THE OPEN VISOR Fall 2009
The brothers of Delta Upsilon pose for a group picture shortly after initiating their newest brothers in the spring of 2009.
Inside Page 2—Brother Spotlight: Stephen Jackson and Kitchen Update Page 3—DU PR Events
Delta Upsilon Looks Forward The twenty-eight men who made up our spring 2009 pledge class have already begun climbing up the leadership ladder within the Miami University Chapter. On our executive committee, William Poirier ’12 has been elected Vice President of Scholarship, Byron Given ’12 has been elected Vice President of New Member Education, and Evan Heiser ’12 is serving as our Philanthropy Chairman. Several other sophomores occupy vital positions within the house itself as well. In addition to these men, many sophomores have volunteered to serve on the recruitment, public relations and social committees. Andrew Doellman ’12, Heiser and Poirier attended the Leadership Institute in Albany, NY this past summer with the goal of becoming more effective leaders. We recognize the importance of positioning our largest pledge class in recent memory to lead the chapter as several members of our executive committee will graduate this coming spring. Bradley Backoff Miami ‘10 Executive Vice President
Page 4—Interview with Miami football coach Michael Haywood Page 5—Mother’s Weekend Wrap Up Page 6—Pledge Puddle Pull Page 7—Message from the President and Brother Spotlight: Greg Durivage Page 8—Opinion: Greek Life Changes at Miami Page 9—Alumni Spotlight: Chet Ridenour Page 10—Upcoming DU events
Brother Spotlight: Stephen Jackson Luxembourg for me was the time of my life. Imagine spending a semester where you could travel to a different European country every weekend, try all kinds of food, learn different cultures, and find out exactly how to navigate in an unfamiliar environment. I was lucky enough to have such an opportunity. I studied along with other Miami students in a Chateau in one of the towns in Luxembourg, and I feel that it made my experience more fun because I could relate to the other students in the program. I made some of my greatest friends through this program. The professors were mostly from different European countries and it was always fun when they would speak about their experiences living in Europe and their thoughts on the United States. I loved how that Chateau became home to us and that we spent so much time taking it all in. I feel like the idea of studying abroad is so common at Miami, and it isn’t unusual to find other people in class, in organizations, or just passing by on campus that have also had the chance to travel Europe like I did, but this does not make the experience any more rare. If anything, I feel like it increases the uniqueness of Miami overall. Never in my life will I have a chance like that again, to be travelling the world but also enriching my studies every step of the way. The program in Luxembourg gives students like me the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see all of the pictures from textbooks and the stories from history classes in high school actually up close and personal. I have never felt so proud of America and yet so
aware of our short history as a nation compared to the longstanding history of the European countries. We look back at the battlegrounds of the Civil War and think, “Wow. 150 years. That was so long ago,” but in Germany I saw a cathedral with parts that dated back to the 4th Century. Europe allowed me not only to make some of my best friends and create unforgettable memories that I will have and share for the rest of my life, but it was the first time that I was able to step out of a classroom and feel like I could actually apply what I had learned in the most amazing way, hands on with the material. I would listen to classical music from various European composers and then travel to a different country and hear that music performed by a worldrenowned symphony, in its homeland. It was the time of my life, and if I could I would encourage everyone with the opportunity to travel as much as possible. Studying abroad actually changed my view on life, believe it or not. Before leaving for Europe, I would listen to people tell their stories and watch people interact. Being in Europe, however, made me realize how different things are here. It made me see how the people I met and the cultures I encountered treated people in a one-on-one way. They listened, and really listened, when I spoke. They genuinely invested themselves in me, and that on top of everything made the experience what it was: unforgettable. Stephen Jackson Miami ‘11
Update from the Kitchen This year efficiency has come to the forefront as we seek to provide quality, cost-effective meals for our brothers. A major change this year is that we have decided to go away from the buffet style of serving food and instead we dish out predetermined portions. This does a good job of preventing waste in the kitchen. The most important part of measuring out portions for those people eating in the house, is that it allows an outside brother to come in to eat with us for a nominal fee and the kitchen will not drain the chapter from funds that could be better used elsewhere. In an effort to reduce cost and improve quality, we have decided to switch food distributors. We even serve salad at every meal. Although these changes have taken some time to get used to everyone, is working together to make this a flawless transition. Jamie Hoover Miami ‘12 Steward
Easter EGGstravaganza
be run on the second page of the paper. Preliminary plans were set to run the philanthropy on only Tuesday and Wednesday, but some negotiations were made Wednesday afternoon that allowed another free day of dunk tank usage. Overall, DUnk a DU raised over $500 for the Boys and Girls Club of America, all the while promoting Delta Upsilon to many curious passing eyes. It was a great event and we would like to thank all the brothers and participants who made this event a success.
