Nebraska Chapter of FarmHouse Fraternity at the University of Nebraska
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/295533
FarmHouse Fraternit y nebraska Chapter / university of nebraska-Lincoln www.nebraskafarmhouse.org Spring 2014 a nother spring semester at UNL is upon the men of FarmHouse. And like every spring semester, the men rely on their most creative members to drum up new activities, keep spirits high, and pass the time for the thrill and excitement of the fall semester seems so far away. Fall is filled with Cornhusker football, Billy Idol, and the promise of a new pledge class. And while ski trips during winter break are quite memorable, the arrival of spring semester only brings snowstorms, the pressure of internship interviews, and the painful realization that Nebraska basketball will never be relevant: forever stuck in the bottom of the Big 12 and an outdated court as forgettable as its name, "the Bob." Scratch that—times are changing. The spring has a whole new feel in "Nebrasketball" country. New coach, new transfers, new conference, new arena! And with this new energy comes momentum and the promise of a late surge into the big dance. Just like Nebraska basketball aims to knock off the traditional powerhouses like Michigan State, so it is on the fraternity scene at UNL. The underdogs set their sights high, make investments, and execute to achieve their goals. And all the more enjoyable if a top-dog gets complacent and falls off the pedestal. The same applies to fraternities. While FarmHouse is most certainly still revered by those around campus as an excellent fraternity, you may be surprised to learn of the now relevant fraternities vying for the best and brightest incoming freshmen. Fraternities that you may once have considered as uncompetitive as your alma mater's basketball squad are now impacting campus. At the forefront of changes to the fraternity landscape are the multiple large investments into new buildings and renovations across campus. Many of these investments have been under the radar to FarmHouse alumni, but we received a wake-up call when AGR purchased multiple adjacent lots to their property and built a new $5 million structure. Here is a short list of fraternity projects that have been completed in the past 10 years: • Alpha Gamma Rho: 2013 new build – $5 million • Phi Kappa Theta (Catholic fraternity): 2013 new build – $5 million • Beta Theta Pi: 2013 renovation – $3.5 million • Lambda Chi: 2012 new build – $4 million • Sigma Chi: 2012 renovation – $3.5 million • Phi Kappa Psi: 2011 renovation – $2.5 million • Delta Tau Delta: 2011 renovation – $2 million • Sigma Phi Epsilon: 2004 renovation – $1.5 million In addition to increased competition from peer fraternities, university housing has changed dramatically at UNL over the last 10 years. Traditional residence halls are becoming extinct, while new suite-style and apartment-style facilities with amenities designed for the 21st century student are being constructed at a rapid pace. While I take great pride in my "sleeping- dorm" experience at FarmHouse, today's students seem to prefer to use the sleeping-dorms as storage rather than a place for their pillow. FarmHouse's last renovation project seems like it was just yesterday, but alas 15 years have passed since 1999. And 15 years of 80+ young men have begun to show wear. We were leaders in 1999 ahead of our peers in this evolution, but it is now time to consider strategic steps to ensure our house and fraternity remain best in class. As an alumni group, we must remember who our clientele are—18-year-old adults. From the perspective of a future pledge, in just a few years, the FarmHouse chapter house will have not been updated since before they were born. And perhaps even more depressing to that pledge, the Cornhuskers have yet to win a football conference championship since our last renovation. The alumni association continues to evaluate our plans for the future to stay competitive with other chapters and campus housing options. We will share news with you when plans are more concrete. During this time you can continue to support FarmHouse by sending in recruitment recommendations and visiting the chapter house any time you are on campus. We encourage you to reconnect with your FarmHouse brothers. There is no better time to be a member of FarmHouse! Sincerely, Steven Gangwish '01 President FarmHouse Alumni Association sjgangwish@gmail.com (402) 480-4520 FarmHouse seeks to Keep Housing Competitive on Campus