Spring Laurel 2018

THE

OF PHI KAPPA TAU | VOL. 104, ISSUE 3 | JULY 2018

THE ARCHITECTURE OF BROTHERHOOD ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

P. 5

P. 10

P. 20

BUILDING A CHAPTER

LET FRATERNAL CHEER AND SONG PERVADE OUR SESSIONS

HIGH PERFORMING CHAPTERS

“Dr. Edgar Ewing Brandon, a red-goateed, forty-year-old professor of romantic languages, was one of a small group of Miami’s nonfraternity faculty members. He took an active interest in the work of the Founders and became the association’s faculty advisor almost immediately. Although he was not present at the first meeting, he is considered a Foundation Member and the first faculty initiate. Dr. Brandon’s leadership in the formative stages of the fraternity earned him the title, Architect of Phi Kappa Tau.”

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good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the fact that I am a fraternity man.

Phi Kappa Tau, by admitting me to membership, has conferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in the spirit of brotherhood for which it stands. I shall strive to attain its ideals, and by so doing to bring to it honor and credit. I shall be loyal to my college and my chapter and shall keep strong my ties to them that I may ever retain the spirit of youth. I shall be a good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the fact that I am a fraternity man.

Phi Kappa Tau, by admitting me to membership, has conferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in the spirit of brotherhood for which it stands. I shall strive to attain its ideals, and by so doing to bring to it honor and credit. I shall be loyal to my college and my chapter and shall keep strong my ties to them that I may ever retain the spirit of youth. I shall be a good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the fact that I am a fraternity man.

14

BUILDING FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION In this era of rapid societal change, there is no ambiguity about the timeless principles that lie at the heart of Phi Kappa Tau.

FEATURES 5 BUILDING A CHAPTER Sam Medley, Transylvania ’94, weighs in on strategic planning, intra-Fraternity architecture, and the success he and his colleagues have had at Colorado.

10 LET FRATERNAL CHEER AND SONG PERVADE OUR SESSIONS We took to the archives to examine Grand President EE Brandon’s wise words about brotherhood and our response in the face of controversy.

13 5 MINUTES WITH PHIL FRANDINA Phil Frandina, Rochester ’08, discusses the transformational volunteer shift of the Domain Director role.

16 THE ARCHITECTURE OF BROTHERHOOD We feature ten chapters who are doing an outstanding job of being Men of Distinction in one of the four pillars of a strong chapter

DEPARTMENTS 4 | COO’s Letter 6 | Expanding Our Mission 7 | Undergraduate of Distinction 9 | Alumnus of Distinction 12 | By the Numbers 13 | 5 Minutes With...

20 | Chapter Dashboard 24 | Laurels 27 | Chapter Eternal 30 | Sidelights

COO'S LETTER

MAILBOX THE LAUREL IS INTENDED TO START A CONVERSATION with brothers and friends.

Content is carefully selected to engage and excite our readers. It is our hope that stories you read start a conversation with those in your life. Any comments are appreciated. You can submit your feedback— positive or negative, we want it all—to phikapptau.org/ laurelfeedback/. ~

PHI TAU TWEETS Guillermo Flores @GuillermoxF I'm finally home from Ohio and in such a damn proud Phi Tau mood. #PhiTauLA Tran @tran6ix National Convention is so closeeee. #phikappatau Mike Dovilla @mikedovilla Looking forward to seeing our @PhiKappaTau brothers from across the Nation in Cleveland just one month from today! #MenofDistinction #GoFar #thisiscle

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A WORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES

BUILT TO LAST

S

tarting with our Founder’s vision and the leadership provided by Dr. Brandon that earned him the nickname “Architect of Phi Kappa Tau”, the Fraternity was built to last. Our earliest members and advisors provided an incredibly strong foundation, one that we are still benefiting from one-hundred and twelve years later. People may come and go, but the framework is still standing.

However, the fraternity landscape is changing. Greek life is under fire and Phi Tau is not immune to the backlash. We have to remember that we are in this as one big fraternity family; if one organization’s loss is our loss, it goes that one organization’s gain is our gain.

In my opinion, we need to take time to examine where we have come from. We want to normalize positivity – the traits that make Phi Tau men gentlemen, their philanthropic work, and all of our other outstanding work in the community.

For this edition we look at what we think are the qualities that provide for a healthy chapter and good experiences. We came up with four features that create repetitive success: a strong Housing Corp (where applicable), Board of Governors, Graduate Council, and Resident Council. We take time to feature some of the chapters that are doing an exemplary job in one or more of those areas, in the hopes that we can all be inspired by their hard work. There is often a strong correlation between those features working in harmony and a chapter experience that’s grounded in principal, one that’s true to who we are and sustained over the long haul.

In the past we’ve been too modest about our accomplishments. We haven’t shared

the outstanding work that Phi Tau brothers have and continue to do within their communities. We need to prioritize highlighting this work so that the positive of our organization, and Greek organizations in general, outweighs the negative. Hopefully this issue, as well as the addition of a Content Specialist to the Executive Offices, is the catalyst to take more control of our narrative.

During these turbulent years we want to focus on the positive things – the strength of our chapters, the accomplishments of our alumni, and the ambition of our students. But we wanted to take this issue of The Laurel to look at what does work, rather than where things go wrong.

We hope that the different components of that help encourage engagement or spark some ideas among our brothers about the importance of organizational architecture.

Go Far,

TRAVIS ROBINSON CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Travis Robinson, Eastern Kentucky ’98 has worked at the Executive Offices for five and a half years. His wife, Kristen, was a founding member of her sorority at Miami, Zeta Tau Alpha. They have three children, Charleston, Brooks, and Beau.

PERSPECTIVES

SAM MEDLEY

BUILDING A CHAPTER

S

am Medley, Transylvania ’94, has served on the Board of Governors at the University of Colorado Psi Chapter for five years, two of those as chairman for the Board of Governors, has provided his perspective on how to build a strong chapter. When Sam joined the Psi board in 2012, the newly-established Psi colony had only 12 members. By the time Psi earned its Charter in 2013 that number had risen to nearly 40 members, and now Psi Chapter boasts more than 100 brothers.

Sam worked closely on a strategic plan with the other alumni volunteers at Colorado to boost membership. They began with a six-point personal characteristic plan to recruit new members. The first year or so they were looking for only new members with one or two of the characteristics. After a few years, they began to look for five of the characteristics. Now, with membership at an all-time high, potential members must have all six characteristics to be eligible for membership.

Further, to build on each year’s recruitment and membership orientation, Sam conducted focus groups with the new initiatives. He’d ask questions like, “Why did you join Phi Tau? What did other fraternities do better? What did Phi Tau do that you did or didn’t like?”

This provided both analysis of previous strategies and ideas for future plans. With new initiates knowing that alumni leadership took them seriously, there was a significant improvement in the quality of recruitment and membership orientation each year.

But Sam knew that it wasn’t the job of alumni or faculty leadership to be looking over the student’s shoulders. Board members do not participate directly in recruitment activities, voting for new members, officer

THE LAUREL OF PHI KAPPA TAU JULY 2018 VOL. 104, NO. 3

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lilly Steger COPY EDITOR John Sayers, Bethany ’78 Travis Robinson, Eastern Kentucky ’98 CONTRIBUTORS Mike Dovilla, Baldwin Wallace ’94 Tim Hudson, Truman State ’97

elections, or membership orientation. Instead, Sam attends the first new member meeting and lays down non-negotiable rules for good Phi Tau conduct. From there, the Board relies on open lines of communication and good judgement among members to facilitate the rest.