On a brisk day in early April, the Brothers of Delta Upsilon and sisters of Alpha Phi met up at Miami’s Central Quad and hid Easter eggs that were prepared the night before at the Delta Upsilon house. A local preschool was invited to hunt for the eggs, and they turned out in flocks of cheery faced five year olds. There were roughly 40 Brothers and 40 Alpha Phis at this event; we later had a social with the beautiful Alpha Phis with whom we are continuing to pursue both philanthropic and social events. The preschoolers had a great time and we were happy to see the smiles on their faces as they walked away with their eggs. It was a really special event for all parties involved and we cannot wait to do this again next year!
Denny O’Malley Miami ‘11
Dan Lawenda Miami ‘12
DUnk a DU: A New Tradition A new annual philanthropy, DUnk a DU, had its inaugural run on September 15, 16 and 17th this year. Quite a large production, the Public Relations committee put in a lot of hours to see the dunk tank go smoothly. Free used bed sheets were donated by the local McCollough-Hyde hospital and some creative brothers stayed up to the early hours of Monday morning spray painting our letters in sapphire blue and old gold to advertise the event. We rented a dunk tank at a discounted rate, and had it delivered Tuesday morning to the street -side west patio at the Shriver Center student union. From 11am to 5pm, the brothers were out on the patio grilling, playing music to attract passersby and of course dunking our fellow Brothers. President David Hodge made an appearance and showed off his arm, dunking Brother Anthony Castaldi three times. Other appearances were made, for instance a Miami police officer proved his arm, along with the head football coach, Michael Haywood, who gave a generous donation as well. The Miami Student, the student-run newspaper, was also contacted in an attempt to promote visibility of the event. Photographers from The Student were at the event both Tuesday and Wednesday taking photos that would later
Public Relations Chair
The brothers of DU and the sisters of Alpha Phi pose for a picture after the EGGstravaganza.
A New Dawn at the Cradle of Coaches As last year came to a close, Miami made the decision to part ways with their football coach after an unsuccessful couple of seasons. Enter Coach Michael Haywood, former assistant coach at the University Notre Dame. In an effort to increase the embarrassingly low attendance at home football games, Coach Haywood turned to the strong Greek community of Miami and the leaders at Delta Upsilon. In front of a main basement room filled to capacity with Brothers, Coach Haywood addressed us as the leaders of the student body. In an exciting speech that had us laughing one moment and feeling great pride for Miami the next, Coach Haywood asked us to make an effort to connect the Greek community with the Student-Athletes of Miami. As he asked, the Brothers have been attending football games in large numbers, bringing potential brothers along to enjoy RedHawk first downs and defensive stops. And while the results to date have been less than impressive, there is no doubt that the interest in Miami football has gone up as the Greek community and Delta Upsilon do their best to help the team.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down, one-on-one, with Coach Michael Haywood. The purpose of the interview or meeting was to discover how well the athletic department and Greek community were complementing one another. Athletics and Greek life have had a variable relationship with one another in the past and one of Haywood’s goals is to help solidify that relationship. While describing the football team Haywood compared it to a fraternity but said he “thinks it is important for all student athletes to get out and meet other people.” He went on to say that, “college is about networking and life is about networking and the more people that you can met you can either help them or they can help you on the pathway to success.” The brothers of Delta Upsilon have been doing more and more to help the student-athletes of Miami University. Attendance at sporting events by brothers has been up from previous years and the brothers are making a calculated effort to support the football team at home games. “The more we get the Greeks involved the
more other students will become involved and follow,’” Haywood said. While the brothers of DU are making a very noticeable effort to establish ties with the athletic community, on the whole, Haywood believes the sororities are doing a better job than the fraternities as a group. One area where Haywood would like to see continued improvement is in the area of community service. “Where I think we can do more to help the community in general, is to join in in community service work.” Haywood went on to speak of the “great gift” students at Miami have and how important it is to give back to the surrounding community and the intrinsic benefits we will reap from such actions. After questioning the coach on overall athletic involvement I could not help but ask the coach where he sees the football team a five years down the road. “Five years down the line, we’re looking for 100% graduation, the most important thing is for our young men to come to college ad have a good col(Continued on page 5)
