Theta Chi - Drake University

Gamma Tau Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity at Drake University ~ Fall 2023 O ur fraternity is as strong as it has ever been and our undergraduates are the best on campus: • The house is full with 30 men, and we are charging competitive rents while collecting parlor fees from brothers living outside the house. • Fall recruitment ended with 13 new brothers and the potential for one or two more. • Grades are at the top of the fraternity men's average. • We recently raised $28,000 for the James Abert Foundation. • We presented another highly qualified nomination for the Howard Alter Award as a top Theta Chi chapter. The alumni group continues to prosper and renew their friendships in increasingly meaningful ways as we plan our 75th anniversary celebration on Drake's campus. Over the summer, 32 prominent alumni from classes spanning 1979 to 1988 spent three days in Green Lake, Wisconsin, and our Gamma Tau Leadership team is setting the standard for fraternity men, even beyond Drake and Theta Chi. Simply put, I could not be prouder of what we have accomplished in the past two decades—but there is still a lot more to do. Specifically: • We've fixed the HVAC system and have stopped the mold; however, by tightening up the house and stopping the negative pressure, we need to add cool air to the third floor ($12,000+). We will implement the fix in the spring. • The mortgage is $840,000 at 4.9% interest for two more years before the rate resets. We need to pay off the mortgage before then. • Due to the national demographic shift with fewer young men going to college, men's recruitment numbers are down by half from a decade ago. We need to protect our fraternity house by paying off the mortgage. • In 2021, our property taxes were based on a valuation of $1.67 million ($39,000). In 2022, we negotiated a reduction to $1.5 million ($35,000). In August, we negotiated a valuation of $1.1 million ($27,000) and hope to have that finalized soon. Now is the time for us to come together as a brotherhood and to challenge each other to fulfill our commitments to Theta Chi for Life. I look forward to seeing everyone at our 75th anniversary celebration at Relays on Friday, April 26, at Jasper Winery, followed by a banquet at Mainframe in Des Moines on Saturday, April 27. Come join this once-in- a-lifetime event. Fraternally, Chris Swan '86 President, ΘX Building Corporation CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2023! A N AT I O N A L S TA N DA R D 75 Years Later, Gamma Tau Still Proves Its Worth The Michael Lytle Award Theta Chi is in the process of reestablishing the Michael Lytle Award for the brother most committed to making a difference—for Gamma Tau and the broader world. Michael Lytle was a Theta Chi who left Drake in 1967 to join the Army Rangers and was subsequently killed in Vietnam; he was Gamma Tau's only combat casualty in that war. The Lytle Family created a scholarship from donations made after Michael's death, with any active Drake student eligible to apply. Learn more about the Lytles at: news.drake.edu/2014/12/18/the-lytles-legacy KNOW A POTENTIAL GAMMA TAU? A ny recruitment referrals should be sent via text or email to Recruitment VP Isaac Hager '24 and President Ethan Roemmich '24 (contact info on page 2). Please include the referral's name, any known legacy connection, and information such as interests/hobbies, hometown, career aspirations, social media usernames, etc. The more we know about a potential new member, the more it helps us tailor how to connect with them.

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