Sam’s biggest piece of advice to running a strong chapter is to get to know the members.

“If they know you are around, they will be much more open with you about personal problems,” he said. “What’s more, it’s a way to develop mentor relationships with seniors, who are looking to extend their professional networks. If the professional development can be emphasized, that’s something that appeals much more to the 22-year-old than the 19-year-old.

Most importantly, Sam believes we should keep the positive influence Fraternity life on undergraduates’ lives at the forefront, “Your GPA should be higher because you’re in a fraternity, your job prospects should be better because you’re in a fraternity… People in fraternities are often more successful than people who are not. Let’s play on that.”

UPCOMING EDITIONS Phi Kappa Tau publishes the Laurel three times a year. Each edition focuses on an aspect of the Phi Kappa Tau experience.

The schedule below identifies upcoming delivery dates.

September 2018; December 2018 ADDRESS CHANGES Visit phikappatau.org/address to update your current mailing information.

LAUREL ARCHIVES Past Laurel publications can be found online at phikappatau.org/laurel. Individuals can browse and view all past editions that are available.

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EXPANDING OUR MISSION

CHARTERINGS

ZO

ZETA OMICRON CHAPTER Arizona State University

ZX

ZETA XI CHAPTER University of South Carolina

COLONIZATIONS

EXPANSIONS

OMEGA COLONY University of Wisconsin Madison

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Los Angeles, California

CHI COLONY North Carolina State University

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas

COLUMBUS COLONY Columbus State University

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY State College, Pennsylvania

ALPHA NU COLONY Iowa State University

If you know a young man attending school at one of the institutions, recommend him to Phi Kappa Tau by visiting phikappatau.org/join.

ALPHA RHO COLONY Georgia Institute of Technology ALPHA THETA COLONY College of William & Mary BOSTON COLONY Boston University If you would like to volunteer with one of Phi Kappa Tau’s colonies, visit phikappatau.org/volunteer.

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CLOSINGS

Gamma Lambda Chapter Central Michigan University Returning 2021

Gamma Eta Chapter East Carolina University Returning TBD

Phi Kappa Tau is committed to offering all of its members a healthy and productive environment to become exemplary members of society and to provide an exemplary presence within their campus communities. If a chapter’s behavior falls below our standards, it is our responsibility to take action. Between December 2017 and May 2018, the above groups were closed for violating the Fraternity’s risk management policies.

UNDERGRADUATE OF DISTINCTION

SAM STEVENS, LOUISVILLE ’15 IFC PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE LOUISVILLE, KY Sam Stevens, Louisville ’15, has been named this edition’s Undergraduate of Distinction. Sam has been awarded the Honors Scholar distinction at Lousisville, was President of the Undergraduate Advisory Board, and President of the IFC. He has also been awarded Fraternity Man of the Year (2018), Borradaile Outstanding Undergraduate Award (2017), Outstanding Junior of the Year award (2017), and the Phi Kappa Tau John Cosgrove Award (2015). Sam will graduate as Senior of the Year from Louisiville in May of 2018.

Sam credits his road to Phi Kappa Tau to two established members who helped him understand the transformation a young man goes through when he joins a fraternity. In Sam’s own words, “They saw in me a ‘Man of Character’ who had the potential to become a ‘Man of Distinction.’ Their vision for the Phi Kappa Tau brother I would become did not let them rest until I signed a bid in the basement Beta Beta’s Morton Walker house fall of 2014.” Those two men, along with the other Beta Beta brothers, have inspired Sam to strive for greatness in every way – professionally, personally, academically, and spiritually.

Sam wants us all to remember, however, that we should not consider ourselves finished with Phi Kappa Tau upon graduation. Rather, the persuit of being a Man of Distinction is not a path with a clear destination; it’s something that must be continually saught after. It is a lifelong, never-end quest to take pride in the Mark of Distinction conferred upon you and life your daily life according to those ideals.

We are certainly proud of Sam’s accomplishments as an undergraduate, and look forward to watching his success as an alumni.

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ALUMNUS OF DISTINCTION

ROB REESE, KENT STATE ’87 FORMER C.O.O., CONSTRUCTION LABOR CONTRACTORS SAGAMORE HILLS, OH Rob Reese, Kent State ‘87, knows first-hand how to build an organization from the bottom up. When he arrived at Kent State in the late 1980s there was no Phi Tau chapter on campus. With the help of three transfer students, he and his brothers worked two years to get their Charter. “That is an experience I wish every chapter member had,” Rob said fondly about his colony days. Working first to become a colony and then to relieve their charter, the process of building Beta Mu is something “I wish every chapter member had,” Rob said fondly about working to build the Kent State chapter.

Surrounded by men who all wanted to bring a chapter to campus, he knew everybody was in it for the right reasons.

After graduation, Rob put his experience to use establishing other chapters for Phi Tau. Eventually, his friendships evolved into business relationships and he founded a successful skilled construction business, Construction Labor Contractors (CLC).

He’s employed dozens of Phi Tau brothers over the years, some of which have stayed for nearly twenty years. To Rob, the decision to hire Phi Tau brothers is obvious; “I hired Phi Taus because we knew they had done work, they could be counted on, and that they were loyal and trustworthy.”

Rob has recently sold CLC and is currently enjoying time with his family before tackling his next business venture. His work as a businessman and active alumnus has certainly solidified him as a Man of Distinction.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

LILLY STEGER

LET FRATERNAL CHEER AND SONG PERVADE OUR SESSIONS

D

r. Edgar Ewing Brandon, Miami ’06, known among us as “The Architect of Phi Kappa Tau,” accepted the position of Grand President in 1920 and, with it, a scrappy organization with just nine chapters and one thousand-odd men.

Throughout his tenure as President, Dr. Brandon increased these nine chapters, all centered in the Midwest, to twenty-four, scattered coast-to-coast. He stepped down from the President position at the 1923 National Convention, but his lasting influence on Phi Tau cannot be overstated.

Dr. Brandon helped mold the Founder’s vision to withstand the test of time. His keen planning, eye for opportunity, and vision of the future helped shape Phi Tau into the 82 chapter and 8 colony Fraternity it is today. In “Dr. E.E. Brandon, An Appreciation” Grayson L. Kirk, Miami ’21 and then-editor of The Laurel, immortalized the legacy of Dr. Brandon by saying, “It is a trite observation to make that almost every great movement, like every institution of enduring purposes and accomplishments, has been the result of consistent and patient effort on the part of a few masterpersonalities… Such a man has Phi Kappa Tau in Grand President E.E. Brandon.”

For this issue of The Laurel, we reflect on Dr. Brandon’s closing speech at the 1923 convention, where he thanks his brothers and speaks proudly on the work he had accomplished. Dr. Brandon’s work is not just felt in his efforts to expand Phi Tau and create new chapters; we feel to this day in our cohesion. “Cliques have been welded together, rivalries have been over-

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come, and the whole national organization placed on the more stable basis of cooperation,” Kirk wrote. The reason we are able to work together for a united Phi Tau vision is largely due to the unification efforts of Dr. Brandon, who worked ceaselessly to make sure divisions would not separate chapters and cause dissent.

In his parting speech at the 1923 convention, Dr. Brandon commented on several of the issues that plague Phi Tau, even to this day. Most notably he mentions public critique of the Greek system, to which he responds, “College fraternities are strongly criticized and sometimes rightly so… This ought not to be so, and it is the duty and privilege of Phi Kappa Tau to make its life in its various chapters not only free from such criticisms as have been recently given to the public, but it should become a positive aid to the college community in which it has chapters.” In Dr. Brandon’s eyes we must not ignore our criticism, rather we must strive to be such exemplarily chapters we do not have to be subject to the complaints that other fraternities receive. We must be disciplined and quash bad behavior before it overturns us. Dr. Brandon knew that, for a building to last, we must be aware of its faults. But rather than wait for one of those faults to crack the foundation, we should be vigilant in maintaining the structure.