it is evident to me that the team is moving in the right direction. Coach Haywood inherited a team lege experience, to graduate within five years, and that did not have a tradition of winning and it is a to win a MAC championship,” Haywood said. tradition he plans to instill at this school and one But Haywood did not stop with just a MAC the whole Delta Upsilon fraternity wishes him luck championship. “We’re in the process of recruiting in. young student-athletes, not only to win the MAC I greatly appreciated the time Haywood took championship, but to win all 13 [games].” out of his day for the interview; it reinforced my Before my interview with coach Haywood, belief that the athletic department, and the football the football team was struggling and had yet to win team in particular, would really like to build a relaa game. However, since the interview the team has tionship with the Greek Community. beaten Toledo and lost a heartbreaker to Temple on a last second field goal. As someone who has seen this football team progress throughout the season, Adam Sharp Miami ‘12 (Continued from page 4)
Time with our Mothers Mom’s Weekend was a terrific success this year for Delta Upsilon. On behalf of all the brothers of DU, I would like to thank all the mothers who took time out from their busy schedules to enjoy a weekend with their sons. It was great to see all the moms enjoy themselves and meet one another. A definite highlight of the weekend was being able to treat our moms to a well deserved din-
ner uptown at Kona Bistro. The food was great and everyone had a great time with their mothers. We already planning events for our parents in the future and we look forward to seeing them at Miami soon! Jake Peters Miami ’12 Mom’s Weekend Chair
Puddle Pull th
On Sunday, March 29 , Miami University’s Greek community gathered in temperamental weather to cheer on their respective pledges in the 60th annual Delta Upsilon Puddle Pull event. Delta Upsilon and Alpha Omicron Pi hosted the event, and along with hundreds of their fellow Greeks, supported their brothers and sisters. “It was really cool to see how the Greek community all came together,” said Hannah Miller, a freshman member of Phi Mu. “It was really cold and rainy but everyone was still out there cheering each other on.” Not only current members, but past alumni and other members of the Oxford community came out to support the event, according to Drew Sturtevant, president of Delta Upsilon, “We had a bunch of our alumni, about 50, come in for Puddle Pull today.” In technical terms, Puddle Pull is a variation of tug-of-war in which opposing teams dig pits for their feet in the ground and, while sitting, attempt to pull a flag from the middle towards their team. Each fraternity and sorority has a team of eight people, with two alternates. The teams pull against each other for two minutes during the elimination rounds, and three minutes during the championship. The team which has the flag closest to their
team as time expires is the winner. “Usually the tug-of-war is won by inches. It gets very intense,” elaborated Denny O’Malley, Delta Upsilon’s Public Relations chair. This year the fraternity championship round was between Sigma Pi and Delta Tau Delta. The Delts edged out Sigma Pi in a heated championship pull. The sorority championship round came down to Alpha Delta Pi and Alpha Omicron Pi. Alpha Delta Pi emerged with the victory, but both teams had a strong showing. The event benefited Delta Upsilon’s philanthropy, the Boys and Girls Club, and Alpha Omicron Pi’s philanthropy, the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation. The total profit of $2,500 was divided between the charities. This philanthropy was founded by Delta Upsilon alumni Frank Dodd in 1949 and has been helping Delta Upsilon give back to the community ever since. “This is the biggest philanthropic event Delta Upsilon has. It is a major priority for us, and we look forward to it all year,” O’Malley said. “We take a lot of pride in the event and always enjoy having an enthusiastic crowd and a lot of participation in the event.” Andrew Cramer Miami ‘12
Message from the President Dikaia Upotheke. It is hard to imagine that my time as president of Delta Upsilon is coming to an end. I have had many fond memories and challenges along they way during this time. This spring marked a new era for Delta Upsilon. We had one of the largest pledge classes in memory and one of the largest pledge classes on campus. These 28 brothers have already begun to play an intricate part in the life of DU at Miami. Brothers Will Poirier ’12 and Evan Heiser ’12 are serving on our executive committee and numerous other positions are being held by our sophomore class. We expect this number to grow even larger as we have our elections for fraternity positions coming up. Our pledge puddle event was a great success. Our pledges won their first pull but lost a close second pull by no more than one inch. It was a great event and it was great to see all the brothers coming out to support the newest members of DU. This fall has been an interesting one in
terms of overall Greek life at Miami. Not only are there new requirements for sophomores to be able to live in our house but the university decided to eliminate the Interfraternity Council director position. This move has created a lot of uncertainty within the Greek community and has put added strain on us as well. However, the brothers of DU are handling it superbly. I get asked all the time by leaders of other Greek organizations how we are able to cope with the changes to the degree we are. It is truly a testament to the character and strength of this brotherhood. As my time as president draws to an end I would like to thank all the brothers of the Miami chapter of DU for all of their hard work and dedication in making our chapter what it is today. Drew Sturtevant Miami ‘10 President
