Lambda Phi Epsilon

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ΛΦΕ - Lambda Phi Epsilon

Motto	To be Leaders Among Men ΗΓΕΜΟΝΕΣ ΕΝ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΙΣ ΕΙΝΑΙ
Colors	Royal Blue and White
Founded	February 25, 1981 at UCLA
Fraternity type	Social, Philanthropic, Leadership
Scope	National
Headquarters	n/a Los Angeles, California, USA
Chapters	46
Nickname	Lambdas, LPhiE
Homepage	http://www.lambdaphiepsilon.com/

ΛΦΕ (Lambda Phi Epsilon, also LPhiE or Lambdas) is the first and only nationally recognized Asian-Interest fraternity based in the United States. Lambda Phi Epsilon is dedicated to contributing community service (particularly the local Asian community), increasing Asian awareness, promoting academic scholarship, and strengthening Asian-American voice on campus. Lambda Phi Epsilon is the largest Asian-Interest fraternity at 46 chapters in the United States and is one of the fastest expanding fraternities in the nation ^{[citation needed]}.

1 Service and philanthropy
2 Convention
3 History
4 Chapters
5 Controversial deaths
6 External links

[edit] Service and philanthropy

Among the fraternity's many philanthropies is the Asian American Bone Marrow Donor Program (AADP) [1], Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M) [2] on the West Coast and the Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation [3]. The philanthropy became a defining part of the fraternity nationwide after one of its brothers developed leukemia and wrote an open letter to Lambdas nationwide encouraging them to participate.

Members of the fraternity are also involved in many other national and local community services all over the country, as service is one of the pillars of Lambda Phi Epsilon.

The National Marrow Donor Program's (NMDP) Lt. Gen. Frank Petersen Jr. Award is presented to an individual, group or organization that has consistently shown commitment in support of the NMDP's mission by working within minority communities to promote awareness, education and recruitment, with a focus on the retention of minority donors. Awarded to Lambda Phi Epsilon, Inc. in 2005.

[edit] Convention

Lambda Phi Epsilon has an annual gathering known as Convention during Memorial day weekend held at a location designated at the previous Convention. Convention is a national event for members to get together for business and pleasure, and is one of the largest Asian-American gatherings in the United States. Parties and after-parties are held all weekend as well as Brotherhood showcases where members from their respective chapters can perform a dance or step. The winning chapter is awarded Keight, a sword passed down from the previous year's winner. Board members are also elected at meetings during this weekend as well.

Convention 2006 marked the silver anniversary of Lambda Phi Epsilon and was held in the fraternity's founding city, Los Angeles. Over 90% of the original founders were confirmed to attend.

[edit] History

[edit] National

Lambda Phi Epsilon was founded at University of California, Los Angeles on February 25, 1981. Soon after the inception of Lambda Phi Epsilon, the fraternity chartered to Universities in Texas, the Midwest with the University of Michigan - Xi Chapter and the East Coast with the University at Buffalo - Nu Chapter being the first. In 1990, the organization was recognized by the North-American Interfraternity Conference, being the first Asian Interest fraternity to do so. The fraternity has since expanded to all corners of the United States and beyond.

[edit] Expansion

Nu Chapter was the Lambda Phi Epsilon's first chapter chartered on the American East Coast. Starting as Delta Gamma Tau, on September 15, 1992 Delta Gamma Tau merged with Lambda Phi Epsilon (effectively taking on Lambda Phi Epsilon's letters) to unify organizations with identical purposes and to strengthen the Asian voice in the school community.

In Fall 2004, Lambda Phi Epsilon added University of Toronto, thereby granting Lambda Phi Epsilon unofficial status as an international fraternity.

[edit] Founding fathers

The founding fathers of Lambda Phi Epsilon

Not satisfied with the single Asian fraternity on the campus of University of California, Los Angeles, principal founder Mr. Craig Ishigo and a group of eighteen other dedicated men decided to form Lambda Phi Epsilon on February 25, 1981. Noting that Asian fraternities and sororities at the UC campuses were recognized only as service organizations due to their memberships focus on specific Asian groups and to the exclusion of other ethnic groups, the goal of the founders was to transcend this limitation. The founders hoped to set new and higher standards of excellence for all Asian-interest organizations to follow, while feeling a need to offer a fraternity that would be recognized by the IFC and the Greek system. While the original charter focused on Asian-Pacifics, people from all ethnic backgrounds were welcome to join and support the brotherhood of Lambda Phi Epsilon. Their vision was that the members would eventually become the leaders of their respective communities and bridge the gaps that divided the Asian American community through an affiliation with a common organization. Mr. Craig Ishigo and Darryl L. Mu signed the charter as president and vice-president, respectively.