Perhaps most inspiring is Dr. Brandon’s concluding call to action, in which he says, “The golden band embraces all and is an unbreakable fetter, not weakened by its circumference. Within the area each chapter

has its own identity, its own individuality, its own responsibilities to itself, to its community, and to the federation of Phi Kappa Tau.” He continues with a call for higher purpose, “In the future they will have the added importance of an ever-growing voice in the college world. Will we seize the opportunity that is ours?” Our power has certainly grown since Dr. Brandon’s days, just as he predicted it would. With 82 chapters, 8 colonies, 4,500 undergraduates, and over 90,000 alumni, how will we use the influence we have been given? How will we respond to the call to action, and build a better fraternity for the next generation of Phi Tau men?

CHAPTER OF DISTINCTION

XI CHAPTER FRANKLIN & MARSHALL / LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA Xi chapter at Franklin & Marshall has seen a huge trend in growth n the past two years, after sending five members to Leadership Academy and two members to Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI). Xi president Sam Kay, Franklin & Marshall ’16, attended the Fraternity’s National Community Event two years ago and Leadership Academy last year. Following a positive experience at Leadership Academy, Sam wanted Xi to sponsor a philanthropic event for SeriousFun. The chapter put on a three versus three basketball tournament that raised more than $4,000 for the SeriousFun camps.

CHAPTER INFORMATION

CAMPUS INFORMATION

CHARTERED: 1921

ESTABLISHED: 1787

CHAPTER MEMBERS: 51

STUDENT ENROLLMENT: 2,300

CHAPTER GPA: 3.12

AREAS OF STUDY: 61 IFC FRATERNITIES: 6

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BY THE NUMBERS

PHI KAPPA TAU BY THE NUMBERS Phi Kappa Tau continues to offer outstanding leadership opportunities and provide service for the greater good.

90 36% MILLION

YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE IN DONATIONS TO SERIOUSFUN

CHAPTERS AND COLONIES

97,303 TOTAL MEMBERS

4,380

UNDERGRADUATE MEMBERS

3.0 AVERAGE GPA

50 AVERAGE CHAPTER SIZE

50,771 546 TOTAL SERVICE HOURS

AVERAGE SERVICE HOURS PER CHAPTER

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FIVE MINUTES WITH...

PHIL FRANDINA, RIT ’08

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

D

omain Directors have been an important part of Phi Tau since 1919, but a volunteer shift occurred in 2017 that condensed the role to nine leaders aligned by Regional Conferences. Their new focus revolves around achieving three goals: alumni engagement, onsite programming, and regional conference support.

Phil Frandina is one of six leaders who carried over from the previous group of Domain Directors.

• Why was the change important?

The structure of our organization is ever-evolving to respond to the current dynamics of Greek life. It’s important for alumni leadership to help develop our chapters and membership, and it’s equally important to have engaged alumni at the forefront of that development. The new role of Domain Directors really takes that into account.

• What are you most excited about with the shift? I’m excited to be a part of it. We were given a set of expectations of what the new role will entail and what people envision it to look like, but I think it’s really up to the Domain Directors to take those

expectations and run with it. Being part of this process from the very beginning allows me to be a part of developing the role into a model that can be successful for years to come, and that’s very exciting to me.

• What’s your vision for your domain? One idea I’m excited about is that we don’t have much of a Fraternity presence in the Northeast.

Other than New York State we only have one or two other chapters in my domain. But we do have Boston and New York, which are two of the largest markets in the country – even though there aren't a whole lot of undergrads in those areas, alumni move there after graduating, so there is still a significant alumni presence in those areas. Given the disparity between alumni and undergraduates, I think we’ll have a much different experience than the Domain Directors in the Midwest and California. I’d like to create opportunities for alumni to engage in an area where the traditional alumni events hosted by a chapter don’t exist.

• Out of the three priorities we set – alumni engagement, onsite programming, and regional conference support/engagement – which do you think is going to be the most challenging?

Alumni engagement, which is not necessarily something we’re great at in the Northeast. It will be a lot of recruiting and re-recruiting the guys who were brought onboard forty to fifty years ago and telling them why they should get re-involved and giving them a reason to come back and give their time and treasure.

Since his initiation in 2008 at Rochester Institute of Technology, Phil Frandina received a Masters degree from New York University and has been working in the music industry ever since. He has spent the last four years at Hornblow Group, an artist management company and in-house record label. He and his wife, Jessica, welcomed their son Jack eighteen months ago.

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

MIKE DOVILLA, BALDWIN WALLACE ’94

BUILDING FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION

T

he last day of summer 1999 was the first day of my professional career. Fresh out of grad school, I was a newly-minted Presidential Management Intern (PMI) eager to make a contribution at the U.S. Department of State. One responsibility of the office where I was assigned was crafting the department’s strategic planning documents. The work was ideal for a policy wonk, but as I would learn repeatedly in the years ahead it was the people and the culture they fostered that made the effort truly meaningful.

One colleague in particular became a mentor. A fellow voracious reader, he introduced me to a book entitled Built to Last by Jim Collins. In a sea of leadership volumes that still line the shelves of my office, it offers one of the most compelling explanations of what makes for exceptionally visionary organizations. It is that approach – building a Phi Kappa Tau that seeks to be premier in our industry,

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is widely admired, and makes an imprint on the world – that we are endeavoring to develop.

Consider a few of the accomplishments our National Fraternity has realized during the past two years. Together, we have: •A dopted and begun proactively executing Phi Kappa Tau 2020, only the second strategic plan to be implemented in the history of the Fraternity; • Advanced toward a manpower goal of 5,000 undergraduates, our largest recorded student membership ever; • Developed innovative channels for communicating with our stakeholders, including regular Tuesday Tau Talks posted on social media and monthly conference calls with our undergraduate leaders through the Presidents Roundtable Initiative; • Created a presidential challenge coin recognition program for undergraduate and graduate members; • Established special committees to work on some of our longest standing challenges, such as the quality of our National Convention and volunteer recruitment and training; • Undertaken a full-scale review of the Graduate Nominating Committee, developing a new policy unanimously adopted

by National Council;

•A ttracted an impressive host committee for the 63rd National Convention, which is planning an excellent program for our gathering in Cleveland; and • Launched

a refreshed brand and tagline – Men of Distinction – directly aligned with our founding values.

In essence, we are working hard to set up a durable organization built to last for another eleven decades and longer.

Yet, these are challenging times for fraternities, and like many of our peer organizations we have fallen short. While Phi Kappa Tau chartered four new chapters this biennium, we closed six that failed to live up to our values. For the first time ever, we truncated Leadership Academy and sent home all participants when several young men violated the clearly stated expectations of our premier, individualized leadership development program.

And we have moved more slowly than desired on the development of robust alumni programming, proactive fundraising, and strategic communications.

As I have observed throughout the past two years, we can do more and be more, but a desire for excellence must override a tendency toward the status quo being good enough The good news is, in this era of rapid societal change, there is no ambiguity about the timeless principles that lie at the heart of Phi Kappa Tau. Indeed, there are certain non-negotiables to which all of us, through our membership, have agreed.

Our Ritual forms the core of who we

are. We each swore an Oath to uphold it.

