Phi Kappa Theta - Iowa State University

FKQ CLONE PHI KAPPA THETA FRATERNITY n IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY n FALL 2020 Iowa Xi Prioritizes Health and Safety During the Pandemic Alumni Board Explores Ideas to Keep Brotherhood Connected H appy football season, Iowa Xi brothers! I hope this message finds you well. With on- campus instruction nearing an end for the semester, we wanted to provide you with an update. The undergraduate brothers of Iowa Xi are in great health and the semester is rolling along rather smoothly despite our "new normal." There are 27 undergraduates residing in the chapter house this fall with no more than two members living in each room. Another six members live in the apartment building behind the house (all apartments are two-person units), 20 members live off campus, and five Associate Members live on campus. Last April, the undergraduates and alumni board created a set of safety and health procedures to ensure proper social distancing and house cleanliness to properly mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19. The undergraduates updated the procedures before school started in August and again in November. Shortly after school started, one undergraduate tested positive for COVID-19. In accordance with their procedures, the member was quarantined in a room with a dedicated bathroom. All members were also quarantined to the chapter house and were tested. This is standard protocol for Greek houses and the students work with their professors to continue their classwork virtually. After the two-week quarantine period, it appeared that no other members were infected and our members returned to class. The alumni board has stayed in touch with the undergraduate executive team throughout the semester to ensure adherence to the safety and health procedures. The board also monitors university, federal, state, and local requirements and recommendations. We request that alumni refrain from entering the chapter house to help keep everyone healthy this fall and winter. We will provide updates in the spring and look forward to holding brotherhood events in 2021. Additionally, the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Engagement (SFE), the Dean of Students Office, and university leadership have placed a moratorium on allowing non-essential visitors to fraternities and sororities through the end of the semester. Heading into the new year, the alumni board is exploring a few new ideas for the future of the chapter. • Create a new spring alumni event on chapter property to foster continued brotherhood • Explore new ideas for online interactions, including a communication hub, methods for online giving, and alumni records management software • Continue work with contractors and the city for refinishing the parking lot Stay safe and go Cyclones! In the bonds, Clayton Short '15 Alumni Board Alumni Relations Chairman (651) 440-4059 / ccshort@alumni.iastate.edu T he coronavirus pandemic has caused many of us to face challenges this year. Some of the first tough decisions during the onset of the outbreak had to be made by Iowa State and the Greek community. In March, the university was forced to close campus and students were encouraged to return home to their families. As our brothers adjusted to the concept of re- mote learning to complete the spring semester, the alumni board and undergraduate leadership worked together to determine a reimbursement program for members having already paid their house bills for the semester. Thanks to the leadership of Chapter President Jake Stratton '22, Treasurer Evan Townley '22, and the alumni board, undergraduate members living in the house for the spring semester were provided a 40% house bill reimbursement to account for the time members couldn't live at the fraternity house. This reimbursement strategy was consis- tent with on-campus residence hall reimburse- ments provided by the university. I am appreciative of the patience of our un- dergraduate brothers and their parents as we worked with our billing vendor to complete the reimbursement process. As the end of the year draws near, alumni board and undergraduate finances remain in a well-capitalized position to support the ongoing operations of the chapter. We look forward to supporting future fraternity gatherings once in-person events can safely recommence. Fraternally, Cory Millmier '12 Alumni Board Treasurer coryjmillmier@gmail.com Undergraduates, Alumni Board Work Together on Financial Challenges Created by COVID-19

• Cover