The Ohio Gamma Gazette, Winter 2023

OHIO GAMMA GAZETTE THE

CHAPTER HOUSE REFINANCE SECURED

THANK YOU DONORS

Iam happy to report that we have successfully completed the refinance project for the chapter house and have transitioned from owner financing to traditional bank financing. Our mortgage was secured with OUCU Financial (previously the Ohio University Credit Union) under terms that will make our monthly cost structure less than 10 percent greater than it was under our favorable owner financing model. We did this in a rising interest rate environment with a rate locked in for five years. Future rate increases are capped, and the new amortization (thirty years vs. our old forty years) will allow us to build significant equity over the next five years. Refinancing is also available without penalty once interest rates are better.

The key to taking this over the goal line was threefold. First, we changed our rent and fee structure with the chapter, allowing for reasonable increases in line with the university and off-campus housing market resulting in being more than competitive with our new fees. Secondly, we raised nearly $75,000 through a small group of our most generous donors over the four years of this project. We cannot thank them enough. And finally, we achieved a $75,000 concession from the previous owner/note holder, who was motivated to close this deal and settle into retirement.

While we may have had a small group of large donors that stepped up to complete this project, you will

see from the list in this newsletter that we had many brothers who made a difference by contributing in many ways. We raised funds over the first three years to meet contractual payments. These large and small donations included significant increases in our monthly donor program administered through Square®. Based on how the deal came together in the end, I can assure you that every dollar counted and was needed—thank you all. You indeed showed your commitment to our legacy through your generosity.

Now that the major down-payment type financing is behind us, it is time to move into the next phase. While we focused our fundraising and financial resources on getting bank financing, we were forced to be limited on what we could invest in the maintenance and upgrades to the house—we no longer have such constraints. With a monthly cost structure fully supported by member/tenant rents and fees, we want to invest alumni donations in the property to make it more appealing for members, alumni, parents, and guests. You can see Scott Long’s letter in this newsletter for a list of early projects we would like to tackle.

As part of the last fundraising, one generous brother has graciously seeded $5,000 to start a capital and maintenance fund. We are now looking for a broad base of alumni to add to that in whatever denominations they can. No donation is too small, and all monies raised from alumni will go into this fund. This includes our recurring

monthly donor program, where many pledge their bond number. Brother Howard Gorrell 1408 started this program nearly six years ago, and it has become a nice bit of cash flow to aid in the repairs and maintenance that come with an older property.

Thank you all once again. Leading the financial piece of this project has been challenging, but the current rewards we are seeing have made it all worthwhile. I hope to see many of you at this year’s Founders Day.

Yours in the Bond,

Brian Bastock 1657 House Corporation Treasurer Bbastock33@gmail.com 440.212.3153

Brian Bastock signing the refinance documents

Official Newsletter of the Ohio Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Ohio University

CHAPTER HOUSE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

We chose the structure at 28 North College for our forever home because it checked many boxes. Size/manageability, location, condition, and flexibility of the landlord. It was important to nail down some roots for consistency across the generations. Living together in, using, and enjoying the same house helps to weave the fabric of our legacy.

Knowing we had an uphill battle to acquire funding for this property, we were delighted to find that most of the main structural items in the home were either relatively new or at least didn’t need replacing for several years. Everyone knows what rental housing expectations are in Athens. In our case, there was nothing structural that needed attention soon. The windows had recently been replaced, the roof was good, the heating and cooling worked, and the general condition was acceptable.

Now that we’re five years in, we’ve had a few items pop up on our desired list that needed to be remedied. For example, the air conditioning units required some help beyond the yearly maintenance schedule, there was a tree on our lot line that caused some concern, and we discovered a bat infestation. However, all were professionally dealt with and behind us, and we can now look forward to a few items that will need attention soon.

Priority items for this year are checking the water run-off (gutters, downspouts) and the structural integrity of the front porch. There are some rotten areas, but we can get ahead of this issue before it gets out of hand. In addition, we may be looking at removing the entire front porch for a rebuild. This would ensure solid, new-build structural integrity and give us a fresh, appealing look for what is considered one of the property’s best features.

FOUNDERS DAY 2023

Friday, March 24, 5:00 p.m.

Email Secretary Josh Senefeld at senefeldj@gmail.com or check the Phi Delta Theta Ohio Gamma Alumni Facebook Group for more information.

Another priority item for this year is the demolition of the back steps. We are still contemplating just what we want the back to look like, but most likely, these steps will be removed. We have consulted a brick mason, who can do some finishing touches, but this work is mostly labor and can be performed during our annual summer work party.

We have several other smaller jobs, like putting a fence on our north property line and between the grass and the parking lot. We will install digital door locks on the front and back doors and new steel fire doors with push bars at the basement side exits. The exterior wall outside the kitchen needs to be scraped and either repainted or sided for cosmetic appeal.

