Sigma Chi - University of Nebraska

Page 3 FORMER CONSUL KY VENEY SETS THE TABLE FOR ALPHA EPSILON Editor's Note: The following open letter to his brothers was written by Ky Veney, AE consul for fall 2016 and spring 2017. I hope this writing finds you well. As another academic year has closed, I wanted to reflect on the state of the Chapter. In the not too distant past our Chapter has overcome our share of adversity (gratefully, for which our members have taken responsibility). It has also authored notable achievements, both as a Chapter and by individual members. Let's reflect on the challenges presented to Sigma Chi and the Greek system at UNL currently. There are many sociopolitical, economical, and ethical problems that inevitably find their way into the Greek system. Since Greeks and especially Sigma Chis are committed to develop campus leaders, we must face these challenges with our ideals close to our hearts. This year we had our fair share of political activism on campus (if you're not aware I'd highly recommend you do a little digging). At Alpha Epsilon we've decided to take a quietly firm stance on these issues: we are a chapter representing the entire group of men who are members; not just a single member. So we seek to be very deliberate about what we choose to support and how we will express that support. Most importantly, I'm pleased that we have strived to keep our shared mission at the forefront of all operations... and directed our efforts toward improving our community. As I think we've seen, sometimes the best course of action is no action, no speech, at all as we find ourselves defending a Greek system that sometimes appears broken. There is no doubt that we, as fraternity men, are fighting an uphill battle. But we, the brothers of Alpha Epsilon, believe with conviction that with the right men we can accomplish anything. In this issue of The Husker Sig, you'll see the results of a fine recruitment team that has been "all-in" on rush. Given our history of bid retention and acceptance rate, we will number around 100 at the start of fall 2017! As a member of the fall 2013 pledge class, it has been truly incredible to witness this kind of successful growth in quantity; it is especially gratifying to witness the quality of new members we are bringing in. We plan to keep our membership at around 100 actives in the Chapter, so that we can have significant impact on campus while maintaining the strong brotherhood we all hold so dear. Of course, recruiting the right men is only half of the battle, or arguably even less. That's why we've continued to reflect on and update our practices for developing leaders. We are very proud of a pledgeship program which reflects the values of the national fraternity. Over the course of the last few years, Sig leaders have risen up to expand the roles and effectiveness of our elected officers within the fraternity. I'm proud of all this, but important challenges remain as we enter into the 2017-18 academic year. How can we improve our philanthropy numbers? What sort of system can we put in place to treat the house itself with respect, acknowledging the investments our alumni have made by keeping it in top shape? How do we go about most effectively instilling the culture that we value in our new and younger members? By asking these questions and aspiring to improve, we've been able to continue our trajectory upward. Recently, Linda Schwarzkopf, the director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, praised Alpha Epsilon as a "model chapter" this year as we worked for continuous improvement. Although we've won a few awards and have some accomplishments to be proud of, no one at 1510 Vine would tell you that the work is over. We won a blue Peterson, and now we want the gold. We made the top half of fraternity GPA, and now we won't rest until we're top 5. We had about 70 percent of sororities participate in Derby Days, and next year we want to get all of Panhellenic involved. This may just be the musings of a senior who is on his way out, but there seems to me to be a spark in the air. It's as if the Chapter has had a taste of the impact we can have, and now we want to share the bounty with everyone. While many things have changed, many of the constants of Sigma Chi have remained the same. We still argue about bylaws, The Cave is still the coolest (literally) pad in the house, and we still like to have cigar and poker nights. But what will they say about the Sigs of the 2010s? We know it's our turn to shoulder the load, and it's an opportunity that we cherish and thank you for. Without you, our brothers and supporters, the very real impact our fraternity has had on the lives of the actives and their communities would be so much less. As we evaluate the volatile Greek landscape and try to figure out how Sigma Chi can be at its best, the vision of our ritual is in our minds and the toils of all Alpha Epsilon brothers are in our hearts. The work is far from finished, but I am confident that the legacy of Alpha Epsilon is in good hands. In hoc, Ky Veney '17 Consul 2016-17 T here are many things that make our Chapter one of a kind, and one of those is our wonderful cook, Stacey Kommers. She is not only a great cook, but a constantly friendly influence at 1510 Vine. Always responsive to our needs and to meet the ravishing hunger of this bunch of Sigs, she is so enthusiastic and supportive. Our moms need not worry about us getting fed well. Stacey serves up her delicious fare for us Monday morning through Friday afternoon and always does her best to come up with something new and interesting that everyone will enjoy. But cooking for a bunch of hungry men isn't all she brings to her position. Meeting Stacey, you instantly know how she genuinely cares about each and every man in our house. Since she began her job with us in 2012, when our Chapter was reinstated, she has gotten to know every man to come through our house on a personal level and has truly tried to reach out to all of us, which makes it feel like she is truly family. There's never a dull moment when Stacey is around, and she always knows how to join in to our conversations and bring something new and exciting to the table. I think I can speak for everyone by saying that we greatly appreciate everything Stacey does for us, and that there is no one else we would rather have as our chef. Every past, present, and future brother of the Alpha Epsilon Chapter knows or will know that they have a wonderful resource to turn to when in need: our cherished chef. Thank you for taking care of us, Stacey, but most of all for you being you! In Hoc, John Schmitt '19 CHEF STACEY: FOOD AND FRIENDSHIP

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