's back, and so appointed - welcome back Brother Milan!

     Next up, Alpha Mu - if I may digress, the bloody as it was and still affectionately called drew number two on my schedule due to conflict - one that all my chapters should be approaching and/or most recently completed, it's Cooperation Agreement Time. As you should know it was Jefferson City, Missouri that gave birth to this document, which now is a standard document for chapters coming off of disciplinary actions Kappa wide. And it was in Jefferson City, Missouri in which we have discovered a flaw in this document, one that I will address later.

Arriving at Lincoln University and knowing its history (the fact that it was started by African American soldiers), knowing that our Founder Byron K. Armstrong once walked this campus, knowing that a land grant university which was predominately African American and now African Americans represent less than 30% of the student body, and arriving at the foot of one of the Midwest's most architecturally significant structures (a true gem) the Martin Luther King Library, what's so bloody about Alpha Mu? . . . its past.

     Back to the future, as I arrived on campus I tried to take a short cut to the parking lot between the library and the student union via the wrong way on a one-way street, no sooner than I made my turn up the street I was met by a Jeep Cherokee with flashing lights and a white security guard. As he approached my vehicle he asked, "Don't you know this is a one way street?", and of course I replied, "You're kidding me", and commenced turning my vehicle around. Once in the library the first persons I saw were Alpha Mu's Polemarch, Brother Eric Harris, and our Grand Board member Brother Phil Santoli, and they greeted me in good old Kappa fashion. As we sat and talked, they were bringing me up to speed as to the things going on with the university. They talked about how the university closed the student center down for a two-year renovation program without providing an alternative site for the students to socially gather. They talked about how the university recently placed a prohibition on students hanging out on the dorm parking lot after 11 p.m. They talked about how their dorms were full of roaches, and that it took student protests to have the facilities exterminated. I got a lesson in student life on campus. Our Grand Board Member, who by the way was coming off the heels of being crowned the week before as Mr. Lincoln University, was well informed as to the issues. The passion he and the Polemarch shared for the campus conditions easily dispel the motif of Alpha Mu' past, the bloody is truly a thing of the past, and that's a good thing.

     By now the rest of the chapter and the advisor began to arrive and, brother after brother, they arrived properly dressed for business. By now I'm impressed. My meeting with Alpha Mu highlighted the theme of Alumni & Undergraduate Relations, the messages they brought to the table truly call into question the term Supervising Alumni Chapter, which they feel conflicts with our Constitution & Statutes. Our governing document which gives the power to adopt bylaws for their governance, gives them the power to fix the fees and assessments of its members, provides for them to enact such regulations or rules of conduct as the chapter deems necessary for efficient self-government and execution of Fraternity objectives, and maintain its own books and records. It even provides for an advisor who shall not usurp the responsibilities and authorities of undergraduate chapters for managing their affairs, consistent with college regulations and our constitution & statutes.

     Moving on to the conflict, Alpha Mu in accordance with our rules & regulations participated in our Fall Cluster, technically (I'll get back to this word), they went through every procedure by the book, and the end result was a new brother who is a native of Cameroon, with a 3.5 GPA majoring in Computer Science & Math, not bad. The conflict was that the Cooperation Agreement requires notice to the Alumni Chapter and/or Advisor that the Chapter plans to participate in the Cluster, and the Chapter gave notice to the advisor but not to the Alumni Chapter. The conflict was heightened because the alumni chapter, having had previous conversations with the chapter with respect to participation in the fall intake, had advised the undergraduate chapter to wait until spring due to the undergraduate chapter getting a late start with the process, a prudent judgment by the alumni chapter. But because the undergraduate chapter gave notice only to the advisor, when the alumni chapter found out that its undergraduate chapter was participating in the fall intake, every aspect of the intake process with the exception of submitting of the documents to my Office had already occurred, unbeknown to the alumni chapter.

     Alpha Mu feels that because it conducted the procedure (technically) by the book, and that it gave notice as prescribed within its contract with the alumni chapter that everything should be fine. Technically, I agree. Although I will expect the Cooperation Agreement to be amended to reflect notice be given to all parties, both the advisor & the alumni chapter vs. and/or.