Our summer work party is a yearly activity where chapter brothers do a deep clean, clutter removal, and help with more significant projects under professional guidance. Several alumni come down to help, and everyone rolls up their sleeves and puts in a good day of effort. One such project is sanding and painting the front steps to the porch and the inside steps to the second floor. This is only one example of how the undergraduates help improve our house, besides ensuring full tenancy and daily cleanliness. This is when we paint anything needed, do a deep clean of the kitchens and bathrooms, do landscape projects, and do anything else that may pop up. This activity also helps bond the house corporation, chapter advisory board, and current chapter brothers.

Many of our projects can be done with little cost, depending on supplies, by utilizing the labor pool we have with the chapter. In addition, I have many years of construction and remodeling experience and can be a guide for most of what we do. But we foresee a few projects requiring more than our sweat equity. Plus, those surprise things will always need to be dealt with quickly. Therefore, our next fundraising objective is to build a healthy capital and maintenance fund over and above what the monthly rents and fees can cover.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our campaign. We

THANK YOU CAMPAIGN DONORS

Founders Club

($5,000 or greater)

Brian Bastock

Bruce Dacre

Dan Semsel

Jerry P. Peppers

Mo Ralston

Paul Hollowell

Robert Kenneth Kerr III

Roland G. Winzer

Scott Long

Shannon Arnett

Shawn David Caldwell

Thomas E. Shoemaker

Brotherhood Club

(All donors)

Andrew Carr

Austin Stevens

Brad Mantel

Brett Slonaker

Caelan Bibby

Chad Hockley

Charles Chuvulas

Chris Rex

Clewell Smith

D. Merrill Wheeler

Dave Reese

David Stammler

David Whitcare

Dennis Bender

Domingo Herraiz

Gary White

Howard Gorrell

Jack Decicco

James Hall

Jay Montgomery

Jeff Condon

Jim Napier

Joe Murtha

John Lusa

John Schmidt

John Todhunter

Joseph Mate

Josh Radcliff

Kelley Moses

Ken Juergens

Kevin Angle

Kyle Leab

Larry McArthur

Larry Reader

Lincoln Frazier

Lynn Olman

Marz John Garcia

Matt Minosky

Michael Hyland

Michael Modzeleski

Michael Peffer

Mike Summers

N. Christopher Wolff

Paul Haring

Ray Randall

Rob Stanfield

Robert Janis

Robert W. Wilson

Robert Wilson

Ronald Chapman

Russell George Neubert

Scott Curtner

Steve Montgomery

Steven Hunter

Ted Shaffer

Terry Jay Emrick

Tim Bryce

Tim Flannagan

Tom Dellinger

Tom Dickson

often use the phrase Time, Talent, and Treasure. Thank you again to those who have contributed any or all three of these. We, the housing corporation, feel very strongly about having a firm base for our chapter at OU and that living-meeting quarters are essential to the strength and growth of Ohio Gamma for generations.

Yours in the Bond, Scott Long 1742 House Corporation President

PRESIDENT’S LETTER STAYING THE COURSE AND FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

We are happy to share these updates and future goals with you as we continue the work to make Ohio Gamma the best fraternity brotherhood it can be. As we know, Greek life on campus goes through peaks and valleys. We are successfully managing one of those valley periods today. Hazing charges with other organizations, including a fraternity member’s tragic hazing death on campus, have many questioning Greek life’s role in the college experience. But, as in past periods of strife for Greek organizations, Ohio Gamma intends to be a leader in showing the unique benefits of Greek life, including what leading with the correct values can offer.

Our accomplishments over the recent past have been significant. At our 2021 convention, General Convention awarded our chapter the Outstanding Philanthropy Award in recognition of our commitment to service to others. GHQ also awarded us a proficient rating for the 2021–22 academic year. This is the second-highest rating that GHQ gives for outstanding chapter management. In addition, we have recently been awarded the following awards by either General Headquarters or the university, Outstanding Operations, Outstanding Diversity and Inclusion, and Outstanding Community Development. Beau was also awarded Fraternity Member of the Year in 2022 by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Ohio University. We enter the spring term of 2023 with membership in the low fifties. This is slightly lower than we have had in the past but consistent with other fraternities during this period. We have very focused goals for this semester and the following fall term, which we are finalizing now. They include, but are not limited to:

• Recruitment: Our goal is to secure and retain a minimum of ten Phikeias in the spring term and twenty the following fall. This will replace our graduating seniors and allow us to grow.

• Scholarship: Our campus GPA is different from where we want it to be, and there will be a renewed focus on improving in this critical area.

