MSP Basic Outline For The Candidate Rev July 2020
MSP Basic Outline For The Candidate Rev July 2020
MSP Basic Outline For The Candidate Rev July 2020
BASIC OUTLINE
FOR THE CANDIDATE
International Headquarters
Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc.
The manual is to be returned to the chairman upon completion of requirements for initiation
into the Fraternity or when becoming inactive as a prospective candidate.
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OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.
The Founders selected each other and each member that came thereafter
We must select men who already possess the qualities of Manhood, Scholarship,
Perseverance and Uplift.
We bring members into the Fraternity and not into a specific Chapter or District.
We select men because their academic records show that they possess good mental
capacity, strong character and an earnest desire to equip them for service to humanity.
Membership selection is your training for active responsibility in the Omega Psi Phi
Fraternity. Its purpose is to help develop your unselfish interest in participation in a
program of fellowship and brotherhood.
All duties bear a definite relationship to local chapters as well as the International
chapters. The entire process in this Fraternity is geared towards developing conscientious,
eager, enthusiastic, and active members who will carry on our traditions, ideals, and
services of the Fraternity, community, and world in the years ahead.
“Well, we answered, we can only guarantee that as we have, the Founders, selected Fourteen
other men who were like minded to ourselves, with the same ideals and aspirations and with the
same scholarship, that they in turn would select other men like themselves; then whenever the
fraternity might be established that would be the order and men of high ideals and scholastic
standing would be selected or infinitum.”
-excerpt from Dr. Love’s Speech
FUNDAMENTALS OF THE FRATERNITY WORLD
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A study of the historically black greek letter Fraternal organizations reveals that they all:
Each prospective candidate will be required to show evidence of having a satisfactory record in
each of the four criterions listed below before he can be recommended for voting by the chapter.
There is to be open dialog at the weekly meeting with those brothers who are there to view the
Membership Selection process. Each prospective candidate will secure signatures only at
weekly meetings. The Membership Selection Chairman will check the signature list. The reports
are to be left with the chairman on or before each scheduled meeting date. The signature is one
way of enabling the candidate to acquaint himself with the brothers and will help the chairman
more adequately evaluate the important qualities of fellowship and brotherhood. It is
expected that these two contacts will be more than a signature.... talk with the members.... get to
know them.... tell them about your self - your hopes, aspirations and problems. The signature is
designed to begin the building of a lifelong friendship. Nothing in this experience is designed to
be humiliating, punitive, or degrading to the dignity of the person. Each prospective candidate
will not and should not under any circumstances perform any errands or seek or have any
personal visits. Each prospective candidate will address each brother with respect and offer his
assistance when seeking signatures. When a prospective candidate misses a certain number of
signatures (the number to be named by the chairman) over a period of time, he will be advised
that he has failed this phase of the criterion.
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The following categories of information are required of every prospective Omega man:
1. the Fraternity, its history, its organization and its officers.
2. the life and place of Omega men in our society.
3. the literature (poems, essay, and songs, etc.) which undergirds the basic philosophy of the
Fraternity. Written and oral examinations will be given for this criterion. (See Applicants
Guide for details).
CRITERION IV - Character
Though this challenge is more subjective, it is considered essential in evaluating one for
membership in the brotherhood of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Respect shown each other,
respect for brothers, persons in authority, and womanhood is considered the mark of a real man.
One's character and compliance with the laws and policies of the Fraternity will in effect play a
major part in determining one's qualification for membership in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,
Inc.
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UPON ACCEPTANCE INTO THE MEMBERSHIP SELECTION PROCESS EACH
PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATE STANDS COMMITTED:
TO THE OBLIGATION
The virtuous man asks not what the aforementioned things, "can do for me", but, "What can I do
for them?
"By participating in the Membership Selection Process of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., a
prospective candidate is obligated to:
3. As a prospective candidate for membership in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., you are
required to report any person or persons who attempt to affect this process negatively by
violating its regulations. The Fraternity will use criminal and civil means to pursue
vigorously anyone involved in such activities. If the prospective candidate fails to report
such violations, he will not be allowed membership and/or expelled from the Fraternity.
