Sigma Kappa - University of Florida

Beta Tau ConnSKtion Beta Tau Chapter House Corporation of Sigma Kappa Sorority at the University of Florida Spring 2017 Housing Corporation Remains Hard at Work W elcome to 2017! Our Beta Tau collegians are settling into the second semester in our new home and enjoying all the amenities this facility has to offer. The hardest part is done, the house is built and operating well, but the work doesn't stop there! As we get back up and running, we are hiring and training new staff and vendors, evaluating and adjusting all of our processes, and finding little things that need to be added or tweaked around the house. Dedicated housing corporation board volunteers help to make all these things happen. This spring, a few of our terms are coming to an end and we are looking forward to welcoming fresh new faces to our board. Sound House Corporation Finances It gives me great pleasure to report that the house corporation is operating in a fiscally sound manner. Our first fiscal year in our new home, we have been very conservative by carefully assessing and frequently checking in on our spending, as many budget line items were pure guestimates. As of November 2016, we had $217,063.24 cash available for operations (on par), $57,072.71 in housing and furnishing cash (better than anticipated), and $6,279.69 in reserve savings (will not adjust until the end of the fiscal year). One of our goals over the next three years is to build our reserve savings back up to $250,000, which is a contingency of our loan. Our long-term plan for use of housing and furnishing fees ensures that our house stays fresh for the future. This year, we added a weekly Sunday supper and we have remained competitive for both our in- and out-of-house member rates. The first semester provided us plenty of opportunities to work with our collegiate board members to assess costs and policies to better serve the chapter. Join Us for Alumnae Weekend The guest count for our grand opening was estimated to be over 1,000 attendees, with alumnae representing a large portion. We were thrilled and we hope to see just as strong of a turnout at our upcoming Alumnae Weekend, April 1-2. Mark your calendar now! You will have the opportunity to meet current sisters and other alumnae, participate in activities, tour the house, and enjoy delicious food in our dining room! Sunday, April 2, we will hold our 2017 annual housing meeting, where we will say thank you to a few of our dedicated board members and vote on several new members. This is an exciting time for us as our sisters step up to the challenge of managing and operating a 25,000-square-foot sorority house. Become a Beta Tau Volunteer Volunteering is key to our success and we are always looking for eager women to assist in the leadership of the housing corporation. One of my favorite quotes is "The future is in your hand, now go and create it!" Are you ready to help create the future of Beta Tau and support development of young sisters into confident women who proudly walk out our front door? Reach out to Jennifer Grinnan Lyons '04 at skhouseuf@gmail.com to get started. We look forward to welcoming you home the weekend of April 1 and 2. We are impressed by the alumnae engagement over the last year and remind you that the door is always open! In Sigma Kappa, Gabrielle Ferro Miller '04 Treasurer bthousecorptreasurer@gmail.com Alumnae Weekend is April 1-2! Turn to page 4 for more information.

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