Delta Tau Delta - Butler University

Fall 2014 Newsletter

Beta Zeta Chapter of Delta Tau Delta at Butler University

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DELTA TAU DELTA Page 2 To donate, please visit www.butlerdelts.com T he Beta Zeta House Corporation empathizes and concurs with those who have expressed the need to ensure that their investment in the new Shelter is carefully protected over the years. The volunteers that comprise the House Corporation Board of Directors have pledged over $71,000, so we also want to ensure our investment is protected. To do this, these best practices have been established or will be implemented upon completion. 1 We have developed policies and standards regarding property management and the appropriate/acceptable uses of the Shelter. At minimum, policies regarding social events and resident changes to the rooms are in place. The first two pages of each lease agreement signed by every live-in member are the house rules. These policies are adopted and enforced by the House Corporation and the undergraduate chapter. 2 Rule #1 for the Shelter is no flames (candles, incense, smoking, etc.). Fires are the number one cause of major damage to fraternities. This is also the main reason for addition of fire sprinklers as a part of the Shelter renovation. Safety of our members and the Shelter is our number one priority. 3 The Shelter rent will be increased to the upper quartile of the other Greek organizations on campus but will remain competitive. We will have a premium facility and we will charge a higher rent accordingly. We will continue to contain costs and minimize rent increases as much as possible but will maintain the condition of the house after the renovation/addition. 4 We will continue to have undergraduate rent paid in advance on a semester basis, collected automatically through Butler University. This has allowed us to be at 100% collection at a nominal cost. If members don't pay their bill with the University, they don't get their grades! This also allows the use of some scholarships and financial aid to pay for housing. We will continue to assess a security deposit of $500 from every live-in member annually. This is also billed through the University and is at a 100% collection rate. Refunds of security deposits are not to be made until damage and professional cleaning costs have been deducted at the end of the spring semester. 5 A parlor fee will still be collected from any live-out members, via University billing, to help cover the costs of wear and tear, maintenance, and long-term improvements for the Shelter in addition to pay for the members' liability insurance. This fee shall not be prohibitive but will help to service some of the costs incurred by members not living in the Shelter. 6 The House Corporation is incorporated separately from the undergraduate chapter and keeps its finances separate. We have property insurance on the Shelter for the replacement cost that is evaluated regularly by the insurance company. Additionally, the insurance policy includes income protection in case of an event at the house that would cover our anticipated income over a period of time. The amount of this coverage is being evaluated by the board. 7 T h e H o u s e C o r p o r a t i o n r e s e r v e s approximately $30,000 every year for long-term improvements (carpet, furnishings, fixtures, and renovations). We anticipate that we will be able to increase this yearly reserve amount once we double the number of beds. The capital improvements fund will be held in a separate account and will not be used for operations of the undergraduate chapter or Beta Zeta, nor shall it be used for ordinary repairs or maintenance. An example of this reserve in action is the current addition. Since becoming treasurer in 2007, I amassed over $400,000 that helped us get the project started by contracting architects and engineers. Along with money raised by the capital campaign, this money served as our down payment for the construction loan. After the renovation and construction of the Shelter addition is completed, the House Corporation Board of Directors will continue these necessary steps to properly manage the facility and ensure your investment in Beta Zeta. We are fortunate to have donors that have committed to the excellence of Beta Zeta, and it will remain our mission to ensure this excellence and the principles outlined in the Delt Creed. Fraternally, Russell Nichols '02 Beta Zeta House Corporation Treasurer (317) 732-5241 rustyrx@hotmail.com Ensuring Your Investment Russ Nichols '02 DTD Brothers Help Jeff LeFors '05 Create Successful Business in the Sky D elta Tau Delta has given Jeff LeFors '05 so much over the years: academic encouragement as an undergraduate, business opportunities as an alumnus, and lifelong friendships. As an undergraduate, Jeff appreciated being surrounded by honest and straightforward brothers. He was a part of the first large pledge class in 2002 and enjoyed seeing the house grow, not only in physical size, but also with interest in Trike, their philanthropy benefitting Riley Children's Hospital, which Jeff chaired. Beta Zeta has also helped Jeff make memories in his postgraduate years. He worked for Delta Tau Delta doing fundraising work at DeltCall as an undergraduate, which helped him find a job in the non-profit sector for a few years after graduation. Three years ago he started his own promotional design business, LeFors Design. Many of his first jobs came from fraternity brothers or connections through DTD, and he has been able to develop professional relationships with many brothers. Recently, Jeff founded his own aerial video and photography services company, Skye Guys LLC. The company has done aerial work for realtors in the Indy area, including Brother Dustin Sickinger '05, and has clients including Butler University, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Conrad Hotel, and the Ports of Indiana. Most recently, Jeff has enjoyed taking aerial photos of the various stages of the Shelter's expansion—services he has donated to the campaign. Jeff has been able to turn his passion into a career thanks to mentoring and help from his Beta Zeta brothers. Alumni like chapter advisor Pat Gibbons '84, who kept the brothers on track with grades, Steve Vedra '02, who set a great example of what it meant to be an active alumnus, and Russ Potts '59, whose alumni speeches were hard to forget, all acted as mentors for Jeff. He knows his solid friendships are unique and is thankful for that. In his free time Jeff enjoys trivia nights, playing bocce ball, and is always looking forward to the next adventure. To learn more about his businesses visit SkyeGuys. com, Facebook.com/SkyeGuys.com, or follow @SkyeGuys on Twitter. Contact Jeff via e-mail at jeff@skyeguys.com.

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