4. All requests for absences from a regular meeting shall be made to the Membership
Selection Chairman on or before the day of regular meeting or at a time specified by the
Chairman.
8. The maximum length of the Membership Selection Process is four weeks, or as allowed
by the college/university, but should not exceed the maximum four weeks. All
college/university rules and regulations applicable to the Membership Selection Process
are to be adhered and NO rule published by the Fraternity's Membership Selection
Process shall supersede the college/university's rules.
9. All prospective candidates must pay the required dues and fees on time; otherwise the
prospective candidates will be dismissed from the process.
10. Each prospective candidate upon being initiated into the Fraternity or upon becoming
inactive is to turn over all membership selection materials to the Membership Selection
Chairman.
11. All Omega men and prospective candidates are expected to be respectful.
12. All prospective candidates attending meetings must wear coat, shirt, and tie.
15. Each membership selection prospective candidate is required to uphold each Cardinal
Principle.
16. Dependability, trust, interest, brotherhood, effort, cooperation, high standards of morality,
manhood, scholarship, perseverance, uplift, and friendship are qualities which a candidate
is expected to possess and develop at all times.
17. Each prospective candidate must exhibit an excellent knowledge, both orally and written,
about the Fraternity before initiation. Each prospective candidate must receive at least an
80% rating on the written examination before proceeding to the Initiation Phase.
18. All projects and programs must be completed before an individual prospective candidate
can proceed to the Initiation Phase.
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KNOW WELL THE FOLLOWING OUTLINED MATERIAL FROM STUDYING THIS
MANUAL AND THE HISTORY OF THE OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.
I. History
A. International
1. Events leading to the founding and incorporation of the Fraternity
2. Biographical sketch of the Founders
3. The early pre~1918, structure of the Fraternity
4. The story behind the National Shrine of Omega
5. The names of the former Grand Basilei
6. The "Great Transition"
C. Fraternities in General
1. The first American College Fraternity
2. The history of historically African American Greek Letter Organizations
3. When and where founded
A. International
1. The present Grand Officers
2. The name and location of the districts of the Fraternity
3. What is the Grand Conclave?
4. What is the Supreme Council?
5. What is the "ORACLE"?
6. The International programs: Achievement Week, Talent Hunt, and Memorial Day
(history and meaning), and etc.
7. Constitution and Bylaws
B. District
1. History of District
2. District Officers
3. District Programs
C. Local
1. The chapter officers and functions
2. The chapter programs and functions
3. Robert’s Rules of Order
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A. The first three chapters - when and where founded
B. All the Omega Chapters in the local district
C. Know the chapters in your own hometown
A. Cardinal Principles
B. The Motto
C. The Colors
D. The Role of the Pan-Hellenic Council
E. The Greek Alphabet
A. Review role of chapter, mentors, undergraduate advisors, graduate advisors, and district
representative
Undergraduate advisor is affiliated with Fraternity and Graduate advisor is affiliated with
the college/university and may be assigned by the college/university if warranted.
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1. FRATERNITY PROJECT - A meaningful or useful gift to the Fraternity and a scrapbook.
2. CIVIC PROJECT - A social action or community projects on the campus or in the
community.
3. EDUCATION PROGRAM - A program cultural or inspirational significance.
4. SOCIAL FUNCTION - A recreational, friendly gathering, formal or informal.
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MEMORIZE THESE REQUIRED POEMS
IF - Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies;
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster,
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they have gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will, which says to them "HOLD ON!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count on you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it
And which is more you’ll be a man my son
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INVICTUS – William Ernest Henley
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SEE IT THROUGH - Edgar A. Guest THE BRIDGE BUILDER – W. A. Dromgoole
When you're up against a trouble, An old man going a lone highway
Meet it squarely, face to face; Came at the evening, cold and gray,
Lift your chin and set your shoulders To a chasm vast and wide and steep,
Plant your feet and take a brace; with waters rolling cold and deep.
When it's vain to try to dodge it, The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
Do the best that you can do; The sullen stream had no fears for him;
You may fail, but you may conquer, But he turned when safe on the other side,
See it through! And built a bridge to span the tide.
Black may be the clouds about you "Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
And your future may seem grim, You are wasting your strength with building here.
