Sigma Chi - Montana State University

SIGMA CHI 3 B eta Rho Chapter experienced unprecedented levels of adversity this past spring semester following the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, we are proud to say that we finished the year strong and pushed ourselves to achieve new heights through the hard work and dedication of our members. is spring, Beta Rho saw improvements in just about every category. With just over $30,000 raised for the Huntsman Cancer Institute, we reached the $20K Club for the second time in a row and for the second time in our history. is could not have been achieved without the help of our generous alumni and the high ambition of our undergraduate brothers. At the end of the semester, Beta Rho's hard work was recognized by Montana State University's Fraternity and Sorority Life community when we received both the Fraternity Philanthropic Award and Outstanding Community Service Award. Not only did we work to improve our community and fundraising for the HCI, but our brothers did all of this while also improving our chapter GPA by a substantial margin, increasing from a 2.95 in the fall to a 3.29 at the end of the spring semester. e chapter also had 40 of its members make the dean's list by achieving over a 3.5 GPA. It is safe to say that we set the bar quite high, but this motivates brothers to set higher goals for the upcoming year. Looking Forward is summer, the annual Sigma Chi Krach Transformational Leadership Workshop was forced to move to a virtual setting. Despite Sticking to the Plan Beta Rho Prepares for a Safe Fall Semester the change in how training was delivered, our officers remained dedicated to their responsibilities and eager to learn. ey successfully prepared for their leadership positions in a meaningful and productive way by learning from experienced Sigma Chi group facilitators and sharing ideas and perspectives with chapter officers from across the continent. is workshop allowed our chapter's attendees to meet and discuss goals that the chapter will work toward throughout the school year. Two of the main imperatives discussed included improvements in chapter-wide academics and navigating the changing circumstances caused by COVID-19 in a way that would maximize and maintain chapter efficiency and growth. We look forward to following up on our academic success with continued improvement by the entirety of the chapter. e biggest thing that we can do to limit or negate the effects that COVID-19 may have on our community involvement efforts is to find alternatives to events done in the past and make proper adjustments to the community service and philanthropy strategies that we have used over the past two years. We know that the strength of our chapter's brotherhood and the flexibility of our officers will help us persevere and execute our goals despite the obstacles put in front of us by COVID-19. COVID-19 Procedures With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting every aspect of our lives, we adjusted our outlook on what is acceptable and safe in this new and unpredictable environment. roughout the summer, our executive team worked closely with our House Corporation, as well as MSU, to put together plans and procedures that would allow for a safe and comfortable return to campus. Logistical details regarding limits on guests and more frequent and thorough house cleaning were the primary focus of the planning. Live-in members are practicing social distancing, monitoring their health, and ensuring that the surfaces throughout the house are disinfected daily. Although we can have recruitment events in person, we are making sure that all of our events are held outdoors, where social distancing is possible, and that everyone in attendance has a face covering. We have also made sure to abide by the state mandate of groups no larger Beta Rho hosted a blood drive at the chapter house with 33 participants, helping save 99 lives. Brothers help with gardening work at the Bounty of the Bridgers Campus Food Pantry. Members clean a two-mile stretch of Highway 191 to honor our late Brother Karston Waarvik. than 50 people by having secondary sites for our recruitment events where we can send excess groups to reduce single group sizes. Additionally, we have plans and procedures for the possible event that a live-in member gets sick, such as setting aside a room in the house to serve as a quarantine space. To ensure that we are properly abiding by state and campus guidelines and can make any necessary adjustments, our executive team is evaluating the current operating procedures weekly. Despite the limitations set by COVID-19, we are looking forward to a meaningful and productive semester. Please stay safe, active, and healthy! In Hoc, Weston Danley '22 Consul westonparkd@gmail.com (406) 210-5718

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