CAB UPDATE

The chapter advisory board (CAB) continues to work closely with the Executive Committee of the fraternity. During spring 2022 and fall 2022, the CAB grew its membership to ten members, bringing a broader range of personal and professional experience to advising and supporting the operations of the chapter. The current CAB membership is composed of local and remote alumni, and the CAB meets monthly as a group and has regular opportunities to engage with the chapter.

Melanie and I attend executive and chapter meetings most weeks and share updates with the CAB group, and help to facilitate CAB/executive member support pairings.

• Philanthropy: We continue to be leaders in this area but are reaching for more. Our goal is to support the Live Like Lou Foundation, our national philanthropy, ALS, by having Ohio Gamma members become Iron Phis which includes raising $1,000 per member or $10,000 per chapter.

• Housing: We want to show that the housing accomplishments reported in this Ohio Gamma Gazette are just the beginning. We aim to fill the house in the 2023–24 school year and contribute to the maintenance through various improvement projects.

• Engagement: We want to improve the involvement and engagement of all brothers by promoting our events, enjoying our brotherhood, and celebrating our successes.

Thank you all for your support this past year. We are well positioned with the proper assistance to reach new heights. We hope to see you all at Founders Day!

Yours in the Bond, Beau Udoh 2093

2022Chapter President

Seth Totten 2124 2023

Chapter President

phideltoupresident@gmail.com

This enables remote alumni to set up pathways to connect with their exec members about the obstacles they are overcoming and their needs to advance the Fraternity. The CAB has also been working to facilitate retreats with the chapter. These have occurred during Executive Committee transition periods and leading up to the fall semester. These retreats have been highly engaging for the actives and alumni CAB participants, creating much-needed opportunities to plan out the long-term goals of the chapter. The CAB has also assisted the chapter in developing a formalized big/little mentorship program and process to help ensure that attention

Continued on page 4

Beau Udoh participated in the McKenzie Family Presidents Leadership Conference as a peer mentor

WE WANT YOU!

We are looking to add members to the housing corporation board of directors. Will you help us?

Our housing corporation is currently compromised of President Scott Long 1742, Secretary/Treasurer Brian Bastock 1657, and Member-at-Large Shannon Arnett 1685

The house corporation plays a vital role in our chapter’s continued existence and well-being. Our house corporation performs the following functions with assistance from the Ohio Gamma Chapter:

• Owns and manages the chapter house

• Secure tenants and lease rooms to members

• Care and furnishing of the property

• Hires contractors when needed

• Anticipates future housing needs

• Maintains accurate financial records, including rent collection and bill payment

• Secure loans where needed

• Obtain adequate property insurance

• Files tax returns and ensures permits and legal structure are up to date

• Conducts alumni fundraising programs as required to meet housing objectives

• Serves in an advisory role to or as an alumni support group for the undergraduate chapter

We meet several times a year to discuss our business needs. These meetings occur at homecoming and Founders Day and usually involve one to two conference calls/zoom calls and one to two other in-person meetings, usually in Columbus.

Our primary directives are obtaining maximum tenancy for the house, keeping close tabs on maintenance issues and upgrades, hiring a proctor, providing content for the bi-yearly Ohio Gamma Gazette, and fundraising.

Our bylaws call for a board of directors of up to five members. We want to add a couple of members to our board which will allow us to gain new input and be more engaged. Should you be interested, please get in touch with Scott Long at 614-284-9873 or by email at Scooby1742@hotmail.com.

UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO!

Please visit https://phide.lt/ContactInfo to update your contact information.

Ohio Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta 2 South Campus Avenue Oxford, Ohio 45056

Address Service Requested

CAB UPDATE: continued from page 3

and energy are applied to the big/ little relationship that helps members to lift each other up and have lifelong experiences during their student years in Athens.

In the coming weeks, the chapter will be working on stakeholder reports that the CAB is assisting in the development of, to provide regular and consistent email updates on the activities of the chapter, and to highlight the opportunities to celebrate our brotherhood further. Chapter President Seth Totten 2124, Secretary Josh Senefeld 2156, and I will be working on these reports, and if you would like to receive the

GET SOCIAL

Looking to connect with fellow Phis, especially Ohio Gamma alumni? Request to join our Facebook group.

Join Group: /groups/ohiogamma/

monthly chapter reports, please let one of us know.

The CAB looks forward to working with the undergraduates to develop more professional development and networking opportunities for the chapter over 2023. We are excited about the spring 2023 term at Ohio University and look forward to seeing alumni and families at Founders Day.

Sincerely,

Christopher Quolke, MEd 1875 Chapter Advisory Board Chairman cq1875@gmail.com

REFER A PHI!

Know any young men who would be great Phis? Refer them here: phideltatheta.org/ join/refer-someone/. Then, send them to our Greatest U recruitment campaign: futurephidelt.org.