Gamma Pi Chapter Negligent Big Family

The Negligent Big Family is a segment of the Gamma Pi chapter, who have descended from Nakia Coley. Initially the family was very small, with each Big Brother taking only one Little Brother. This trend continued until the Spring of 2003, when the size of the Mu Class, necessitated that Lea Miller take a second little. And from that popint on the Family continued to grow and expand.

Family History

The Negligent Big Family was founded in the Spring of 1997 with Nakia Coley, a member of Gamma Pi's Founding Class. The following semester, Nakia took a Little Brother and laid the roots of the Family. The Family continued to slowly grow and persevere, with the unwritten policy of one Big and one Little being maintained. This all changed in the Spring of 2003. The incoming Mu Class started out with 21 initiates (the largest ever in Gamma Pi up to that point) and with only 27 active brothers, the unwritten policy was brought to a screeching halt. Lea Miller took a second Little and Megan Everett took a Little thereby doubling the Family's size in one semester.

At that time the Family was not named. Gamma Pi families for the most part were identified by who the current patriarch or matriarch of the family was, the exceptions being the Stanley Hanley Family and the Fish Family. The Stanley Hanley's were a massive family that nearly equaled the size of the rest Chapter's families. The Fish Family, though much smaller in size, was the second largest in the Chapter at 5 Brothers. This gave people a constant identifier of lineage and family groups, and unnamed families began the hunt for names of their own. Lea Miller who was the Family matriarch was pushing for the "Weird Family," but the name never seemed to stick. Fortunes changed during a trip to Tau's Founder's Day weekend in the Spring of 2004. Debating back and forth over clever and witty sounding names and commenting on how little we knew about each other, Christina Ragan (Stanley Hanley Family) interjected, "You guys are, like, the Negligent Big Family." Instantly we knew we had a name.

The nature of the Family at that time was really one neglect. While other Bigs and Littles were bonding and doing everything together, we were vaguely aware of our Littles existence. This was never an intentional slight or intent to be contemptuous. It simply was an odd reoccurrence that we never seemed to bond or form close relationships with each other.

But with a new family name came a new sense of family. By the time Pi Class came along, the family had forged its identity. The camaraderie that seemed destined for other families took root in the Negligent Bigs. And the name that started as witty self-deprecating moniker became witty sarcastic moniker. As the initiate classes progressed, members became Big Brothers at a greater frequency, and soon became the largest family in the Chapter. Though their family bonds may fluctuate with time, and tradition of ignorance and neglect still lingers in some degree; it has managed not only to survive, but to be a force to be reckoned with in Gamma Pi.

Family Insignia

left to right: Jen Kohn, Megan Everett (original letters), Lea Miller & Joe Delozier

The Negligent Big Family has adopted various trappings over the years. Originally the family letters was navy blue sweatshirt with blue and tan plaid primary letters on gold background letters. The letters underwent a change in the fall of 2002. Because of the unbearable heat during the fall rush events, it was decided that the sweatshirts had to go, and were replaced with navy blue t-shirts. These shirts continued until the Family ran out of the material that had been used for the letters and could not locate similar fabric.

The quest for a suitable color scheme ended when Austin Crise wearing a set of letters he had made for himself. It was a black t-shirt with red primary letters on white background letters. With his permission, they were adopted and the brother's Gamma Pi nickname was added to the back in white letters to distinguish them from his.

Sometime between the Spring of 2000 and the Spring of 2002, the Family adopted its official song 'Baby Got Back,' by Sir Mix-a-Lot. This was a nod to Jenny Squire who had the song requested at every Phi Sigma Pi event she attended that had a disc jockey. The Family got its official motto, "Jackpot!" during a trip to the Tau Chapter in 2005. The line, a reference to "Family Guy," had been used frequently during the Spring semester whenever something went one's way. As fate would have it, during a Tau t-shirt sale, an old shirt was found from a casino themed event with the word "Jackpot!" written across the back.

The Family Glass is a double old fashion glass with the Phi Sigma Pi logo etched in the center. The words "Negligent Big Family" arch across the top and the brothers nickname is written straight across the bottom. They were first presented to the members of the family following the Spring 2003 induction ceremony. In accordance with long standing tradition, they continue to be handed out every year to incoming members of the family.