But the other side of the coin (the word "technically" within the confines of this communication), if an undergraduate chapter were to conduct some activity that falls outside of the prescribed rules and regulations of our fraternity, the alumni chapter being overly cautious is prudent, and to hold the alumni chapter to a higher standard than my undergraduates is wrong. If you operate 100% by the book the caution will/should go away.

     Back to my visit, it was a delight to attend the Jefferson City Alumni Chapter meeting along with the entire Alpha Mu chapter membership. The Vice Polemarch of Jefferson City Alumni set the tone in my opinion with his statement, "My undergraduates, there is no excuse for me to hear about you guys going hungry because your funds were low and you could not purchase food. You guys could have come to my house, I have no problem feeding you, I've been there before." We all have to work harder at assisting our undergraduates, but we don't have a crystal ball - again this is an issue that falls directly in the lap of every member ever initiated at Alpha Mu, or any other undergraduate chapter. We have food drives, clothes drives, etc. for everybody but our own. And while I believe that God does bless the child with it's own, its better to give than to receive. The Vice Polemarch's comments reminded me of the time when the Polemarch from Mu Chapter was on his way home to Chi-Town, and stopped by my crib. First thing my wife and I did was sit him down and feed him, break some bread with your brothers - PLEASE. And, Brother Vice Polemarch thanks for the reminder.

     Next up, Iota Tau - this trip was truly a gift from the Gods. Our Grand Board Member, Brother Phillip Santoli, traveled with me, and boy did we talk some Kappa. By the way, one of the most scenic routes to Fayetteville Arkansas is from Jefferson City, Missouri to Rolla, and from Rolla to Fayetteville - simply gorgeous if you like nature's wonders during the fall.

     We arrived in Fayetteville around 6 p.m. Friday night, and no sooner than we got checked in my Senior Vice Province Polemarch, who is also the advisor for Iota Tau, was on my phone and soon after we were headed to an alumni & undergraduate get-together being held in our honor. I think it was more for our Grand Board Member versus me, but who cares, eats & drinks were on. It was refreshing to see our undergraduates & alumni brothers enjoying themselves together. The stage was set for the weekend, things couldn't get any better - well they did, our brother with the athletic department placed in our hands VIP passes to the greatest college stadium in the state of Arkansas - and Arkansas won the game. By now I guess most of you are saying when did you get some work done? Okay! Back to the business at hand, it was early Saturday morning when I had the pleasure of meeting formally with the members of the Iota Tau chapter, all properly dressed and ready for whatever. It turned out to be a very productive meeting, I was pleased to hear and see these young men deal with the perils of being an undergraduate chapter that suffered a financial setback from hosting a social event.

     Rather than concentrating on the past, they were clearly focused on the future and it was a very productive meeting. I left this meeting with several deliverables, we are going to take a keen look at what our insurance covers and just what it won't - our undergraduates should be able to rely on the coverage they pay for. Unfortunately, I'm not absolutely clear as to the full spread of coverage the policy provides, so we'll take a good look at that issue for a future feature in our newsletter. Another item we are going to work on as a result of my meeting with Iota Tau is placing the insurance form on our web site, that way chapters can download and print this form at will, and fax it to International Headquarters. We are also going to take a look and see if chapters can simply complete the form and attach their calendar and meet the submission requirements necessary for the insurance to be in force for all the events listed. We will take a look at submitting the insurance form electronically to International Headquarters. Iota Tau, thanks for the productivity.