Our Mission, Vision, and Creed are the purpose statements that carry the Ritual into effect. We are bound to one another to carry those out each day. The marks of our brotherhood – the coat-of-arms, member badges, and letters, for example – are outward and visible signs to the rest of the world of those underlying statements. All of these things form our fraternal DNA as Phi Taus.

As we honor our heritage, however, we must accept the need to adapt in these transformative times. Much as our Founders and their associates challenged the conditions on campuses in the early days of the 20th century, we, too, must continually grow, evolve, and meet the ever-changing needs of our constituencies and the environment in which we operate as a men’s leadership organization. To deny this reality rejects our past and forecloses on our future. That’s

why I have pressed so assertively on the reforms contained in our strategic plan and other modernization proposals, for to stand still is to move backward.

In that spirit, I pose a question to each of you as a brother: Are you helping to build a Phi Kappa Tau that is sturdy, sound, and sustainable? We can surely use your support in this undertaking. Dr. John C. Maxwell, a prominent leadership mentor, has pointed out that our country has a “leadership deficit.” The young men who join our organization expect and deserve a fraternal experience which addresses that need. That starts when each one of us steps forward and offers himself in a manner that seeks to add value to others.

It’s hard to believe two decades have passed since my days as an intern at the State Department and a new volunteer for Phi Kappa Tau. As I look across that

expanse of time, I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to serve our brotherhood and mentor its members. During the two years I have had the privilege of serving as your National President, I have sought to cast a bold vision for Phi Kappa Tau and prepare an organization built to last and flourish in this century. I remain confident that with the guideposts of Phi Kappa Tau 2020, built upon the foundation of the Cardinal Principles, our great Fraternity’s best days are ahead.

Brother Mike Dovilla, Baldwin Wallace ’94, is the 48th National President of Phi Kappa Tau, capping 21 years as a fraternity volunteer. The former Ohio House majority whip, he continues his public service as chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and a commander (select) in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

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FEATURE

Architecture of The

Brotherhood A

midst a wave of negative national news – alcohol, hazing, and deaths – fraternity life has become the subject of intense scrutiny. Practices and traditions have been combed over, examined and re-examined for any potential risk they may carry. Chapters have been closed and members have been expelled. Greek life in itself has become a source of controversy rather than pride. But despite the negative press, we at Phi Kappa Tau know the good outweighs the bad. Every day we see fraternities and fraternity men who are outstanding members of their community – men with laudable community service, academic, and leadership records. These men prove the excellence of Phi Kappa Tau by striving every day to be Men of Distinction. Upon reflection, we identified four qualities that make for a consistently strong fraternity: the Resident Council, the Graduate Council, the Board of Governors, and the Housing Corp. In this issue of The Laurel, we highlight a few chapters who are doing an outstanding job in one or more of these areas.

Resident Council Without active, ambitious undergraduates, a chapter cannot excel. This year’s “Founders Four” demonstrate exemplary range of undergraduate successes. Gamma chapter at The Ohio State University has seen an increase in membership over the past few years, due in part to the efforts of their President, Tyler Andrews.

When Tyler was elected he began to work with the

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IFC General Body as an advocate for smaller chapters.

He eventually became the Recruitment Chair, focusing on growing membership size while maintaining core Phi Tau values. Meanwhile, Drew Cooper, an underclassman, ran for Chief Justice on the Interfraternity Council, a position that normally goes to a junior member from a large chapter. Drew won and has since become IFC President, while another Gamma, Jake Severyn, is taking over as IFC Chief Justice. Phi Tau brothers’ authenticity and honesty has helped establish trust between the IFC and its members, particularly those belonging to smaller chapters.

Meanwhile, just two and a half hours east, Epsilon chapter at Mount Union has taken learning and service to heart. Three of their members served on the Interfraternity Council last year, both as coordinators for the all-FSL New Membership Education Program and the Leadership Program. They also received the following accolades in 2017: • Highest Chapter Grade Point Average • Excellence in Scholarship Programming • Excellence in Community Service • Excellence in Membership Development • Excellence in Risk Management Epsilon chapter boasts an 89% retention rate as well as a 3.33 chapter GPA. They’ve also reported 7,004 hours community service and $4,118 in philanthropic donations.

Out on the west coast, President Jared Chafetz and Treasurer Krishan Bhakta of Beta Psi Chapter at Cal State Long Beach have formed a partnership focused on cultivating a sense of service among their peers.

Together, they have grown membership, hosted resume writing and interviewing workshops, and increased annual revenue to just shy of $100,000. Chafetz and Bhakta’s dedication to Phi Tau and their focus on diversity and acceptance has brought new life back to Beta Psi chapter.

The final member of our CAL STATE LONG BEACH superlative Resident Council is Upsilon at Nebraska Wesleyan. They received the Ross E. Roeder Outstanding Board of Governors Award and the other chapter performance awards at Conclave in Oxford, Ohio, last summer. They also sent 10 officers to Heartland Regional Conferences, sent brother Evan Marshall to the President’s Academy, and had over 130 members in attendance at their Founders Day Dinner.

They raised more than $8,000 for three national charities – The American Cancer Society, Children’s Miracle Network, and SeriousFun – and initiated fourteen new members fall of 2017. With so many accolades, it’s no surprise Upsilon reached the highest level of the Borradaile Challenge.

Graduate Council If the enthusiasm and strength of these undergraduates can be retained and carried over to their alumni years, we begin to see truly great things happening.

At Michigan Tech, Marty Schendel, Michigan Tech ’81, is running a superb Graduate Council. The Gamma Alpha Graduate Council was officially founded in MICHIGAN TECH 1987, when a group of more-active alumni met in Detroit to draft a charter, bylaws, and create of board of trustees. This Graduate Council has taken several innovate steps to support

alumni as well as undergraduates. Spring of every year, Marty makes an effort to take the graduating seniors out to lunch and gives them an orientation packet, welcoming them to the Graduate Council. He goes through it page-by-page to help the seniors prepare for life as an alumnus. They even have a small-sum giving structure set up, where alumni can have $12.09 withdrawn from their bank account at the first of every month (1209 is the address of the Alpha Gamma house). They also maintain career opportunities through an email list, where alumni can post open positions and undergraduates can reach out about possible job inquiries. The email list has also been used for Co-Ops or housing and has proved to be a massive success. This is, in part, because it services both students and alumni. “We wanted to provide support to the active members of the house, but also to alumni, whether they’ve recently graduated or if they graduated decades ago,” said Marty about the accomplishments of their Graduate Council in general. “We would encourage any chapter to develop an alumni foundation that supports that feeling of bonding or ties being never ending. We should always be there to support each other.”

Bethany has also been blessed with a dedicated and supportive Graduate Council for decades. Their Graduate Council was built brick-by-brick when Don Dallas, Bethany ’29, and Dick Mees, Bethany ’48, launched the Harvard Red and Old Gold Club, an educational endowment designed to help Phi Tau brothers. This endowment would become a model for other chapters, as well as the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation. Inspired by training events held at early Leadership Academies in Oxford, these Phi alumni were inspired to develop a chapter directory and mailing list, host annual homecoming events, establish Bethany’s first Board of Governors, create annual fundraising drives for chapter and college support, and provide an example of leadership to BETHANY other alumni THE LAUREL || PHIKAPPATAU.ORG [17]

FEATURE

RUTGERS

groups on campus. Their success has been handed down to a new generation of Phi brothers. Like Michigan Tech, the Phi chapter also coordinates major five-year reunion events that bring scores of brothers to the tiny Bethany campus. This began with their 70th reunion in 1993 and will continue this October 26-28th, when Phi chapter celebrates the 95th anniversary of the Bethany charter in 1923. After that, they will begin planning for the 100th anniversary gala in 2023.

