Mu Chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi at the University of Washington
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/764007
12 Mu's cramped kitchen is antiquated and rotting The Old Gal's small, cramped kitchen has not escaped the perils of time either. Ceilings are peeling and collapsing here, too. Floors and woodworking are rotting. Water leaks in from most windows. And the perennial problem of the second floor shower leaking has caused tens of thousands of dollars damage to the kitchen and dining room. One hundred years ago, life was simpler and city codes were not as invasive to daily opera- tions. Today, codes require different standards for refrigeration, venting, cooking grills, and ovens. Equipment has gotten larger and simply won't fit into the 15-by-15 kitchen. The majority of refrigeration is in the basement and storage is nearly non-existent. While Chef Tammy and the brothers do their best to keep the kitchen sanitary, efficient working conditions are significantly less than optimal. The electrical system is inadequate and dangerous Then there is the electrical infrastructure in the house. Load demands in 1920 pale in comparison to electrical loads in 2016 with the use of electronic equipment, laptops, and other equipment used daily in the Chapter House. There is simply not enough electrical power to support the needs of the brotherhood. In many cases, outlets and ceiling fixtures do not work or perform poorly. There is a constant concern of electrical overloads and fire liability. Electrical wiring is antiquated. The Old Gal even still has some knob and tube wiring that was the standard been the 1880s and 1930. This needs to be updated. High-Speed internet access is weak and makeshift And, finally, the Old Gal's internet accessibility in the house is poor at best. Quality high-speed internet service is critical to the survival of all university students today. Every brother carries his laptop to class and professors post assignments, tests, and other critical class materials online. Brothers need dependable Wi-Fi internet service throughout the Chapter House. Today there is a make-shift system with wiring attached to hall walls. The brothers say it works "OK" but it is nothing to brag about and some- times it fails. The brotherhood is prospering Over 2,000 brothers have been initiated into Mu Chapter. Today the brotherhood is over 100. The Chapter is strong. It is one of the most popular fraternities on campus out of nearly 30 and it pledged one of the largest pledge classes on Greek Row this year. The brotherhood is prospering while the Old Gal, itself, is disintegrating. In October of this year, the Mu Alumni Association announced its major capital campaign called Securing the Future of Mu Chapter to fundraise $2 million to save the Mu Chapter House for future generations of undergraduate brothers. If we, as alumni, don't generously support this campaign, in fewer years than any of us want to believe, there will be no Mu Chapter House at the UW because the house will been unfit to live in. Yes, it is that bad. We can't let the life-changing experience we all had at Mu die here Each of us, no matter our financial situation, need to generously support this critical financial campaign as best we can. How many of us learned our social skills at Mu Chapter? Mu is where we learned about life. Mu is where we were given opportunities to run a Chapter House's operations, business transactions, and finances. Mu prepared many of us for our careers. It all started at 4554 19th Northeast. We need to save Mu so others will be able to benefit from the same life-changing experiences that we had after we walked through those six towering pillars into a beautiful, comfortable sanctuary we called home. We need to save Mu. If you are interested in donating to the capital campaign, please fill out the enclosed pledge form and mail it in using the supplied envelope. If you have questions regarding the campaign, please contact Campaign Chairman Kris Axell '76 at kdaxell@comcast.net. Thank you for your support. Rusting pipe kitchen washroom Rotting wall & window kitchen washroom Antiquated and inadequate food storage for 100 men