     Omicron Zeta was next - It's about 11 a.m. mountain time, and we're heading north from Colorado Springs. And with Brother John Baker at the helm you know its time to relax. The advisors were having a productive training session back in the Springs; Brother Elmer Crumbley was in charge so I had not a worry in the world. Arriving at Kappa Towers in Denver is always a treat. Tangible results from the efforts of brothers bear respect, and Denver has mine. Omicron Zeta is a unique animal. It has members attending universities both in the Denver area and Colorado Springs area and not all by choice but more by circumstance. It was my preparation for this meeting that afforded me to revisit my undergraduate years in Beta Nu Chapter. You see, Brother K. C. Matthews (Polemarch of Denver Alumni) hails from Iota Omega, a chapter made possible via Delta Omega, and all through my undergraduate years we marveled at the way those two chapters were joined at the hip - it was this inspiration that fueled our efforts back then in Beta Nu to bring forth Mu Zeta. Back then we called it swinging. Well Omicron Zeta is having the pleasure of stepping back in time, when undergraduate chapters facilitated the birth of new undergraduate chapters. Omicron Zeta is going to deliver for us a Charter to be housed in Colorado Springs and I expect them to have it done by our Province Council meeting in April 2002. By the way, I like that Polemarch in Omicron Zeta, he used his one-nickel to critique me, I'm glad he's out of tokens. For the first time in his Kappa Life he spoke like a true Polemarch, I'm pleased. I've told my Undergraduate Chapter Polemarchs over and over again that if you have something to say, say it, you all are special to me. I don't like timid leaders, let's not forget I have to count on you to make sure your Chapter does the right thing, and sometimes politically it's not fun. While in Colorado Springs I had the pleasure to meet some of the students at the Air Force Academy, what a fine group of young men, all interested in Kappa. Omicron Zeta, thanks for what you are going to do.

     Last but not least, Delta Upsilon - The State of Kansas has a lake. Driving across those rolling hills of Kansas has little to be desired unless you are cattle - not so any more. Lake Eldorado was truly a refreshing sight. But nothing is more refreshing than spending time with Wichita Alumni (Kappa's true family), in this chapter if one cries they all cry, if one smiles they all smile, even Billy - he's the brother that did Cleveland - All of it (smile). When you get to Wichita, Kansas you're home, and you have plenty of Kappa family waiting with opens arms. And it seems to have rubbed off on Delta Upsilon, this is a small chapter in numbers, but big in heart. One of the most refreshing conversations I have had while making these visits was to hear the Polemarch of Delta Upsilon explain to me how they approach hosting social functions. He knew his market, he demographically broke things down and developed a plan of attack, this guy is sharp. By this time I had to show him that I'm not dumb either, so of course we went and got some sounds - I bought Fabolous - and then my main neo with Delta Upsilon turned me on to the Wash sound track, its cool, but Fabolous is bumping. (Hey! That's Undergraduate Talk). Delta Upsilon is working on something I'm very much interested in, they want Metro Status in order to increase their numbers. This process has not been repeated in our Province since 1977 when St. Louis Alumni secured City Wide Status for Beta Nu. I've spoken with our Grand Polemarch, he's on board, it's in Delta Upsilon's hands now. Delta Upsilon, bring home the bacon. And Wichita, thanks for making me feel at home.

     Well, that's enough for one weekend of travel - PSYCH!!!

     Finally, allow me to express my sincere wish for all of you and your families to have a Happy Thanksgiving and a joyous holiday season as we end this calendar year.

Yours in the Bond,
Adolphus M. Pruitt, II
Province Polemarch
Middle Western Province
Polemarch@KAPsiMWP.com

The 1st Annual Kappa Ski Summit will be held during the Martin Luther King Weekend (January 18-22, 2002) at Breckinridge, Colorado, hosted by the Middle Western Province of Kappa Alpha Psi.

This event is open to anyone who wants to relax, ski, and enjoy the beautiful mountains in Colorado. Only 50 rooms have been secured at the discounted rate and they are filling up fast.

If you ever wanted to experience Colorado, or take the family skiing, or just party with the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi, this is your event: Don't miss it!

To register, contact Brother Freddie Frazier at (719) 282-1061 or SkiSummit@KAPsiMWP.com

See flyer and photos below . . . scroll to bottom of page.

Yours in the Bond
Reuben A. Shelton

On Saturday, November 3rd, the Middle Western Province Council of Chapter Advisors gathered for their yearly conference and certification. All Undergraduate Chapters were certified for the day to day operation of their Chapters.

Brother Elmer J. Crumbley facilitated the workshop with the assistance of the Middle Western Province Polemarch Adolphus M. Pruitt, II, Senior Province Vice Polemarch Ossie Campbell, III, and Province Keeper of Records and Exchequer Charles Wesley Morgan, III.

