Sigma Nu - University of Kansas

4 COMPETING IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT S tubbs Mansion has been part of Nu Chapter's legacy since 1922, marking 100 years of Sigma Nu ownership. Built in 1907 for Kansas Gov. William Roscoe Stubbs, it was designed by state architect John Haskell and featured a private lake, woods, a ravine, and grassy lawns. If you have been to Lawrence recently, you know that a lot has changed downtown and on campus. The way students live and learn today is far different from our experiences from as early as just 10 years ago. With those changes, the competition for students and their housing dollars has increased, making it more difficult to attract and retain members, especially when coupled with the state of our chapter house. In the past decade, housing options for University of Kansas students have changed dramatically. Our competing fraternities have made significant improvements to their houses. Many dormitories have been renovated to entice students to live on campus, and off-campus apartments are tuned in to what modern students want: hotel-like amenities, proximity to campus, and flexible lease terms. RECENT RENOVATIONS AT KU Phi Kappa Psi (2017) – $3 million Beta Theta Pi (2016) – $2.5 million Delta Chi (2016) – $1.25 million Phi Delta Theta (2015) – $3.8 million FIJI (2015) – $2.5 million Delta Tau Delta (2015) – $1.5 million Delta Upsilon (2013) – $1.5 million Sigma Nu is holding strong, but we once provided amenities that were the envy of every other fraternity at KU and we need to look to the future needs of our men. We must now invest in Stubbs Mansion to remain competitive and provide a quality living environment for our brotherhood to thrive and a place where our men want to live during college years while having a deep sense of pride for their home. Through careful study, assessment, and planning, and by working with architect Bell/Knott & Associates, Nu Chapter alumni and undergraduate leadership have developed a strategic approach to our future. Research confirms that the two most important decisions a student makes when they arrive on campus are: The organizations they join. Their living environment (students spend over 70% of their time in their living environment).

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