Sigma Chi - Kansas State University

Active Chapter Commitment with Accountability Aer October 1, many alumni engaged with the actives by visiting the house and having dinner, attending chapter meetings, and having one-on-one conversations. As requested by the alumni, the entire active chapter spent one Saturday morning in open discussion. It was productive. We gained new insights and many preconceived assumptions were found to be baseless. Conclusion: e active chapter wants change, wants to be guided by the alumni, is asking for focused help, and is taking our suggestions seriously and acting. 1 Active Chapter Revised and Adopted Standards On its own volition, the active chapter revised "Standards of Conduct and Performance" dealing with illegal drugs, alcohol, scholarship, quiet hours, chapter meeting attendance, and chapter house care. Conclusion: With very little alumni input, the chapter, on its own volition, wrote and adopted quiet hours before the semester began. en, with counseling from several alumni, the actives wrote strong and enforceable standards with significant consequences that were adopted at the April 5 active chapter meeting. 2 e following list includes the 17 major changes that came out of "Operation Vitalize." Reiterated the Illegal Drugs Possession/Use Standards e possession or use of illegal drugs has been and now remains banned from Sigma Chi property and any Sigma Chi function. Conclusion: is policy has not changed, but firm consequences were established. 3 Alcohol Possession and Use Standards Revised and Adopted e chapter follows the IFC recommendations. Additionally, it has established rules and disciplines dealing with alcohol that incorporate a philosophy we find to be enlightened, realistic, and practical. Observations include: • Alcohol is a presence in virtually every aspect of KSU life. • Alcohol is dangerous and can be fatal. • Law enforcement agencies recognize the widespread consumption by underage drinkers and have an unspoken accommodation with those groups that behave responsibly. • e chapter's approach is to articulate specific policies and consequences that ensure all Sigma Chi functions are safe. Conclusion: Alcohol does not automatically correlate to poor performance. Most so-called "dry" houses aren't. Our chapter has strict limits on what, where, and when alcohol can be consumed on the Sigma Chi property and the mechanism to enforce them. Our chapter's philosophy of being personally responsible and safe and establishing clear policy is the best approach to deal with this real issue. 4 Active Chapter GPA Targeted e active chapter's GPA of 2.916 places it low in the third quartile of fraternities. e plan to ascend to the top quartile has been written, adopted, implemented, and working. Conclusion: With the initial strong acceptance and practice of the new quiet hours and strengthened processes for penalizing violators, the plan is sound, realistic, and attainable. 5 Scholarship A high school student with a high GPA has the greatest chance to be a Sigma Chi of excellence. ey bring discipline and maturity that translates into responsible conduct and high levels of achievement. e chapter has high standards and significant incentives to attract that caliber of student. • To receive a bid to pledge, a high school prospect must have at least a 3.2 GPA. • Each pledge with a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the J. Robert and Barbara Wilson Scholarship Trust and the Tom Roberts Scholarship Trust, combined. Conclusion: We applaud the chapter's ambitions. We also recognize this is tricky, i.e., rushing to pledge high GPA prospects into a third-quartile house. However with the commitment demonstrated by the active and alumni chapters, this will be accomplished. 6 Financial Management Angela Cunningham is the House Corporation Treasurer and accountant. She keeps meticulous records and generates the necessary reports. She is competent, loyal and committed. Brothers Seitzer and Fox have worked with her closely. eir oversight is superb. Conclusion: New oversight and policies are an area of strength. 7 Feasibility of Renovation To ensure that the decision to renovate the chapter house at an estimat- ed cost of $3,600,000 was sound, Brother Seitzer provided a detailed analysis of its near-term and long-term feasibility. His conclusions (ac- cepted by the House Corporation Board of Directors) projects that: • Anticipated short-term debt can be retired within three years of its inception. • All House Corporation reserves will have been restored by 2021. • Charges will remain competitive with all fraternities. Conclusion: We endorse Brother Seitzer's analysis and projections that show that the renovation is not only feasible but will establish a founda- tion for ongoing financial strength. 8

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