Board of Governors Consistency is the bedrock of a fruitful chapter. At Rutgers, the Board of Governors chairman has held his position for the last five years and was chapter advisor beforehand. Sasha Kanevsky, Rutgers ’05, the current chapter advisor, says Epsilon Kappa has a policy of being very transparent and push open communication to facilitate trust with the students. They have several generalized policies in place to keep their operations running smoothly from the administrative end. For the Epsilon Kappa Board of Governors, keeping its board members happy is imperative. In Sasha’s own words, “It’s important they want to be there and want to be active. A placeholder is the worst thing.” They also have a policy that ensures you can’t resign until you find a replacement for your position. All of this ensures that there are no roadblocks on the alumni end so that the Board of Governors can continue to better the chapter for students.

On the undergraduate side, Sasha sees keeping the students goal-oriented as a key to success. Their immediate goal is to be in the Founder’s Four, with the eventual goal of becoming the recipients of the Maxwell Award. Addi-

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tionally, after their 25th chapter anniversary this coming September, Sasha and the Board of Governors will launch a capital campaign to buy a house on campus.

But not all Phi Tau brothers experienced the benefit of a strong Board of Governors. During his time as a student, Brian Smith, Cal Poly-Pomona ’91, had no Graduate Council or Housing Corp. But as he attended Leadership Academy and networked at Convention, Brian began to realize how fundamental alumni involvement was for a strong chapter. Since his transition from undergraduate to alumni, Brian has spent twenty-plus years on the Delta Tau Board of Governors and helped cultivate a very CAL POLY-POMONA strong relationship between students and alumni at Cal Poly-Pomona.

Today, three undergraduates sit on the Board of Governors – the chapter President, Treasurer, and House Manager. By letting them speak at meetings, conduct their own orders of business, and hold “State of the Fraternity” meetings, Brian says the Board of Governors “help create a good partnership with ourselves and the undergraduates.” He also encourages casual lines of communication, like weekly text updates to make sure everything is going well at the house.

Brian’s biggest recommendation for those looking to build a strong Board of Governors is to reach out to one or two other alumni who share a similar vision as you and are motivated to accomplish the same goals. After that, he says it’s important to remember that with undergraduates your authority grows organically.

Build a rapport with the stuMISSISSIPPI STATE

dents over time who will, hopefully, return to the Fraternity as alumni volunteers someday. Currently 2-3 members of the current Board of Governors are former chapter presidents. Cal Poly-Pomona, who shows up in druthers to convention, will be at Cleveland this July with approximately twenty members in attendance.

Housing Corps While not all chapters can boast a campus house, it’s undeniable that a strong Housing Corp helps strengthen the comradery of a chapter. Barry Toney, Mississippi State ’85, began working closely with the Housing Corp in 2014. Alpha Chi knew that, to be a competitive fraternity on a campus as big as Mississippi State, they needed a physical location. So, in collaboration with Pennington & Company, a professional fundraising group that works closely with Greek Resource Services, the Mississippi State Housing Corp began a 13-month direct mail campaign to raise money for a fraternity house. This has been an immense success; as of May 2018, they have raised over $880,000 of their $1.3 million goal. Additionally, the 15,000 square foot, 24-person house has already been approved to begin construction by the school board, as soon as fundraising is complete. The Housing Corp’s current goal is to break ground in February 2019 and to begin moving brothers in August of 2020.

Barry credits the degree of their success to several factors. First, the relationship with Pennington was a huge aid. Barry knew it would be a better use of time and resources to hire a group that fundraised professionally.

Second, Barry helped build up a database of alumni members, as it hadn’t been updated since 1996. Since commencing that pet project, Barry has updated contact information on all but a handful of the 564 Mississippi State alumni. In his own words, this began to “stir up feelings of fraternity and nostalgia,” which helped bring volunteers and funding to the building project.

Mark Kirkendall, Ohio University ’89, is also intimately familiar with the financial aspect of running a Housing Corp. According to Mark, one of the major keys to success

at Ohio University is making sure members are committed to paying bills, which provides the support and service necessary, as OHIO well as event planning, for house residents to feel as if they are getting their monies worth. A few years ago, the Beta house underwent reconstruction, which involved twenty people working on funding efforts. “Fraternities need to be working ahead,” Mark said of this, “The best time to get financing is when you don’t need it.” He encourages chapters to set up a line of credit with local banks or credit unions as a safety net in case the fraternity house has any sort of financial emergency. The refurbishment at Ohio University has been a huge accomplishment and, after a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 11th, Mark will hand the keys over to the students to begin moving in for the Fall 2018 semester.

Mark’s forward thinking vision applies to more than just funding. The Housing Corp recently decided that the Beta house would remain dry. They’ve converted the basement, previously a hub of social activity, into a library where residents can have student groups and conduct board meetings. As members grow, they begin to look for more professional opportunities within the fraternity, rather than social ones. This provides and encourages house members with more opportunities to develop their professional relationships.

Of course, all of these things – the Housing Corp, Resident Council, Graduate Council, and Board of Governors – cannot exist in a vacuum. They are pillars and, in most cases, chapters that are doing well at one are also doing well with the others. By spotlighting some of these chapters, we hope to feature creative ideas that may inspire other chapters looking for innovative ways to pursue excellence. It is our hope that, in times of strife among the Greek community, Phi Kappa Tau brothers will continue to seek greatness and highlight all of our good work. u THE LAUREL || PHIKAPPATAU.ORG [19]

CHAPTER DASHBOARD

2017-18 PHI KAPPA TAU

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MAXWELL CHAPTERS Chapter Name: Gamma Total Members: 56 New Member Initiation 2017: 23 Average Chapter GPA: 3.21 Total Hours Community Service: 1,865 Hours Per Man: 33.29 Total Donations: $20,501.19 Donations Per Man: $366.09

Chapter Name: Alpha Sigma Total Members: 76 New Member Initiation 2017: 24 Average Chapter GPA: 2.99 Total Hours Community Service: 1,904 Hours Per Man: 25 Total Donations: $4,330 Donations Per Man: $56.97

Chapter Name: Epsilon Total Members: 60 New Member Initiation 2017: 12 Average Chapter GPA: 3.32 Total Hours Community Service: 3,101 Hours Per Man: 51.68 Total Donations: $11,537 Donations Per Man: $192.28

Chapter Name: Alpha Omega Total Members: 35 New Member Initiation 2017: 13 Average Chapter GPA: 3.11 Total Hours Community Service: 612 Hours Per Man: 19.49 Total Donations: $10,636 Donations Per Man: $303.89

Chapter Name: Upsilon Total Members: 49 New Member Initiation 2017: 20 Average Chapter GPA: 3.26 Total Hours Community Service: 814 Hours Per Man: 16.61 Total Donations: $12,875 Donations Per Man: $262.76

Chapter Name: Beta Psi Total Members: 86 New Member Initiation 2017: 22 Average Chapter GPA: 2.82 Total Hours Community Service: 1,562 Hours Per Man: 18.16 Total Donations: $5,092 Donations Per Man: $59.22

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CHAPTER DASHBOARD

ORDER OF THE STAR CHAPTERS Chapter Name: Phi Total Members: 27 New Member Initiation 2017: 7 Average Chapter GPA: 3.16 Total Hours Community Service: 1026 Hours Per Man: 38 Total Donations: $1,918 Donations Per Man: $71.04