Brother Spotlight: Greg Durivage There are few people who can say that they are a professional athlete and I am proud to be one of them. Being active in motocross takes a great deal of work. In the summer when I am at it full time I spend 10 hrs a week in the gym and another four or five hours riding. I have broken over twenty bones including my femur and have had two pins, two plates, and twelve screws put into my body. Motocross can definitely be pretty insane, but to me it’s worth every minute of it. There is nothing like going into a corner with 40 others guys at 50 mph who are all trying to get the start, or jumping 100 feet through the air. I started racing when I was 7 years old and have loved it ever since. I made it to the Amateur National Championships for the first time when I was 10 back in 2000. This was my dream come true because over 30,000 racers try to qualify for this event and only a select 1,200 riders are able to make it. Since 2000 I have made it to nationals every consecutive year and have finished in the top ten numerous times. The past two years I have been competing in Pro-Am events and this summer I was awarded my Pro license. I was immediately one of 80 pro riders to be accepted to try and qualify for a race a few weeks later at Redbud MX. Out
of the 80 riders selected for the event only the 40 fastest made it. I qualified in 26th place and was the fastest unseeded rider. This in itself was surreal to me. Not only did I qualify for the main event, but I qualified in 26th place and was beating guys who were my idols that I grew up watching on TV. People started asking me for autographs and I was getting checks in the mail from the AMA. But it still never really hit me until I watched myself on ESPN the next day. National television! What??? It was so sick! A lot of people ask why I am even going to college. And a lot of the time I wonder the same thing. But if I didn’t go to college my parents wouldn’t let me do what I do. I would much rather be racing Pro Motocross all year around and making a good living but I think going to college was a smart choice. It allows me to live a normal lifestyle and it gives me the opportunity to be involved with DU. I am taking it easy this winter and just concentrating on school but I will be doing the pro nationals next summer, so watch for me! Greg Durivage Miami ‘12
New Rules, New Policies and Self-Governance Miami University has seen a great deal of change since over the years but this year marks a distinct change within the Greek Community. Traditionally Sophomore’s at Miami University have been able to live off campus; however, this year they are only allowed to do so if they live in a dry or “damp” fraternity house. At this point many of you are probably wondering what a “damp” house is. To qualify as a “damp” house no alcoholic beverages are permitted in common areas and alcoholic beverages may only be consumed in private rooms by individuals who are of legal age. Vice President of Student Affairs, Barbara Jones, was interviewed to get the university’s perspective on this issue. She cited the tendency for Miami to “lose” students during their second year as opposed to the norm of losing students during their first year as a reason for the changes for sophomore housing policies. “We were losing a higher percentage of students who were living off campus than on campus so that was the primary motivation for looking at a second year residency program,” Vaughn said. The second year residency program for brothers living in the fraternity house is supposed to provide beneficial programming and allow for fraternities to regulate themselves. This essentially means that fraternities are given a list of activities they are required to do but they are not regulated by the Interfraternity Council (IFC) or the university. The drinking policy is
also one of self-regulation. When asked whether or not the idea of self-regulation was realistic, Jones felt that it was. “It’s all part of what fraternities and sororities were founded on and that’s self -governance,” Jones said. For the record Delta Upsilon was founded on four principles: the promotion of friendship, the development of character, the diffusion of liberal culture, and the advancement of justice. It should also be noted that DU is selfgoverning and the new policies have done nothing to change that; they have merely lessened the
more self-governance. The point has been made that fraternities had been self-governing as they made their own rules and regulations about alcohol, live in requirements for brothers, and everything else. Whereas right now, all of these things that used to be handled internally have to be handled externally through the university. The argument that fraternities are returning to self-governance rings hollow. The university has not given us more freedom (to be selfgoverning) they are taking it away by making fraternities abide by their rules. It is hard to be selfgoverning when the ability to self-govern is greatly restricted. At this point it is quite clear that the university does not, and has no desire, to be an “enforcer of rules.” This is quite apparent when paired with the news that the university has decided to eliminate the position of IFC director. By eliminating the position Miami University has become one of the few schools in the nation to have such a strong and vibrant Greek community and yet fail to have an IFC director. Jones blamed the cuts on the poor economy and the need to reduce the amount of money the university spends overall. However, one cannot help but wonder if the changes will be beneficial to the Greek community. “We’ll have to see how it works out,” Jones said. That may be the only true statement to describe the changes involving Greek life at Miami.
