Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated®, (“Kappa”) is a Greek-lettered organization with both collegiate and alumni chapters. Since its founding on the campus of Indiana University on January 5, 1911, in Bloomington, Indiana, the fraternity has grown with chapters throughout the world.
Kappa requires that its members exemplify and encourage high cultural, intellectual, and moral standards and their actions exemplify the professional and personal behaviors that reflect the ideals and principles of Kappa.
Its opposition to hazing or anti-social conduct of any kind has been continuous since its founding, implicit in its founding precepts and explicit in its declaration first published in the year 1949 stating that hazing in any form is prohibited. Accordingly, the Fraternity has prohibited pledging and dispensed with the practice of having pledges or a protracted probationary period prior to one’s initiation into full membership into Kappa. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, has a zero – tolerance hazing policy. The policy expressly prohibits all acts and forms of hazing, before, during, and after the membership intake process.
Kappa established a Code of Conduct on June 30, 2011. Revisions to this Code of Conduct including sanctions and changes in policies shall be made by the Grand Board of Directors. In accordance with the Constitution and Statutes, changes to fines imposed under this Code shall only be made by the Grand Chapter.
Kappa has developed a membership intake process known as The Membership Training Academy (MTA) which establishes an orderly and rational process of applicant solicitation, screening, and initiation. The membership intake process is intended to attract and retain members of high academic, moral, social, civic, ethical, and religious standards.
Kappa prohibits pledging, hazing and anti-social activity and seeks to promote in every phase of fraternal life safe and wholesome activities which are consistent with the code of conduct of the colleges, universities, and jurisdictions where our chapters are chartered. The effective enforcement of membership intake policies and the anti-hazing edict requires that college, university, and community officials join Kappa in informing all members of the community that hazing, horseplay, physical stunts, antisocial, or unlawful activity of any kind are not and cannot be a precondition of membership in Kappa.
It is the goal of Kappa to see that all individuals committing acts of hazing and other prohibited acts are punished consistent with due process and the concept of proportionality to the full extent of the rules of Kappa, the college, and criminal law. Kappa does not countenance either acts of physical aggression by members or the willing submission to the same by prospective members or Candidates for membership. Prospective members, Candidates and other members of the public are themselves uniquely situated to reject, report, and decline to participate in any pledging or hazing activity.
Kappa has not only prohibited pledging but bans from its membership those who submit to such a vile process. The membership intake process is the sole method for obtaining membership in the organization.
Wayward members of Kappa, who do not subscribe to our motto of achievement, have elected, in open defiance of the rules and regulation of Kappa, to conduct underground pledging and engage in acts of hazing and other prohibited acts in clear violation of Fraternity rules and criminal statutes of the various states. Such members’ criminal behavior is repugnant to all for which Kappa stands and are not wanted, and clearly deserve, because of their behavior, to forfeit their membership in Kappa.
It is the specific intent of this Fraternity to serve notice to parents, students, colleges, universities, law enforcement officials, and the world that Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc, forbids pledging, hazing, or any other unlawful acts and urges the public to report any such suspected activity to Kappa, the student affairs division of the college or university and/or to law enforcement officials.