The purpose of the eight-hour workshop was to provide chapter advisors with an exchange of information through various mediums that identify and emphasize personal characteristics, behaviors, and techniques that will enhance the effectiveness of the chapter advisor. Focus was placed on leadership skills, problem solving, situation and analysis, and certain behaviors that contribute to well rounded advisors in the interest of our undergraduate members.

The Chapter Advisors and members of their advising team were put through various interactive situations that they may find useful in providing leadership to their chapters. There are many that feel that Chapter Advisors are amongst the more important members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Very few members of our great and glorious fraternity put their good name, professional accomplishments, and family security on line on a daily basis! Without the Chapter Advisors, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., would not be able to exist! They are the "first line of defense" of our fraternity.

Special thanks goes out to Brother John F. Baker, Polemarch of the Colorado Springs Alumni Chapter, Brother Freddie D. Frazier, III, Province Reporter and Editor of "The Middlewesterner" and the members of the Colorado Springs Alumni Chapter for their hospitality bestowed upon the attendees of the conference.

The Council of Chapter Advisors ended the day invigorated to make a difference in the day to day lives of the Undergraduates they serve.

---

Trained For Security

By Mr. Bill May
From "The Journal Record" of Oklahoma City - 10/15/01
Photo by Mark Hancock

     Developing a secure work space is not merely hiring armed guards around the perimeter and the lobby of a building. Instead, it's a complicated web of issues, each of which needs to be addressed to provide security for workers, inventory, customers, visitors and, most important, data.

      So says Jeffrey K. Jenkins, regional representative for Technical Innovative Concepts, an Edmond-based security company that has something most others don't offer -- government-trained agents.

      "We all (the security agents within the company) are either former FBI, CIA or retired military," Jenkins said. "All of us were security-trained or were security officers for our respective services."

      Jenkins, though, is basically all of the above.

      After working in the food service industry, then as assistant to the director of education of the U.S. Navy's Supply Command, he joined the U.S. Department of Justice as a paralegal in 1983, then became a special agent with the FBI.

      After being a "butcher, baker, candlestick maker" for the FBI, he finally went to security school with the National Security Agency and the CIA. This school also worked with the U.S. Department of State's embassy personnel to train technical surveillance countermeasure officers.

      Since then, he's become a certified "tech agent" with the FBI and still holds a top-secret clearance, as do all the field agents within the company.

      Primarily, the agents have been trained to spot covert audio or video surveillance of a building or office, test if it's bugged and to look for weak points in the security system.

      "What we do is offer an assessment of a location and offer recommendations on ways to strengthen security around it," he said.

      This security ranges from the latest gee-whiz, state-of-the-art, spy movie gadgetry to training personnel in technical countermeasures and counterterrorist activities.

      "What we look for are vulnerability and devices that have been concealed," Jenkins said. "We always look first at access. If a person can get access to a building, then he's got control."

      Since the threat of terrorism or evil-doing was brought home in such a dramatic fashion Sept. 11, more corporations, schools, institutions, governments and individuals have called the company for security assistance.

      "There really is a lot of interest in all this since the hijackers' attacks on Sept. 11," Jenkins said. "I don't think there's any way that just security could have prevented that, but we do offer ways in which people can feel secure while at work."

      Equipment, which Jenkins said his company invented, provides security officers a complete view, with up to 16 cameras recording at one time so they can watch anything, anywhere in real time.

      "This is great for banks in time of a bank robbery," he said. "It can be set up so that when target money is pulled from a drawer during a robbery, the silent alarm goes off, the cameras focus on the proper teller and records everything digitally.

      "Since most masked robbers peel off their masks as they walk out the door, a camera mounted in a strategic position will get digital pictures of the person's face.

      "The camera also will follow the suspect into the car and along the getaway route. It even has the capability to get the license tag in the picture.

      "Why this is so valuable is that many times when police respond to a robbery, they pass the robber getting away and don't know it."

      With the RapidEye Plus system in place, clear, crisp pictures -- including digital video -- are taken at the time of the robbery. Since the pictures can't be manipulated later, the digital video can be given to both the police and FBI, while the owner has the hard-drive information to immediately file for insurance.

