FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: W. Patrick Bryan, Director of Communications
Email:
PARSIPPANY, NJ — After 15 years of membership within the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO), the National Board of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. has elected to discontinue its membership effective with the new year on January 1, 2015. As the leaders of the Latin@ Greek Movement, Lambda Theta Phi has enjoyed membership in NALFO as a way to connect and unite Latin@ Greek organizations from throughout the United States; however, developments in the past year have made it significantly more challenging to support the Association.
The past two years have demonstrated NALFO’s difficulties. The Association has had trouble filling key leadership positions, continued challenges in maintaining its status as an organization, and an inability to maintain basic organizational presence. The NALFO website has been down for nearly two years. Lambda Theta Phi believes NALFO has also failed to provide guidance on key issues facing Latin@ Greek organizations, including: unity, risk management, leadership development and advocacy. Although Lambda has supported NALFO during the past few years as it worked through these challenges, it has now become clear that the future viability of the organization is in question.
The decision to leave NALFO is not made lightly, as many brothers of Lambda Theta Phi have contributed to the development of NALFO throughout its many years of membership. Most recently Lambda won 6 NALFO awards, including Fraternity of the Year, indicating that Lambda enjoys considerable repute among member organizations and the community at large. Despite the departure of many other organizations, Lambda Theta Phi has tried to work to strengthen NALFO, supporting its measured policies and principles of unification; however, it is now clear that continued membership is no longer beneficial to Lambda Theta Phi or the larger Latin@ Greek Movement.
As the first nationally recognized Greek-letter organization founded as a Latino fraternity, Lambda Theta Phi is committed to Latin@ unity and advancing the Latin@ Greek community in partnership with the many other NALFO and non-NALFO organizations. Lambda Theta Phi was founded upon the idea of uniting Latino students at Kean University on December 1, 1975–just 39 years ago today. Our brothers from over 140 chapters around the nation have joined Lambda with this core concept in mind, and Lambda Theta Phi will continue to work toward advancing the Latin@ community, in concert with other organizations, long after ending its membership with NALFO.
Lambda Theta Phi will discontinue its membership with NALFO effective January 1, 2015; however, the Fraternity will continue to work for Latin@ Greek unity. Lambda Theta Phi has also been a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) since 1992, and will continue to strengthen its involvement within the Conference.
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Founded on December 1, 1975 at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. is the first nationally recognized Greek-letter organization founded as a Latin fraternity. The membership of Lambda Theta Phi is open to all college men who support its values of scholarship, respect for all cultures, community service, and the advancement and fair treatment of Latinos in the United States. Lambda Theta Phi was the first Latin Fraternity to be recognized by the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), and has over 140 chapters and colonies across the United States. More information about Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. can be found at www.Lambda1975.org.