Beta Theta Pi - University of Kansas

A L P H A N U C H A P T E R O F B E T A T H E T A P I A T T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F K A N S A S • F A L L 2 0 2 0 Alpha Nu's Letter FINISHING WHAT WE STARTED Capital Campaign Efforts to Close December 31 W hen we first announced the Continuing the Pursuit of Excellence campaign in the spring of 2017, we were set out to raise $5.5 million to retire the debt on the Hutt, enhance membership programming, create a maintenance endowment, and complete our first significant renovation of the chapter house in 25 years. Here we are nearly four years later with 276 incredible supporters and more than $6.2 million raised. We are humbled. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT Aer dedicating several years to this fundraising effort, we are prepared to officially close the campaign December 31. We will soon be sending a last-call letter to confirm your capital campaign commitment, eligibility for the donor plaque, and, if applicable, your donor plaque listing. is will be the final opportunity to make a first- time or increased commitment to determine your giving society and plaque placement. THERE IS STILL TIME TO HELP Please take this time now to view our list of contributors on page 2. Are you included? Are you at the giving level you want to be at on the permanent plaque? We are grateful to all of our donors, but only those who have made commitments of $2,500 or more will be included on this final piece. If you have the means to add your name or increase your total commitment, please do so now by using the enclosed pledge form or visiting kansasbeta.org for our online form. Your donation will secure our financial footing well into the future and will allow Beta to remain as both the premier facility and fraternity on the Hill. THANK YOU ank you to all who have been a part of this project the last three- plus years. Everything we have accomplished is due to your generosity and we cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work, time, and treasure that you have committed to Alpha Nu. For those who have been watching from afar, please hear us when we say we would be honored to have you join us in this historic moment of our fraternity. Yours in _kai_, omas S. Ward '80 Campaign Chairman Donate Online at www.kansasbeta.org Continuing the Pursuit of Excellence The New Normal Navigating the Pandemic and Reopening the Chapter House for Fall Semester I n the midst of the spring 2020 semester, all operations at the Alpha Nu Chapter of Beta eta Pi ended abruptly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Campus closed, and everyone had to vacate the Beta house weeks earlier than planned. Active brothers had to adapt to online learning and keeping the brotherhood alive and well through virtual interactions. Like the rest of the world, we never anticipated such a situation and needed to quickly make our way through the unchartered territory of a global pandemic. We all hoped the situation would pass in a few weeks and things would be back to normal for the fall semester. Unfortunately, this was not the case. In the weeks that followed, we realized we needed to adapt. Our primary focus became reopening the house in August within the new constraints the pandemic forced upon us. e newly elected house leadership, alumni advisory team, our house mom, and the Alpha Nu Parents Club embarked on a collaborative effort to develop a robust set of policies and house modifications to ensure Alpha Nu was prepared to return in August. is was no small effort. Hundreds of hours went into planning and meeting. We met repeatedly with officials from the University of Kansas and Douglas County and investigated best practices being implemented at other fraternities and sororities. All the while, we kept parents in the loop to help manage their expectations and comfort levels with sending their sons back to the house. Despite all of the planning and preparations, fingers were crossed in late August when members started to return given the ongoing uncertainties in dealing with COVID-19. Fast forward to October, more than eight weeks aer a nearly full house of members returned to enjoy life and brotherhood at Usher Mansion. e guys have done a great job in doing their part to make it work. Life at the house is different for now. Guests are temporarily not allowed, social events are on hold, and there are some social distancing and other guidelines in place to help reduce the virus spread within and outside of the house. Even so, my interactions with a number of guys confirms that members are extremely grateful to be back at the house and sharing life with their Alpha Nu brothers. We are proud of the guys and how well they have adapted to this challenging situation. (Continued on page 6)

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