Beta Theta Pi - Miami University

Alpha Slants of BETA THETA PI PAGE 3 Fraternity just purchased that property. Miami University's policy states that the chapter has to be operating for at least one full year before it can even apply to have sophomores living in, which means the earliest the chapter could all move back in to 200 E. High St. would be fall 2018. Thus, we are planning for extensive renovations to take place in 2016-17, which will give us 14 months to bring the house up to code and make it one of the most desired places to live in all of Oxford. 4. Who will help guide and coach the chapter after it is restarted? Beta coaching legend John Wooden, Purdue '32, had many great players at UCLA over the years, but he was able to win 10 national titles in 12 years through consistent great coaching. Likewise, a Beta chapter turns over in membership every four years and the leadership cycles through every one to two years, but heavily involved local advisors allow for sustained greatness. The Fraternity requires a minimum of a five-person advisory team to support and mentor every chapter, and these will be made up of Beta alumni, Miami University professionals, and other friends of Beta in the general Oxford area. 5. How can you guarantee that another downfall or closure won't happen again in 10 or 15 years? To be completely honest, there is no guarantee. Hardly anything in life is guaranteed, and as alumni we must come to terms with that. That said, the committee didn't spend the last 18 months to simply leave this rebuilding to chance. Hope is not a strategy. The return of Alpha is about learning from our mistakes and creating a new infrastructure that increases our probability for success. By setting clear boundaries, creating a culture of coaching/mentoring, and investing in tools so students can better self-govern, we believe Alpha Chapter can once again be the shining example for all fraternities to follow. Please feel free to e-mail Bill Haywood '74 or me with any other questions at bhaywood52@yahoo.com or phil.fernandez@beta.org. In closing, I must take this opportunity to thank the alumni and friends who have given hundreds of hours to this planning effort. We are all busy, but these men have given so selflessly of their time and energy to make sure the Alpha Chapter is something we can all be proud of once more. Make no mistake about it, this Forever Alpha project is by far the biggest project our chapter has ever undertaken, and it will take support from every alumnus and friend to meet our objectives. Not only will the Beta house shine like the diamond in our badge, but because of efforts now, its members will be filled with the Beta spirit and accept the challenge of living those timeless principles. Yours in ___kai___, Phil Fernandez '06 Co-Chairman, Alpha Chapter Steering Committee FOREVER ALPHA (Continued from page 1) A s a Beta recruit at Miami, Zac Haines '05 was tasked with acquiring signatures of the chapter's active members. It was an assignment to facilitate the pledges meeting the active brothers. The requirement was to meet 75% of the chapter members, but Zac reached 100%. This dogged determination has stayed with Zac since graduation as he built two businesses—Industry Huddle and DPA Buying Group—and is now vying for a spot in Ohio's Senate. The Senate seat is being vacated with less than two years remaining on an unexpired term, meaning the seat will be filled by a Senate appointment. State Senators will select someone for the seat based on numerous factors, including fundraising and number of endorsements. So, that has meant Zac is pursuing signatures again; this time from business leaders and elected officials. "I've always been passionate about public service. My family has been blessed and I feel an obligation to give back. I want to make sure everyone in Ohio has the opportunity to pursue their goals and provide for their families. If I'm fortunate enough to be appointed, I can address public safety, education inequality, and work to create a regulatory and tax environment that's conducive to job creation." Outside of his career, Zac has remained engaged in Beta as an alumnus. He served as pledge educator and ritual chairman as an undergraduate, giving him an opportunity to pass on the Beta values to new members. After graduation, he served as a district chief, then shifted to regional chief, a position responsible for overseeing the Beta chapters in Ohio, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. He is also the Fraternity's Assistant Historian. "I felt an obligation to pay it forward. Joining Beta was one of the most important decisions that I've made. I feel it's very important to serve and uphold the fraternity." When it comes to Betas, Zac sees an incredible amount of potential in his brothers. "I think that our country is very divided right now, but Betas can be a part of the solution. We're producing men of principle who learn how to find common ground and could make a real difference." Zac and his wife, Brittany, have two young sons, Preston and Kellan, and make their home in Cincinnati. For more information about his campaign, visit www.HainesForOhio.com. He can be reached at BetaHaines@gmail.com. Zac Haines '05 Pursues Ohio State Senate Seat Q&A with Entrepreneur Danny Stull '07 Why did you join BΘΠ? When I was in high school, I visited my sister at Miami. Many of her friends were Betas and I remember her telling me what great guys they were. When I got to hang out with them, I knew right away it would be a great fit for me. They were men of principle who still knew how to have a good time. This really made the process quite simple for me—I didn't look anywhere else. What did your experience as a Beta mean to you? I'm thankful to have been surrounded by such great men. I only become more thankful as time goes on and I see how much my brothers (Continued on page 4)

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