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

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.