[omeganu]

The Alpha Pi chapter of Theta Chi (U of MN) was closed in 2000....that much is true.

The decision was by no means an easy one. The alumni corporation evaded property tax payments in the 1980s, passed on a legacy of debt to their successors and during a rebirth phase in the mid 1990s a huge division among "old versus new" was created.

No matter what the undergraduates did....nothing could stop the Titanic from sinking. Alumni support is integral in any chapter...and the alumni of Theta Chi in 1999 in Minneapolis were hell bent on putting to rest a painful and financially stressful chapter of their lives. The active members tried everything from voluntarily going dry, inviting regional counselors to assist in their development and partnering with other smaller Fraternities on campus to recruit.

The chapter house was in disarray after the members of the 1980s trashed the place. Consequently, many of these members now sat on the alumni board that owned the property.

In 1999 the city of Minneapolis FINALLY condemned the building...citing asbestos as one of the primary reasons.

Without having a source of revenue from the active members anymore...the alumni group became frantic to the liability of a condemned house, 10 years of back tax payments and no way to pay for any of it. Alumni members attacked actives and active members attacked alumni.

The active chapter made a decision to find housing without the aid of the alumni group. A 25 bedroom Fraternity house was available from another national organization. The active members signed a 5 year lease. This was to be the rebirth of the Theta Chi chapter in Minneapolis.

Due to a false accusation of drugs found in the condemned chapter house after it was vacated....the Minneapolis chapter of Theta Chi was promptly closed.

The remaining members made a decision to establish a new Fraternity. On February 4th, 2000, Omega Nu Alpha was founded. "Rising from the ashes of a noble tradition", Omega Nu Alpha took occupancy in their new home several blocks away from the condemned Theta Chi chapter house.

The Theta Chi Alumni declared bankruptcy, sold the property to a church and after a period of time attempted to recolonize the active chapter twice. Both times were unsuccessful.

All the while the legacy of the brothers that were dealt an unfair hand during their Fraternity experience in college had grown into an expanding national Fraternity.

I write this because it is eight years later and I still wonder what my Fraternity experience would have evolved into if my chapter was never shut down.....if the new chapter house that I negotiated a 5 year lease for (and a 3 year extension beyond that) became Theta Chi's new house instead of the Alpha chapter of a brand new Fraternity.....I wonder if the 100+ people that have been initiated into Omega Nu Alpha would have all been Theta Chi brothers instead.....does Theta Chi even know that I've carried on their Minneapolis chapter's legacy through another name for all these years?

Sometimes I feel like a prodigal son that is waiting for the opportunity to go back to the arms of his parents....and bring along me new family with me to join them....

Other times I feel like Theta Chi is in my past and if given the choice to be member number 1,027 of the Alpha Pi chapter of Theta Chi pales in comparison to being member number ONE of a new Fraternity altogether.

I know this is a long message....and this is an old thread.....but I'd appreciate any comments you may have.