Alpha Sigma Phi - University of Washington

4 ... I n the past 10 years, Alpha Sigma Phi has grown from a predominately north- eastern and midwestern fraternity to an international organization with 160 U.S. chapters and provisional chapters coast to coast, as well as in Canada and Scotland. Nine years ago, Alpha Sigma Phi had only five active chapters out of 64 west of the Mississippi River – California-Berkeley, Missouri Valley, Lind- enwood, Iowa State and the Mu Chapter at the University of Washington. Today, there are more than 40 chapters west of the Mississippi River and one of the primary motivations for westward growth was Mu Chapter. For more than 100 years, the Mu Chapter has been a staple in Alpha Sigma Phi. Historically, Mu has been one of our larger chapters and one of our most successful. The support and involvement of alumni throughout the years has been instrumental to not only the viability of Alpha Sigma Phi, but likely our survival. With one of our strongest chapters out west, and a chapter for others to emulate, it only made sense to expand the reach of Alpha Sigma Phi west of the Mississippi. Often, alumni and undergraduates from our older chapters ask me how our growth has helped our existing chapters. Nine years ago, undergraduates at the Mu chapter paid $228/man for liability insurance with annual increases for the past decade. Today, because of our growth and strong health and safety record, Mu undergraduates pay $106/man for liability insurance. While most fraternities are passing increased insurance costs on to the chapters and undergraduates, Alpha Sigma Phi is dramatically lowering insurance costs with plans for even more decreases in the future. Nine years ago, membership fees were increasing and more than 60 percent of fraternities had a lower four-year membership fee than Alpha Sigma Phi. Today, 85% of fraternities have a higher four-year membership fee than Alpha Sigma Phi and membership fees have remained the same for five consecutive years. This means that the Mu chapter has more money in their budget for brotherhood activities and the Alpha Sigma Phi experi- ence is more accessible to more men than ever before. Nine years ago, Alpha Sigma Phi had Grand Chapter every other year and a conference for chapter presidents at a camp site in Indianapolis in January. Today, Alpha Sigma Phi has an annual summer leadership conference with sessions for undergraduates on public speaking, career and life planning, mock job interviews, resume reviews, entrepreneurship, healthy living, etc. and a professional January leadership program for chapter officers. This leadership development programming would not be possible without the growth we've experienced in recent years. In short, our growth has allowed Alpha Sigma Phi to provide increased services at a reduced cost to directly benefit chapters such as Mu. Now, more than ever, Alpha Sigma Phi looks to the Mu Chapter. For years, we looked to the Mu chapter to carry the flag of Alpha Sigma Phi, west of the Mississippi. Today, we look to Mu to be the model chapter and brotherhood; to be the inspiration for the newer chapters started in the past nine years; to be an example to alumni that brotherhood in Alpha Sigma Phi is for a lifetime and that giving back to Alpha Sigma Phi is a responsibility that comes with membership. Alpha Sigma Phi has been a stronger fraternity for having Mu as a chapter and as we approach our 175 th anniversary, I am confident that the best days for Alpha Sigma Phi and for Mu remain ahead. For more than 100 years Mu Chapter has been a model for Alpha Sigma Phi's national growth Message from Gordy Heminger President and CEO Alpha Sigma Phi Gordy Heminger Gamma Zeta '96

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