But don't let your nerve desert you; Your journey will end with the ending day,
Keep yourself in fighting trim. You never again will pass this way.
If the worst is bound to happen, You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Spite of all that you can do, Why build you this bridge at eventide?'
Running from it will not save you,
See it through! The builder lifted his old gray head.
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
Even hope may seem but futile, "There followeth after me today
When with troubles you're beset A youth whose feet must pass this way.
But remember you are facing The chasm that was as naught to me
Just what other men have met. To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
You may fail, but fall still fighting; He, too, must cross in the twilight dim—
Don't give up, what o'er you do Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."
Eyes front, head high to the finish
See it through!
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Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard even Aaron' s beard;
that went down to the skirts of his garments: As the dew of Hermon, and as dew that descended
upon the mountains of Zion: For there the LORD commanded the blessings, even life for
evermore.
LEARN THE WORDS AND MUSIC OF THE NATIONAL SONGS OF THE OMEGA
PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.
SWEETHEART SONG
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Don Q. Pullen
"IT IS SO HARD TO MAKE OMEGA. GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO HAVE
PATIENCE THROUGH HARD WORKS."
"Do thy duty; that is best; leave unto the Lord the rest.”
Believing that men of like attainments and of similar ideas of fellowship and manhood should
bind themselves together in order to approach these ideals we have incorporated ourselves under
the name of OMEGA PSI PHI Fraternity.
Every round goes higher, higher, Every round goes higher, higher. Every round goes higher,
higher, Soldiers of the cross.
Sinner, do you love my Jesus? Sinner, do you love my Jesus? Sinner, do you love my Jesus?
Soldiers of the cross.
If you love Him, why not serve Him? If you love Him, why not serve Him? If you love Him,
why not serve Him? Soldiers of the cross.
We are climbing higher, higher, we are climbing higher, higher, we are climbing higher, higher,
Soldiers of the cross. Amen
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OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC.
EDUCATION PHASE
The outline below represents some specific guidelines for the implementation of the four-week
education phase of the Membership Selection Process. No candidate should expect to enter the
Fraternity with a compliance rating of less than 80% of the criterion requirements.
PROCEDURES
The Membership Selection Chairman will provide a weekly status report, (Form 1B) on each
prospective candidate to the chapter. The Graduate and Undergraduate Basilei, chairman, and/or
chapter advisor will come together to check the weekly reports. A copy of the reports will be
forwarded to the District Representative.
All meetings of the prospective candidates of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. should be
opened and closed with prayer.
Attendance - It is imperative that all prospective candidates attend the regular meetings set by
the Chairman and mentor.
Every financial and active brother who has been certified for the Membership Selection Process
is eligible to view the Membership Selection meetings during the four-week education phase.
The chairman will have direction/interaction control of the prospective candidates.
Time Limit -
The regular meeting shall be held once per week – the day and time (a maximum of two hours)
are to be set by the chairman. The meeting frequency may be adjusted pursuant to university
guidelines with the approval of the District Representative. Candidates may meet together for
study sessions; however, no brothers can be in attendance and this must be approved by the
MSP Chairman.
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Criterion I (Fellowship, Brotherhood, and Scholarship)
A. Signatures - Each prospective candidate will secure signatures only at the weekly
meeting. The Chairman will check the signature list.
3rd Week – Review of information, Invictus, Mother to Son, history of chapter and chapter
officers, sketch on one-half brothers – biography of brothers present as set by the
chairman.
4th Week – If, Life, Psalms 133, Grand and District officers, examination and initiation.
Plan and implement a social action project during this period. These projects should entail
campus and/or community projects. Some examples:
1. Scouting (assigned persons will be responsible for learning, planning, and promoting
the chapter sponsored troop). Meetings weekly plus hikes, etc.
2. Voter registration – Will help in registration drives and likewise activity as specified
by chairman.
4. Special projects - The group as a whole will leave something for the chapter
(scrapbook and permissible Fraternity room decoration).
CRITERION IV - Character
2. Each prospective candidate must show evidence of excellent character traits – The
chairman will discuss candidates with mentors and sponsors at the end of the four-week
mentoring/education phase.
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