Alpha Tau Omega - Florida State University

VIKING VIKING Spring 2021 a t o f s u . c o m Chapter Suspended by FSU for Five Years I n August 2020, FSU suspended ATΩ from operations for five years. The earliest ATΩ can pursue regaining university recognition would be in the fall 2025 semester. The sanctions resulted from new member activities that occurred in the backyard of the Pensacola Street house during the fall 2019 semester. FSU found ATΩ responsible for hazing, underage drinking, having common sources of alcohol available, holding new member activities with alcohol present, and other offenses. A s one chapter in the history of ATΩ closes with the sale of the West Lafayette property, it is time to begin planning the next. The alumni house corporation is looking for volunteers to begin charting the future of the fraternity. Specifically, we are looking for alumni leaders to join the house corporation to help oversee finances and lead the efforts to secure permanent housing in the future for ATΩ in Tallahassee. In addition, ATΩ is looking for alumni leaders to help support the ATΩ chapter when it begins the process to return to FSU in 2025. The house corporation will formally appoint committee chairs to one-year terms. Committees are not permitted to enter into contracts, spend money, or authorize the spending of money without house corporation approval. Committee chairmen are asked to make quarterly, written updates to the house corporation and overall alumni membership. Alumni interested in volunteering should complete the volunteer interest form located at atofsu.com. Recolonization: This committee will work with the ATΩ National Headquarters and FSU to plan the return of the chapter in 2025. This committee will also help support and advise new members as they begin rebuilding the chapter. House Corporation Board of Directors: The board of directors will manage the corporation's funds for a future house and plan for the eventual renting, acquisition and/ or construction of a new house for ATΩ when the chapter returns in 2025. 75th Anniversary Planning Committee: In 2022, ATΩ will celebrate 75 years at FSU. This committee should plan, organize, and implement an appropriate, cost-effective 75th anniversary celebration for alumni. Alumni Data Mining: To improve communication and engagement, this committee should help improve the quality of our alumni records by conducting online research and reaching out to other alumni to update contact information. Among other things, committee members might find ATΩ alumni on Facebook and LinkedIn, reach out to them and gather updated contact information from their online profiles. This committee should (1) reduce the number of lost alumni and (2) increase the number of cell phone numbers and email addresses on file. Social Media: This committee will develop and implement a social media strategy using LinkedIn, Facebook, and other avenues to increase communication and engagement with ATΩ FSU alumni. LOOKING FOR ALUMNI VOLUNTEERS Good News Supporting Greek Life J ust last summer, Dr. Gary Pike, a prominent researcher from Indiana University, found that fraternity and sorority members benefit both inside and outside of the classroom from their involvement. The study confirmed: Membership in a fraternity or sorority improves the learning gains students make in the classroom, and our members are more academically engaged than their peers. Fraternity and sorority members are more involved in campus activities than other students, and our organizations promote both personal development and the satisfaction they have in their college experience. As our organizations seek to enhance inclusivity, our members actually report higher levels—than non-affiliated students— of interaction with people different from themselves. And, these benefits are even greater for first-year students, as they join our organizations and find community and belonging. This leads to stronger retention and higher graduation rates among Greek students than their peers.

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