Mr. Hunter Chang
Mr. Randy Fujimoto
Mr. John Hanvey
Mr. Craig Ishigo (Principal founder)
Mr. Jeff Kaku
Mr. Bobby Kawai
Mr. Dean Kumagawa
Mr. Jim Lee
Mr. Bruce Mau
Mr. Ted Mihara
Mr. Neil Miyazaki
Mr. Darryl L. Mu
Mr. Kelvin Sakai
Mr. Kevin Shida
Mr. Albert Sun
Mr. Weyton Tam
Mr. Jamie Watanabe
Mr. Bennett Wang
Mr. Fred Wong

Credit: Lambda Phi Epsilon - Psi Chapter for Founding Fathers summary

[edit] Chapters

[edit] Active chapters

Α - University of California, Los Angeles [4]
Β - University of California, Davis [5]
Γ - University of California, Santa Barbara [6]
Δ - University of California, Berkeley [7]
Ε - University of California, Irvine
Ζ - University of Texas, Austin
Η - University of California, Riverside [8]
Θ - Stanford University [9]
Ι - University of California, San Diego [10]
Κ - University of California, Santa Cruz [11]
Μ - California State University, Sacramento [12]
Ν - State University of New York, Buffalo [13]
Ξ - University of Michigan [14]
Ο - California State University, San Francisco [15]
Π - University of Houston [16]
Ρ - San Jose State University
Σ - University of Pennsylvania [17]
Τ - Pennsylvania State University [18]
Υ - Johns Hopkins University [19]
Φ - California State University, San Luis Obispo [20]
Χ - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign [21]
Ψ - University of Chicago [22]
ΑΑ - State University of New York, Binghamton [23]
AΒ - New York University [24]
AΓ - Baylor University [25]
ΑΔ - St. Johns University [26]
ΑΕ - State University of New York, Stony Brook [27]
ΑΖ - University of Washington [28]
ΑΗ - Northwestern University [29]
ΑΘ - Rutgers University [30]
AI - Purdue University [31]

[edit] Associate chapters

Boston University [32]
Cornell University [33]
Columbia University [34]
University of Virginia [35]
Carnegie Mellon University [36]
University of Kansas [37]

[edit] Colony chapters

University of Georgia [38]
Michigan State University [39]
University of Massachusetts, Amherst [40]
Duke University [41]
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) [42]
City University of New York - Baruch [43]
University of Toronto [44]
University of Texas, Dallas [45]
Florida State University [46]

[edit] Controversial deaths

[edit] UC Irvine

In 2005, the UC Irvine chapter was officially suspended due to an open investigation surrounding the death of a Cal Poly Pomona pledge. On August 8, 2005, pledges attempting to establish a chapter of Lambda Phi Epsilon at Cal Poly Pomona were participating in a football game with actives from UC Irvine. One pledge, Kenny Luong, was injured and died in the hospital on August 30, 2005. The game was played without pads and actives reportedly outnumbered pledges by nine to at least thirty men. [47] Police reported they had no evidence of any criminal activity that led to Luong's death [48], but still decided to conduct an investigation [49]. A participant described the incident as “a hazing disguised as a football game [50].” Its current status is unknown. After the incident, the remaining pledges decided to forego the plans for a new chapter and instead started a campus community service group in honor of Luong. It was considered an act of Hazing[51].

[edit] University of Texas at Austin

In December 2005, a new member of Lambda Phi Epsilon died at the University of Texas at Austin. Reportedly, it was the night of "installation," a post-crossing celebration. One new member, Phanta "Jack" Phoummarath, died of alcohol poisoning. The Houston Chronicle reported that Jack's oldest brother, Ted Phoummarath said that his body was drawn on with marker, apparently after he had passed out at the party. [52]

The university canceled the group's status as a student organization until 19 December 2011. UT administrators cited multiple examples of hazing as justification for the university's action. Officials with Lambda Phi Epsilon's national organization have not commented on the incident. The Austin Police Department is conducting a separate investigation to see if hazing did occur (hazing is illegal in the state of Texas). The Phoummarath family has also filed a lawsuit against Lambda Phi Epsilon and its various members.[53] Three fraternity members, including the fraternity president Benny Chan, were indicted on 13 December 2006 on misdemeanor charges of hazing and furnishing alcohol to a minor as part of this lawsuit.[54]

[edit] San Jose State University

In January 2003, Lambda Phi Epsilon member Alam Kim was killed in a bloody brawl between Lambda Phi Epsilon and Pi Alpha Phi. Alam Kim was an alumni of Lowell High School in San Francisco, where he commanded the Lowell Boys Drill Team. He was a junior at SJSU and a loyal Lambda. Friends say Alam was trying to stop the fight between the two fraternities before he was killed by a stab wound through his heart. [55]