amount of work IFC and the university has to do in terms of regulation. “Part of what I’m hoping will happen is that the Greeks will step up to the challenge of selfgovernance again, “ Jones said. She also noted that the university wanted to take a step back for its governing responsibilities. The university doesn’t want to be the enforcer of rules, we want to be your partner in success,” Jones said. While there is no doubt that the university wants the Greek community to succeed, there is some doubt as to whether or not this is an example of giving us Adam Sharp Miami ‘12
Continuing Education: International Backpacking Since graduation from Miami University and the Delta Upsilon Fraternity in 2004, I have traveled that “road less traveled.” Two extended backpacking trips have taken me to 25+ countries around the world. The realworld experiences and lessons learned from those experiences have greatly contributed to my personal development and goal to be a student of life and a student for life. In 2006, after working some odd jobs for a year and living at home to save money, I packed one 65 liter backpack and headed west, way west, to the South Pacific. Through Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, SE Asia, China, Korea and Japan, I would spend 6 months getting into the “Land(s) Down Under” and the Asian cultures. Networking through Facebook, I found friends of friends to crash with while also utilizing the budgetminded backpacker’s best friend - www.Couchsurfing.com, to stay for FREE with other worldly and open-minded hosts while connecting to older locals through www.Servas.org. More often than not though, I would lodge at local hostels for ~ $10/night. These were great for meeting other independent, solo travelers and teaming up on the fly. I learned some major lessons from that first solo-trip that remain on my mind today: We’re only about a day’s flight from anywhere in the world. If you’re budget-minded, you can travel for longer, and for a lot less than you think. At any given time, the world’s young adventurers are out there on the open road, taking life by the balls, and ready for you to join them. Solo travel allows you to meet more people, but won’t allow you to take home those shared experiences to the closest in your life. You’ll likely learn as much about yourself as you do about the foreign cultures you interact with. When you go home, don’t expect others to relate, understand or connect to the life-changing experiences you’ve had. After such an amazing epic, I was bound to go back for more … and 2.5 years later I would do just that. Being invited down to South America for a family friend’s wedding in February 2009 was the perfect excuse to get away again to explore more of the world. Starting in Argentina, I would visit 14 countries over the next 8 months after deciding to forgo my roundtrip ticket, deciding instead to take the long way home … over land. Aiming for a fall return date, I sought out only the best locations, but rarely for longer than a couple days, as I had a lot of ground to cover, literally. Living out of a backpack with only the most basic means, helped me learn the true differences between “needs” and “wants.” Interacting and connecting with the locals may have been one of the most rewarding experiences. Eating economically with them at street-side stalls and conversing with them on the famed “chickenbusses” allowed both parties to explore our curiosities about each other and breakdown stereotypes. There is something refreshing about the everyday freedoms of backpacking that help to nurture the soul. I’ve learned that getting away, even for a week or two, without an itinerary, being open to the adventures that lie around every corner is the spark that energizes my life and drives my dreams. Back home, my ties to Miami DU brothers continue to remain strong, and it’s those bonds that have often been the most reliable and consistent in my life. Columbus, Ohio, where I live, is home to a Beer of the Month group of 8-10 different aged brothers gathering once a month, rotating hosting duties and brew bringers to sample the best beers from around the world. Our homebrews, including the American Duck Freedom Ale, are always an exciting, new adventure – one we invite any local or visiting brother to join us in anytime. I’d encourage other cities to start their own, it’s a great way to maintain and strengthen those college friendships. Brother’s weddings have been a joy to attend and are great mini-fraternity reunions – something we all look forward to sharing with our brethren in the future. Just this Oct. 10th, three DU’s tied the knot: Tim Chilcote ’02, Michael Coombes ’04, and Nick Southworth ’06 – congrats to them from all our brothers. My backpacking travels have been my alternative form of continuing education since Miami and principles like The Promotion of Friendship and the Development of Character continue to live on with me today – their roots laid firmly in place with the help of my brothers from the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. Dikaia Upotheke. Fraternally, Chet Ridenour Miami ‘04
Upcoming Events
January 18—Martin Luther King Day
Philanthropy Event
March 28—Heart Mini Marathon to help the American Heart Association
February 4—Wine and Cheese Reception with faculty at the chapter house
Fall 2010—Modified Makeover: Greek Style to improve local homes
New Officers President:
Adam Sharp
Vice President Of Social:
Executive Vice President:
Evan Heiser
Vice President of Finance:
Michael Lenz
Vice President of Public Relations: Anthony Castaldi
Vice President of Recruitment:
Will Hewitt
Vice President of Risk Management: Jeremy Jonhston
Vice Presidents of Member Education: Dan Whitmore Greg Stern Alex Friedman
Dan Lawenda
Vice President of Philanthropy: Andrew Cramer