Chapter Name: Beta Omicron Total Members: 80 New Member Initiation 2017: 24 Average Chapter GPA: 3.16 Total Hours Community Service: 219 Hours Per Man: 2.74 Total Donations: $3,600 Donations Per Man: $45

Chapter Name: Beta Beta Total Members: 120 New Member Initiation 2017: 25 Average Chapter GPA: 2.9 Total Hours Community Service: 6,485 Hours Per Man: 54.04 Total Donations: $24,931 Donations Per Man: $207.76

Chapter Name: Beta Omega Total Members: 66 New Member Initiation 2017: 26 Average Chapter GPA: 2.73 Total Donations: $4,000 Donations Per Man: 60.61

Chapter Name: Beta Mu Total Members: 51 New Member Initiation 2017: 7 Average Chapter GPA: 2.78 Total Hours Community Service: 997 Hours Per Man: 19.55 Total Donations: $5,407 Donations Per Man: $106.02

Chapter Name: Epsilon Kappa Total Members: 51 New Member Initiation 2017: 23 Average Chapter GPA: 3.02 Total Donations: $3,024 Donations Per Man: $59.29

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Chapter Name: Zeta Zeta Total Members: 30 New Member Initiation 2017: 14 Average Chapter GPA: 3.27 Total Hours Community Service: 914 Hours Per Man: 30.48 Total Donations: $4,030 Donations Per Man: $134.33

Chapter Name: Zeta Lambda Total Members: 40 New Member Initiation 2017: 23 Average Chapter GPA: 2.97 Total Donations: $24,210 Donations Per Man: $605.25

The following chapters receive Honorable Mention for meeting basic qualifying marks: Zeta – University of Illinois Theta – Transylvania University Kappa – University of Kentucky Lambda - Purdue University Xi – Franklin & Marshall Psi – University of Colorado Boulder Alpha Alpha – Michigan State University Alpha Pi – University of Washington Alpha Tau – Cornell University Alpha Chi – Mississippi State University Beta Kappa – Oklahoma State University Beta Chi – Southern Illinois University Gamma Alpha – Michigan Technological University Gamma Beta – University of Cincinnati Delta Beta – University of Evansville Delta Gamma – University of Mississippi Delta Tau – California State Polytechnic University Pomona Epsilon Epsilon – The William Paterson University Epsilon Theta – San Francisco State University Epsilon Sigma- Chapman University Zeta Alpha – Belmont University Zeta Epsilon – Lynchburg College Zeta Mu – Appalachian State University

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LAURELS

LAURELS [1982] David Ishee, Southern Mississippi, Judge Ishee was appointed to the Mississippi Supreme Court by Governor Phil Bryant.

He was previously a judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals for thirteen years.

[1983] Todd Napier, Evansville, Former National President Todd Napier became the Vice President of Marketing for Frisch’s Restaurants in October 2017.

~ JAMES ABBES, COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY '92, Detective Sgt. James Abbes has received the 2017 New Jersey Trooper of the Year Award for successfully deactivating two explosive devices in 2016 after a pipe bomb had exploded that morning at the Marine Corps race.

[1993] Chris Garber, Ohio University, Chris has recently authored his first book, The Big 50: Cincinnati Reds, which counts down the greatest moments of baseball’s oldest franchise. The Big 50 quickly reached the #1 spot on Amazon’s list of baseball books and is available for purchase through the online retailor and in bookstores around Cincinnati.

[1993] Matt Parker, Evansville, Matt was named President and

[24] THE LAUREL || JULY 2018

CEO of Experience Finance Group, a financial services firm focused on residential and commercial lending.

[1993] Craig Williams, Bethany, Previous Shideler winner Craig Williams, PhD., has been appointed to the Bethany College Board of Trustees. He also serves at the Vice President of Health Care Innovation and Management Solutions at Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC., and is a Special Advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins University for Regional Economic Development Strategy.

[1994] Mike Dovilla, Baldwin Wallace, President Dovilla began his new position as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in Washington D.C. February of this year. He ends term as National President this coming July.

[1994] Wilden D. Harbour III, West Virginia Tech, Wilden Harbour has been named to the Board of Directors at the Charlotte chapter of Wells Fargo. The Charlotte chapter is the largest division within the Wells Fargo Veteran team, boasting over 1,000 members.

Harbour himself served as a solider in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay.

appointed Personnel Strategist for the Indianapolis Colts.

[1996] Brian Decker, Eastern Kentucky, Brian was recently

[1996] Mike Grinnell, Auburn, Matt Kemph ’00, Justin Morris

’00, and Jeff Wilkerson ’01 These Auburn Phi Tau alumni placed third out of twenty teams at the Ragnar Trail Carolinas Ultra race, a 128-mile relay through the Anne Springs Close Greenway in South Carolina. In 2016 the team was second at Ragnar Trail Snowmass Ultra, a 120-mile race through the Rocky Mountains.

PATTON OSWALT, WILLIAM & MARY ’89, Patton Oswalt began his new role as Principal Durbin on NBC’s A.P. Bio on February 1st, 2018.

He stars alongside Glenn Howerton.

A.P. Bio has been renewed for its second season. ~

[1994] Brent Seelmeyer, University of Tennessee, Brent became Director of Organizational Development – Metro Services for the Boys and Girls Club of America this past January. Brent served as Director of Alumni Relations for two years at Phi Tau.

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LAURELS

ence and Retreat Facilitator for Phi Tau, as well as a Domain Director.

[2009] Brandon Wojtasik, Baldwin Wallace, Brandon graduated Case Western Reserve University School of Law in the top 10% of his class this May.

~ ANTHONY SPANO, YOUNGSTOWN '99, (standing between Jim Tressel, left, and President Dovilla, right) Anthony has recently created The Spano Foundation, a charity that seeks to provide assistance to individuals or families through qualifying institutions and financial aid with resources for a more sustainable life.

[2002] Mike CasaSanta, University of Tennessee, Mike and his fiancée Caroline tied the knot on January 31st, 2018.

[2003] Jason Holsopple, Florida State, Jason became a Board Member for Project 222 Human Rights Campaign in January of 2018.

[2006] Tyler Wash, Georgetown, Tyler recently accepted a position as Executive Vice President of the Leadership Foundation for Delta Sigma Pi. He was previously Executive Director at Phi Kappa Tau Executive Offices.

[2008] Andy Fruth, Southern Illinois, Andy and his wife Fay welcomed their twins, Paxton and Presley, into the world on January 15th, 2018.

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[2009] Ben Donlon, University of Louisville, Past Shideler winner Ben Donlon was promoted to Chief Analytics Officer for Metro United Way in May of this year.

He is responsible for executive oversight of the organization’s data analytics strategy. Ben is a current Domain Director.

[2009] Jason Sweet, Saginaw Valley State, Jason has been selected as one of 130 young people across the country for the Young American Leaders Program (YALP) through Harvard Business School. He begins this collaborative innovation program this June in Detroit.

[2009] Chad Warrick, University of Akron, Chad accepted a position as Penn State University’s Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life January 2018. He was previously a Regional Confer-

[2014] Taylor Johnson, Auburn, December 17 graduate Taylor Johnson has received a Presidential Appointment for the White House intern program. Taylor is the former Alpha Lambda Chapter President.

CHAPTER ETERNAL

CHAPTER ETERNAL The followed members were reported deceased to the Executive offices between December 1, 2017 and May 22, 2018.