      "There's no more of that fuzzy, not quite clear pictures of a robber," Jenkins said.

      Another good use of the system is security on far-flung campuses, like colleges, hotels, convention centers or even just convenience stores.

      "We think it would be great at theme parks and big entertainment centers like Bricktown so that police officers can see what's happening in real time and better protect themselves and the public," Jenkins said.

      The interactive remote features of the device allow a remote officer to constantly watch real-time video, even look for what occurred minutes ago and keep other officers informed of the situation.

      "A security officer can monitor this, see what's happening in real time and even view stored data at the same time," he said. "This means that the security can spot something and call the police to either prevent the incident or at least provide evidence to hasten the capture."

      Places with armed security agents sometimes are vulnerable to both attack and high-dollar lawsuits if something minor should happen.

      "There was an incident at a hotel where I was making a presentation, where a woman desk clerk was alone in a virtually dark lobby," he said. "I told them that even though they had a security guard, it wasn't enough to protect that lone woman."

      He recommended the total surveillance package where a security officer could remotely monitor the grounds and if something came up, notify the police.

      "If an unruly guest, who had been drinking too much, were to start a disturbance, the security guard might hesitate, for fear of accosting an innocent person and bring on a lawsuit. If the situation got out of hand and the guard had to fire his weapon, then the hotel is liable, because the guard is an employee.

      "But, if a security officer spots impending trouble and calls the police, then the hotel is protected, plus the police would be able to prevent a disturbance from getting out of hand."

      The system that Technical Innovative Concepts uses is an interactive remote video system than can store up to 1,000 days of digital pictures. "This video, unlike VCRs, won't deteriorate over time, getting worse each time it's viewed," Jenkins said.

      "It can be accessed from a PC, a laptop, anywhere the senior security officer happens to be."

      It also can be adapted to commercial aircraft so that not only does the pilot have full view of everything going on in the passenger area, but a security officer can monitor every airplane in the sky simultaneously.

      "Normally, we don't quote prices like this, but we can equip an entire airline fleet with this equipment so that a security guard in one place can monitor all that airline's airplanes simultaneously for $25,000 per airplane.

      "We feel that this is an extremely low price for such good security."

      All the field agents involved with the company have basically the same credentials as Jenkins -- some with more some with less -- that's why they are all so interested in security.

      Jenkins admitted he and the others are "somewhat paranoid" when it comes to security, but there's a good reason to be.

      "One time I gave a speech and opened with the question was anybody in the room paranoid," he said. "Nobody raised their hands. After my hour talk, I repeated the question and everyone raised their hands. Some of the people said they were not only paranoid but were scared of me."

      While Jenkins' company pushes high-tech security devices, there are other, less expensive ways to provide security.

      "Anything you do is good, just as long as you are not lax with it," he said.

      The company was incorporated in April. It has 16 employees in Edmond headquarters and regional office, and agents scattered throughout the United States.

      He wouldn't give the company's address for security reasons. The phone number, however, he gave as 405-844-3684.

---

Thanksgiving News?

Chapters are asked to document and photograph any activities sponsored by your chapter during the Thanksgiving holidays. Future issues of "The Middlewesterner" will hopefully highlight a collage of activities from across our province. Submit your input to our Province Reporter at: Reporter@KAPsiMWP.com.

We have a limited number of souvenirs from the 79th Province Council Meeting that are now available for sale. The carry bags may be purchased for $25 each, plus $6 for postage and handling. Orders via e-mail may be sent to our Province Keeper of Records & Exchequer, or by postal delivery to our Province Headquarters at 636 N.E. 36th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73105.

The Middlewesterner is a publication of the Middle Western Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. All submissions welcome. Opinions expressed are the authors' and do not necessarily reflect the views of the officers and members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. at any administrative level. This publication is produced and funded by the Middle Western Province. It is independent and in no way connected with or funded by any other administrative level of the Fraternity. Adolphus M. Pruitt, II ~ Province Polemarch ~ Polemarch@KAPsiMWP.com Freddie D. Frazier, III ~ Province Reporter ~ Reporter@KAPsiMWP.com Submissions to Kappa Alpha Psi, 636 N.E. 36th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73105 or Send E-Mail