Alpha Xi Delta - University of South Dakota

The recent 1970s reunion garnered a terrific turnout! S isters, the corporation board recently sent a plea for donations to help reduce our debt so we can stay affordable and competitive in Vermillion. In the interest of transparency, I want to explain another option: Kappa Alpha Theta has surrendered its house to its Fraternal HQ, which dissolved its local corporation board. The house is now being run from Indianapolis, which eliminates the need for alumnae to manage it, but this plan also has key drawbacks. The main concern is that HQ might choose to distribute alumnae donations to properties other than the one in Vermillion. Alumnae also lose control of choosing maintenance vendors, project prioritization, interior decoration updates, etc. Potentially, we could surrender our house to Alpha Xi Delta's Fraternal HQ, which would mean the transfer of our debt; however, we also give up control of the house that our alumnae worked so hard to build and make beautiful. Every chapter goes through membership cycles, and we are still recovering from COVID-19 and the financial struggle that accompanied a period of lower numbers. Our alumnae understood the importance of persevering through those tough years, and we must consider: Does national leadership have the same dedication to 214 North Plum? The board feels Epsilon Chapter should continue to be managed by Epsilon alumnae, and I hope you agree! Please consider supporting this aim by making a financial donation or by donating your time through volunteering. With your help, we can ensure our chapter house remains a home we can be proud of! WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW We have monthly mortgage payments of $10,000 per month, which make up one-third of our annual expenses. The house is built for 58 with a budget set for 45 and, for now, is consistently housing only 30 women, so we operate with a cash shortage each semester. Together, Anything Is Possible The Future of 214 North Plum (Continued on page 2) Alpha Xi Delta sisters volunteer at a local farm during Greek Week. T o say that being president of our beloved Epsilon Chapter has changed me would be an understatement. At the beginning of my term, I was reserved and lacked confidence in my abilities to lead. At the time, the chapter was navigating numerous challenges, including financial struggles, retention loss, and low attendance numbers. My amazing executive team managed to plan weekly sisterhood events, two philanthropy events, sisterhood retreats, family weekends, tailgates, and much more on an extremely limited budget. We were also dedicated to leading by example, which meant attending every event and showing that we genuinely wanted to be there for each of our sisters. I dealt with both internal and external conflicts, struggling to find a balance between modernizing our methods and staying true to our traditions, beliefs, and core values. The 2023-24 executive team challenged each other's ideas and supported one another's aspirations through constructive criticism and mutual respect. I am pleased to report the values our executive team embodied were passed on to the chapter at large. Attendance at campus events, sisterhood activities, and everything in between grew to the highest numbers we had seen in years! This in turn improved our image on campus and allowed us the opportunity to collaborate with other chapters on philanthropy events and more. Our chapter's retention rate also improved tremendously with our fall 2023 pledge class. During the second semester of my term, we repaid our debt to the national fraternity and planned a reasonable budget for the incoming team to implement. Everything I experienced as president helped me become a better woman than I was a year ago. I am confident in my abilities thanks to the overwhelming support I received from my sisters throughout my term. This truly has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and Alpha Xi Delta will forever hold a piece of my heart. Sydney Conley '21 Chapter President Changed for the Better Letter from the Chapter President Epsilon Calls Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta • University of South Dakota • Spring 2024

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