MIAMI Bill Mallory, ‘54 John Oliver, ‘47 OHIO Jack Bair, ‘55 Lawrence Cochrane, ‘61 James Farmakis, ‘56 Oliver Hinchcliff, ‘40 James Mears, ‘55 Robert Moffat, ‘61 Bruce Morehead, ‘44 Dudley Price ‘47 Walter Wahlrab, ‘51 OHIO STATE William Andreas, ‘61 Jon Carlson, ‘72 Richard Fox, ‘55 Bradley Heinzen, ‘67 Robert Karnosh, ‘50 Andrew Kent, ‘52 Charles Nau, ‘43 MOUNT UNION Mark Forker, ‘88 ILLINOIS Finlay Stewart, ‘40 MUHLENBERG Joseph Casale, ‘59 Lewis Cotanis, ‘40 Homer Haaf, ‘45 Robert Hartje, ‘58 Gary Hiller, ‘61 Jon La Faver, ‘54 Theodore Lithgow, ‘51 Mark Reed, ‘43 Virgil Scott, ‘53 Arnold Steffens, ‘58 Kenneth Stewart, ‘57 William Wightman, ‘61

TRANSYLVANIA John Mayoue, ‘73 COE James Beckman, ‘61 KENTUCKY William Brantley, ‘57 Matthew Downer, ‘47 Jay Frickman, ‘80 John Hughes, ‘81 Edward Massie, ‘49 Stanley Saunier, ‘46 Louis Wetherill, ‘46 PURDUE John Deal, ‘38 James Hempleman, ‘64 Richard Scully, ‘55 Jay Simpson, ‘62 Richard Spaid, ‘50 LAWRENCE Dan Fredrickson, ‘65 Otto Haueisen, ‘33 David Mewaldt, ‘32 UC BERKELEY Rickard Birkholm, ‘37 Gerald Flieder, ‘49 John Trouton, ‘63 FRANKLIN & MARSHALL Frank Wint, ‘51 PENN STATE Harry Dorian, ‘49 Peter Kalandiak, ‘48 Samuel McKibben, ‘55

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Parker Hart, ‘53 Bob Plumleigh, ‘47 RENSSELAER Frank Clark, ‘39 Wesley Horbatuck, ‘49 Augie Jorgensen, ‘52 Thomas Kirchner, ‘52 Jay Miller, ‘36 Peter Pranis, ‘61 Joseph Sneden, ‘49 SYRACUSE Richard Iano, ‘51 Benjamin Ruf, ‘47 MICHIGAN John Stephenson, ‘55 Robert White, ‘48 NEBRASKA WESLEYAN Dennis Bozarth, ‘76 Craig Knotwell, ‘60 Richard Odgers, ‘52 Robert Thurber, ‘57 Vernon Ward, ‘46 BETHANY Fred Angelis, ‘47 Perry Bowden, ‘48 Kenneth Burse, ‘68 Matthew Coppola, ‘48 William Crouthamel, ‘57 Robert Decker, ‘49 Don Dodge, ‘57 John Filler, ‘74 Rocco Gemma, ‘85 Clyde George, ‘54 Dan Heatherington, ‘46 Dick Hockensmith, ‘39 Peter Ilvento, ‘45 John Kercsmar, ‘49

Bernard Kershner, ‘60 Randy Kirkwood, ‘65 John Landrum, ‘67 Henry Lazasz, ‘52 Richard Page, ‘69 Frederick Pitts, ‘81 Gary Reynolds, ‘66 Ron Schmidt, ‘59 Allan Schonberg, ‘63 Glenn Schreiber, ‘50 Bill Wetzel, ‘60 Melville Wohrley, ‘45 Alan Woodruff, ‘74 William Young, ‘42

OREGON STATE Paul Jarvis, ‘60 David Lantz, ‘55

NORTH CAROLINA STATE Mark Rodriguez, ‘83

AUBURN James Cassidy, ‘47 Millard Fox, ‘58 David Jager, ‘60 Max Powell, ‘48 Mark West, ‘12

FLORIDA Bert Pittman, ‘63 Teddy Poulos, ‘42 WILLIAM & MARY John Blanton, ‘79 WASHINGTON STATE Samuel Dixon, ‘59 Vernon Verhei, ‘46

COLORADO Orville Anderson, ‘51 Clyde Kennedy, ‘40 Brian Oliver, ‘84 Frank Prager, ‘45 Wilbur Rusho, ‘49

WASHINGTON William Blakley, ‘62 Walter Church, ‘42 GEORGIA TECH Robert Duggan, ‘49 Eugene Golston, ‘65 Hans Petermann, ‘48 James Tipton, ‘55

MICHIGAN STATE Arthur Jennens, ‘38 Carlton Walters, ‘38 NEW YORK Joseph Seccafico, ‘38

COLGATE Edward Brower, ‘57 Marenes Tripp, ‘50

DELAWARE Lee Perry, ‘48 Nicholas Vouras, ‘58 CASE WESTERN RESERVE Alan Price, ‘51 Hadley Richards, ‘40

AKRON Bryan Rogers, ‘46 David Weil, ‘60

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CHAPTER ETERNAL

MISSISSIPPI STATE Joseph Buckley, ‘46 Rodney Henry, ‘64 Charles Kellett, ‘50 Dave Owen, ‘59 Vic Putnam, ‘64 Ralph Slocum, ‘46 Bernard Westbrook, ‘48

KANSAS Marco Randazzo, ‘50 Clifton Smith, ‘48 FLORIDA STATE Charles Dykes, ‘91

TEXAS-EL PASO Hector Bencomo, ‘70 Joel Brown, ‘63 Tom Hope, ‘41

OKLAHOMA STATE Chlee Burleson, ‘75 Russell Caldwell, ‘55 Dale Cates, ‘53 Eldon Durscher, ‘51 Stan Parker, ‘70

BALDWIN WALLACE Michael Liscovitz, ‘47

KENT STATE William Loeb, ‘50

TEXAS Bill Biddison, ‘43

SAN DIEGO STATE Wallace Featheringill, ‘50

LOUISVILLE Tim Eason, ‘07 Kenneth Hafendorfer, ‘57 Dennis Kurtz, ‘55 Ronald Myrick, ‘63

GEORGIA David Beall, ‘82 Bobby Bookout, ‘68 Russell Findley, ‘49

IDAHO Gary McNeill, ‘57 Donald Witcher, ‘48 U OF MIAMI Joe Mock, ‘49 NEW MEXICO STATE Robert Culpepper, ‘48 Stephen Roberts, ‘70

CAL STATELONG BEACH Gerald Arriola, ‘63 James Dutch, ‘56 CAL STATE CHICO Ricardo Costello, ‘58 MICHIGAN TECH Carl Eklund, ‘61 Bob Gardner, ‘60 Ernie Griff, ‘58 CINCINNATI David Poppe, ‘58 ST. JOHN’S Edward McCann, ‘91 EAST CAROLINA Guy Harvey, ‘87

MARYLAND Charles Larkin, ‘69

WESTERN MICHIGAN Richard Snyder, ‘66

UCLA Robert Eichel, ‘48

SACRAMENTO STATE Phil Moncrief, ‘64

BOWLING GREEN Marvin Bartels, ‘51 Tom Edie, ‘56 Harold Ong, ‘74

CENTRAL MICHIGAN Walter Young, ‘74

WESTMINSTER Charles Nier, ‘60 Albert Schartner, ‘51

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SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Walter Willis, ‘71

BRADLEY Chester Chylinski, ‘63 Tom Doty, ‘63 Bruce Finch, ‘69 James Kolberg, ‘64 Randolph Wright, ‘63

