June 8, 2015 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Chapters & Brothers RE: On to Charlotte Letter to the Brotherhood Greetings Brothers, With the Charlotte Convention only two short months away, I am excited about my campaign for the 35th General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., believe I am the best candidate for our fraternity’s needs at this time, and am writing to ask for your chapter’s delegate votes. Please allow me to explain why I’m confident in asking for your support. During some brief quiet times, I recall the May 2, 1987 date, as a 20-year old, when I made the commitment to hold high the light of Alpha and build upon the foundation our Jewels laid. Now, 28 years later, I am more determined to safeguard the Alpha Legacy on the power of my proven body of work in Alpha Phi Alpha, and my platform - RAISING THE BAR OF BROTHERHOOD, STRENGTHENING OUR CAPACITY FOR LEADERSHIP, and MOBILIZING ALPHA’S CAPACITY FOR SERVICE. My intention during the campaign has been to share my vision and platform – which I hope has resonated with you. Speaking with Brothers on the campaign trail has been equally enlightening for me – as I’ve received fresh insights about the needs and demands of the brotherhood. I’ve learned more about your challenges and your mandate for grassroots, comprehensive, and inclusive approaches to combat the internal and external threats to our fraternity. I’ve listened to College Brothers object over the adverse effects of college and university policies, protest about the inhibiting high cost of fraternity initiation and convention fees, and lament about the connection gap with Alumni Brothers. Likewise, I’ve dialogued with Alumni Brothers who convey concern over Alpha’s financial transparency and prospects for growth, protest about Alpha’s sustainability in the face of hazing risks, and implore our leaders for a strategic approach to crises afflicting our communities. Generally, Brothers have issued a challenge for continuing the General President Leadership that takes a brotherly, relevant, practical, inclusive, and bold approach to getting the business done.
D. M. Morton To Charlotte Letter Page 2 Over those 28 years of active continuous service in Alpha I, Brother Darren M. Morton, have a record of tangible accomplishments that have strengthened Alpha Phi Alpha at every turn. Because “past actions are the best indicator of future performance,” have no doubt that I will deliver bold and consistent results when elected General President. FISCAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Among other objective accomplishments, I wrote and submitted four (4) Convention-ratified Constitutional Amendments that; • Empowered small chapters by ensuring they had a delegate vote at the General Convention, • Limited the terms of our fiscal officers to improve transparency and encourage new leaders, • Established universal criteria for determining good standing for chapters, and • Promoted academic excellence and clarified academic requirements for membership. These amendments improved our organization’s effectiveness, empowered the brotherhood and ensured all chapters were enfranchised. BROTHERHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND MEMBERSHIP GROWTH As the Chairman of the International Expansion Taskforce, my leadership produced a detailed analysis with tangible recommendations from the 19-member Taskforce that led Alpha to establish Chapters in Liberia, London, and South Africa. Likewise, I was pleased to Chair the broad multi-regional Membership Intake Taskforce, which created the new Initial Membership Intake Process (IMDP). The results of both Taskforce entities continue to grow Alpha Phi Alpha and strengthen our future around the world. COMPARE THE LEADERSHIP RECORDS I offer Alpha a record of achievement, sound foresight, and practical strategic planning. Visit www.AlphaLegacy.org for more details about my record of results. Please review my executive leadership credentials within and outside of Alpha and that of all the other candidates. You will discover my transcript proves that I bring transformative, engaged, and collaborative leadership.
D. M. Morton To Charlotte Letter Page 3 My other Alpha Leadership results include; • Implementing an Internal Audit Committee and bonding the East Region’s fiscal officers, while sharing detailed financial reporting with the Brotherhood, which hallmarked the beginning of increased financial transparency, • The creation of Regional position descriptions and tangible goals still used by Vice Presidents after my tenure, • A $54,000 cash surplus at the end of my tenure as Eastern Region Vice President, and • Increasing College Brothers’ participation and Convention attendance every year in office. Professionally and within the Community, my success is evident by my; • Management over a budget in excess of $10 million, while increasing by 120% the rate of student development and engagement (based on a NSSE survey) at St. John’s University - an institution of over 19,000 students, • Development of an on-budget and on-schedule multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art student center at St. John’s University, • Acquisition of a $3 million disaster relief and employment grant for the City of Mount Vernon, • Active Board membership of the Mount Vernon Public Library, where I serve as chairmen of Budget and Finance, and • Involved Treasury management within the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency, managing multi-million dollar HUD Block Grant funds. Brothers, I will continue to travel to and within the districts, areas, and chapters, and will communicate via webinar and conference calls leading up to the Charlotte Convention. Again, I ask for your support, and I ask for your chapter’s delegates in Charlotte. Together we will safeguard the Alpha Legacy by uplifting our Brotherhood and building the Leadership and Service capacities of our great fraternity. Your Brother,
Darren M. Morton, Ed.D.