Gamma Phi Beta - University of Kansas

T he University of Kansas has instituted a hard alcohol ban, which states that "No hard alcohol may be possessed or consumed in any fraternity's chapter house or chapter property." This new IFC bylaw went into effect at the start of this school year. On September 19-20, Panhellenic and IFC council leadership, chapter leadership, and alumnae advisors worked together at an alcohol summit where they began to develop a plan to help provide both support and accountability around this new policy. Panhellenic is moving forward with selecting and training women in the Greek community to be CARE advocates, providing support and resources regarding sexual assault/ harassment for women in the Greek community. Sigma members will be trained in the early spring semester. They are also continuing ongoing education surrounding issues of consent and bystander intervention. NEW FURNISHINGS FUNDED BY YOUR DONATIONS Sigma has a new, updated look in our living room, trophy room, and dining room, as we purchased beautiful and tasteful décor for our Georgian colonial home over the summer! The house corporation board (HCB) is very grateful for the generous donation made by our Mom's Club and for the alumnae who donated gifts in honor of Sigma's 100th anniversary, which made this update project possible. The HCB spent an additional $35,000 to purchase the remaining items, completing the project and adding the finishing touches to our beautiful ΓΦB home. We welcome you to visit and see our updates for yourself. FLOORING PROJECT ON THE HORIZON We plan to replace the hardware floors in the original 1923 building next summer. The floors can no longer be refinished and the front hall floor has a foundation structural problem. We are requesting bids and the price tag is high. The good news is that new heating and cooling unit that was replaced over the summer is working great. These fixes don't come cheap. The cost of the HVAC alone totaled $100,000. The HCB continues to be a good steward of all our monies to maintain 1339 West Campus Road. As you can see, your donations make a big and meaningful difference to our chapter, and we are most grateful for your past and future support of Sigma. In ΠΚΕ, Sigma Chapter House Corporation GAMMA PHI BETA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Sigma News 1 0 0 Y ea r s of S ig m a Alumnae Donations Make Décor Updates Possible, Future Fixes Come with Big Price Tag KU Bylaw Bans Hard Alcohol M y experience with The International Academy for Advanced Studies (TIAAS) is one that I will never forget. I met Jessie Teague '72 at the centennial anniversary for Sigma Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta, where she insisted I check out the TIAAS program. Jessie helped me through the entire process of KU's approval of my Student-Initiated Study Abroad program, contacted the dean of students, and reassured me when nervousness and thoughts of inadequacy took over. Reuniting in Greece with a sister of Gamma Phi Beta to represent the United States is an experience you have to live to understand. I had the opportunity to learn from Jessie, both in a classroom setting through her leadership class and on a personal basis, and we talked about culture shock, how to serve as a representative to the U.S., and how to find a balance between what it is to be an American and what it is to be a global scholar. My studies in Greece turned my world upside down. I'd already had a passion for travel, but forming relationships with individuals from all around the world only increased my love for it. Jessie opened my eyes to the raw beauty of globalization: traveling and touring is all good and well, but there is a beauty not captured through tourism. It is the beauty of the individual stories of the natives, the deeper culture that can be found underneath authentic dress and traditional food; and I can't thank her enough for leading me to that beauty. Sally Ramseyer Beck '74, Sigma scholarship advisor, worked with Sophie Blackwell Lamb '04 of the KU Endowment Association to secure funding to help with Madeline's expenses. Thanks to the Vera Virginia Hill Thayer Endowment, as well as Jessie, Madeline was awarded a Gamma Phi scholarship for her summer school tuition, making this amazing experience possible. Madeline DuBois '15 Gains Leadership Training in Greece Thanks to Sigma Alumna GFB Fall 2015

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