Uncertain Times
By the time you read this article; there will probably be another law or regulation on how we can interact with Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in our lives.
Schools are shut down and switching to online courses. Businesses are asking employees to work from home and limit contact with co-workers. Wall Street is a mess. All major sports, NBA, NHL, MLB and our beloved 30-2 Aztecs are suspended from play… We will never know their March Madness results this year.
You know life has changed when all the stores are out of toilet paper. Toilet Paper. When I discovered the empty shelves at Costco on my last shopping run; I bought tissues and paper towels. I came home proud to show my wife our new resources and she just rolled her eyes and told me, “I don’t like change”. I said, “Adapt and Adopt”. The one thing I know is change is constant.
Change can create opportunity and match it with equal anxiety for some.
Change
At the end of 2019, the campus environment at SDSU was changing. Our Alumni Board just crossed a major hurdle in the sale of the Chapter House. The sale averted a foreclosure and loss of Alumni equity.
Just over a month later, there was a on-campus, student death related to a fraternity party at the FIJI house. This tragedy activated SDSU President, Adela de la Torre to initiate a on-campus shut down to all 13 fraternities. No Meetings, no gatherings, no rush, no recruiting. This lasted for over 60-days.
Adapt and Adopt
All “meetings and communications” with our Chapter were done via text. The biggest worry from our actives was the future of fraternities on campus. “If” the University was going to terminate the Greek System on campus, this was the perfect time and opportunity. Not knowing what the future was going to hold; I had assured everyone that this was not going to happen. Luckily, it didn’t.
January 2020, the year started with new rules for fraternities to follow during RUSH week. An Alumni Officer must be present during all activities that week. Our Alumni board sprang into action and was there to support the whole week of RUSH. It was both an honor and fun participating in RUSH.
I think the best thing I got out of that week was to look these young men in the eyes and explain my role as a DU Alumni advisor.
My role is to get to know you and your parents. I want them to know you are in good hands here at DU. I want them to know you are safe, having a good time, making lifelong friends and reaching your academic goals…”
We had offered 24 Bids and had 22 pledges attend pinning ceremony. We celebrated our new pledge class and chapter members in an organized, off campus pool party. We call the location, DU North.
The Stacks
We sold the house at the end of October. We are currently renting back the house to the new owners, Delta Gammas (a sorority). We have the house until July 31st. Since the sale, our Alumni Board has been looking at our future housing options. With the current on-campus, anti-fraternity environment; it is very difficult to find a future chapter house.
Unless you are here, it’s hard to explain the politics involved. The greatest leverage we have is the past and present record on campus.
DU’s average GPA is HIGH; our Alumni presence is HIGH. Without those two factors, I don’t think we would have secured housing. A lot of credit goes to Bruce Howard, John Little and Ron Zapelli. These men kept the conversations going when there were no hopes of getting our foot in the door.
This fall, DU will be relocating to the On-Camus Student housing called, “The Stacks” directly across the street from our current location. Our chapter members are relived and there is now a sense of stability and security within our members.
Our New Normal
These past 6 months have brought on many challenges and opportunities to our Alumni Board. Like a cat with nine lives; I feel like we have two lives left! Our 2020 Vision is focused on three principals: Stabilize, Support and Move Forward.
Stablize
Stabilize means that we are going to move our chapter house into the on-campus housing called “The Stacks”. It will be a “Year to Year” Lease and the chapter members will be responsible for the rent directly to the school. This keeps our Alumni out of the Property Management business.
We will purchase another chapter house in the future. Due to the overall environment, we will exercise patience and have up to four years (Capital gains tax) to purchase a new house.
Support
Support means the Alumni Board is going to do a greater job of communication support between our alumni members and our chapter members.
We are launching a new website that will focus on representing our DU brothers from all generations, (60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and even those damn millennials). This website is going to require your engagement and participation.
Our fellow DU Alumni Dave “Dino” Maiolo is the Chief Web Designer and is asking for all Ducks to email your photos, fliers or any memories you would like to see on the site. Dave’s Email: dino[at]cabaretti.com
This website is also designed to deliver our mission: To Build Better Men. There will be a section for our chapter members who are seniors to will post their resumes and seek internships or interviews.
As a DU Alumni, it is our duty to network and help these young men find their careers.Finally, the new website will have our financials posted. This section of the website is to show the quarterly report from our Alumni Treasurer, Jim Swartout. Having this section communicates our transparency, integrity and financial solvency to our members.
Move Forward
As simple as it states, moving forward means moving forward. As a first year Alumni President, I was not present to the previous years administration and board members. I do not know the names, the things said, the people involved.
What I do know is this:
I am proud to be your DU Alumni President and I am moving forward to help keep our fraternity legacy alive and well on the SDSU campus.
Please join me on this journey. I got extra toilet paper.
