Sigma Chi - Montana State University

SPRING 2021 the Beta Rho Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity Montana State University FEATURES: House Construction Plans Delayed 2 • Alumni Update 2, 4 • Chapter Update 3 COVID-19, ONE YEAR LATER Beta Rho Successfully Minimizes Impact of Virus T he abrupt transition to a purely online learning format last spring changed almost every aspect of our college experience. Given that the pandemic seemed to be out of our control, the best we could do was hope that things would settle down over the summer and that we could return to normal in the fall. As the summer rolled on, it became more and more clear that the typical ways in which our school and community operate would not soon return. is meant that we needed to implement a plan for how the chapter would operate under the guidelines and restrictions of Sigma Chi, MSU, and our local health authorities. e goal of this plan was to reduce the spread of COVID-19 within the chapter and to work out a way to maintain key aspects of chapter operations. is planning was done over frequent meetings throughout the summer between our active executive team and the Beta Rho House Company. e plan would affect all aspects of chapter operations. Procedures regarding how social events would look, how frequent the kitchen needed to be disinfected, and how the chapter would react to an internal active case were only a few of the things to consider. Recruitment was an area that many of the fraternities across campus struggled with during the fall. However, we did an excellent job in implementing COVID-compliant changes that still allowed us to recruit top quality men. Most of these changes included masks, overflow venues for recruitment events that would have otherwise exceeded group size restrictions, and conducting online interviews. As cases throughout Gallatin County fluctuated and rose across campus, we succeeded in limiting our exposure and mitigating the spread within the chapter. Over the course of the semester, the chapter house only experienced two cases, and our brothers, in accordance to the implemented procedures, were able to prevent the virus from spreading further through the house. Our executive team met throughout the semester and winter break to refine and optimize our operating procedures to accurately address changes in local guidelines and to better fit goals as a chapter. We are extremely proud of the perseverance and self-control that our brothers displayed throughout the fall semester as we carried out the execution of this plan. We look forward to a successful spring semester, and we hope everyone stays safe and healthy! In Hoc, Beta Rho Executive Committee Dillon Haskell '15 Credits Sigma Chi for His Early Career Accomplishments D illon Haskell '15 was quick to note Sigma Chi's reputation as the top fraternity at Montana State when he first arrived on campus. As Dillon made numerous lifelong friends during his Beta Rho undergraduate experience, he was proud to help Sigma Chi maintain its claim as the number one fraternity at MSU. e respect and trust that Dillon earned from his brothers were evident when they elected him to serve as Consul. e leadership skills he developed as Consul and throughout his time as a Beta Rho collegian have paid huge dividends for Dillon since graduating from MSU. Dillon went on to graduate from the University of Montana School of Law in 2018 before serving as a judicial law clerk for the Montana Supreme Court and U.S. District Courts in Billings, Montana. at all set the stage for him to become an attorney for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel in September 2020. A BETTER MAN BECAUSE OF BETA RHO (Continued on page 2)

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