NEBRASKA-KEARNEY Todd Elsbernd, ‘81 Tim Stanton, ‘72 EVANSVILLE Joe Pacheco, ‘96 OLE MISS Hugh Anderson, ‘89 RUTGERS Pinkesh Bharatia, ‘97

WHY I GIVE

M

ike Rosser was initiated into Colorado State’s Alpha Sigma chapter in 1961. He’s since found success in the real estate industry and then as an author, recently publishing his book on the history of the mortgage industry, A History of Mortgage Banking in the West. Mike and his wife, Keren – who will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2019 – are very generous across the board with their time and donations, but Phi Tau continues to be a priority on a long list of philanthropic efforts. When asked why, among a variety of charitable causes, Phi Tau remains important, Mike says it’s because he credits so much of his success to the Fraternity. The relationships he formed in his early twenties were particularly influential to his later accomplishments, most notably with his chapter advisor, Dr. Elmer “Doc” Hunter, Colorado State ’40, who introduced him to Ray Bushey, Colorado ’24, and encouraged him to pursue his future employer, Fred Kirk, Colorado ’46. “My dad died when I was six-

teen,” Mike says, “So fortunately these guys stepped in as mentors.”

Doc Hunter and Fred Kirk played such an important role in Mike’s success that now, nearly sixty years after his own initiation, he wants to give the new generation of Phi Tau brothers the same positive experience he had. But in 2018, Mike sees the need for it more than ever. “These young people are looking for something.

There’s something missing in their lives. Maybe they’re not getting it at home, certainly they’re not getting it at school, or even at church for that matter. They’re looking for leadership and mentorship.” To Mike, providing these students with influential mentors and professional role models is the key to future prosperity. “I guess my motivation is hopefully to do that for somebody else, because it lead to everything that’s been successful in my life,” he reflects. Thank you, Mike, for all your continued work for Phi Kappa Tau.

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SIDELIGHTS

SIDELIGHTS Phi Kappa Tau 2020: Focusing Our Vision is Phi Kappa Tau’s strategic plan.

Created by the National Council and Executive Offices staff, the plan was ratified in 2016 by the 62nd National Convention in Sacramento, Calif. The plan focuses the organization on five strategic imperatives.

GOVERNANCE RECRUITMENT/RETENTION EDUCATION LEADERSHIP SERVICE Giving back to Phi Kappa Tau is one of the finest traditions of our Fraternity. With strong strategic plans in place for both the Fraternity and Foundation, it is an exciting time to be a Phi Tau. Support the mission, vision and strategic direction of our Fraternity by donating today. You will be glad you did!

phikappatau.org/2020

[30] THE LAUREL || JULY 2018

LEADERSHIP MESSAGE

NEW FIXTURES IN A CLASSIC STRUCTURE On a a piece of property in central Illinois sits a barn. It was built in 1936, during the Great Depression, with the intended use of being the centerpiece to a new dairy farm.

The men who constructed it — my great-grandfather and his two sons, pictured — originally used it for storing supplies and it served as a hub for all other building projects on the farm. Later, after they lived in the barn over a summer and dug the basement of the house (completed in 1938), the barn was filled with animals. Stalls contained horses, feed, tools, a loft above for hay, and a small office. Decades passed. New generations went to work. By the 1970s, the small local dairy business had run its course. The idea of a milkman walking up to your stoop is foreign to most of us. The barn, however, was refitted for a new purpose: housing my father’s veterinary clinic. Sturdily built and tested, the classic barn remains at the heart of our family farm, and, with a little renovation, now houses a thriving business.

While the intended use has changed and evolved over the years, the importance of the building remains. In much the same way, our Fraternity experience has evolved.

We could compare our mission - lifelong commitment to brotherhood, learning, ethical leadership and exemplary character - to the timeless and sturdy structure of the barn.

Those principles define our identity and remain with us, important as always. What is changing, however, is the way we look at recruiting members, how we provide a meaningful orientation, the role of alcohol within the organization, the importance

of housing, the increasingly turbulent marketing for obtaining liability insurance, our relationships with host institutions, and the way we communicate with and engage our alumni - among other things. Fortunately, Phi Kappa Tau has a well-constructed framework that remains steady amidst the world of change but is flexible enough to adapt to new needs and requirements.

My great-grandfather never envisioned the barn he built to have indoor plumbing, an X-ray machine, or a surgical suite. But I know he expected it to be standing more than 80 years later, important as ever to our family. Like that barn, Phi Kappa Tau has evolved to meet the needs of our members and the society in which we live. We must ask ourselves, what must we do to secure the importance of the Fraternal experience captured in our sturdy framework—our mission, creed and rituals—while embracing the new approaches necessary to recruit young men?

I've seen other barns like my great-grandfather's, but decrepit from age and neglect, abandoned and collapsing under the weight of their own irrelevance. Others, like ours, have adapted to modern ways and new uses, and are well-maintained and thriving. Phi Kappa Tau and the entire Greek system are at a crossroads.

Which kind of barn will we be?

WM. TIM HUDSON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Presidents Academy and Volunteer Development Institute TBD [January 4-6, 2019] Regional Conferences Pacific Northwest University of Washington [Jan. 26, 2019] Capital Old Dominion University [Feb. 2, 2019] Red River Oklahoma State University [Feb. 2, 2019] Leaders Flying Horse Farms [Feb. 9, 2019] West Coast Chapman [Feb 9, 2019] Southeast Georgia Tech [Feb. 16, 2019] Bluegrass University of Kentucky [Feb. 16, 2019] New England Rutgers [Feb. 23, 2019] Heartland Southern Illinois [Feb. 23, 2019] Conclave Oxford, Ohio [July 12-14, 2019]

If your chapter is hosting an anniversary celebration, alumni event or other major event, submit the event to communications@phikappatau.org for publication in the Laurel or website.

DIRECTORY NATIONAL PRESIDENT Michael Dovilla Baldwin Wallace ’94 mdovilla@phikappatau.org NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Bill Brasch Louisville ’67 bbrasch@phikappatau.org FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN Dick Michael Michigan Tech ’70 dmichael@phikappatau.org FOUNDATION VICE CHAIRMAN Wes Fugate Centre ’99 wfugate@phikappatau.org CEO Tim Hudson Truman State ’97 thudson@phikappatau.org COO Travis Robinson Eastern Kentucky ’98 trobinson@phikappatau.org EDITOR Lilly Steger lsteger@phikappatau.org

Contact information for the Executive Offices Staff, Fraternity National Council, Foundation Board of Trustees, National Advisors, Domain Directors and Educational Deans can be found online at phikappatau.org/connect.

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PHI KAPPA TAU FOUNDATION Ewing T. Boles Executive Offices 5221 Morning Sun Road Oxford, OH 45056 Change Service Requested

A cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction of a foundation.

A cornerstone endowment is designed to produce a perpetual source of revenue that ensures students’ opportunities to participate in Phi Kappa Tau’s Men of Character Programs, including Leadership Academy, President’s Academy, Regional Conferences, Building Men of Character Retreat, and other programs.

Men of Character Programs enhance the Phi Kappa Tau experience by creating unique opportunities for members to develop leadership skills, better understand the principals of the Fraternity, and reflect on how they can strengthen their chapters.

These programs build a greater and deeper understanding of the values of Phi Kappa Tau.They are intended to help the organization build and sustain outstanding chapters and to help members grow as leaders.

START BUILDING MEN OF CHARACTER INTO MEN OF DISTINCTION: PHIKAPPTAU.ORG/GIVE

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID OXFORD, OH PERMIT # 13