Minnesota: Theta Chi works to re-emerge on campus

[TxAPhi]

ETA: http://www.begreek.org/index.cfm


Theta Chi fraternity works to re-emerge on campus
March 28, 2005

The fraternity’s biggest tagline is that it is not going to have a “frat-boy image.”

By Liala Helal


Attempting a comeback on campus after leaving five years ago, Theta Chi fraternity is recruiting members to reorganize at the University.

Mike Mayer and Nate Hibben, leadership and education consultants for the fraternity’s international headquarters, are now recruiting members for the chapter’s return.

Mayer said the fraternity is looking for male students with grade point averages at or above the all-men’s average who are leaders on campus and seek to build campus leadership and community.

He said this is because the fraternity’s biggest tagline is that it is not going to have a “frat-boy image.” The “party image” is not true of all fraternities, he said, but the media often portray it that way.

Mayer said that Theta Chi left campus in 2000 when membership was dwindling, and the Interfraternity Council board of directors, the University and the fraternity members made the decision.

It was advantageous for Theta Chi to return because of alumni support and the national president for the fraternity being an alumnus from Minnesota, Mayer said. He also said there will be several alumni on an advisory board to help the group. Mayer said he would like to also consider adding faculty members and other community members to the fraternity.

The fraternity currently has no housing plans in place.

[ndsuOX]

i hear this weekend they are having a informational meeting at U of M this weekend and offically making it an intrest group...i hear this spring will be the installation

[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.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by 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.

wow,

thanks for sharing that...

[OXMN]

The posting from Omega nu is a nice bit of fiction. At the time Omeganu and 8 other deadbeats comprised the chapter at Minnesota, the Alumni Corporation was operating debt free, and was current on all financial obligations. Further, there was never a division between "old versus new" alumni. In fact alumni brothers with graduation years from 1952 to 1995 worked together to get these losers off their backsides.

It's also interesting to note that all of the things the undergraduates "tried" were actually initiatives put together by the alumni to attempt to get these guys to put down their video games, get out of their bedrooms, and try to recruit at least ONE new member.

After their absolute lack of motivation and social skill caused the udergraduate group to self destruct, the alumni went to the governing board of the fraternity asking them to officially remove the charter, even though the undergraduates had effectively done this due to their ineptitude at functioning as socially normal human beings.

Also, the city of Minneapolis NEVER condemned the building, but did provide a list of citations required to bring the building up to current commercial residency codes. As a note to the entire inaccuracy of Omeganu's myth, there were several pipes that needed to have asbestos insulation recovered, but asbestos issues were a very, very, minor part of the citation.

After the Grand Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity voted to revoke the Charter of the chapter at Minnesota at the request of the Alumni (there was never any accusation of drugs involved in any part of this decision, and I never heard any mention of this until reading this ludicrous account), the undergraduates, moved into a different property, started their own fraternity in direct violation of their oaths to Theta Chi (this further demonstrates their lack of understanding what it means to be part of a brotherhood), and operated as Omega Nu Alpha.

Finally, The Theta Chi Alumni never declared bankruptcy, and continues to exist as a legal business in the State of Minnesota. Unfortunately for Omeganu, all of the information regarding this issue is a matter of public record, so it is easy to prove my account is accurate and Omegnu is full of sh*t.

The only unfair hand these guys were dealt was that they had a group of alumni that wasted their time believing this group could do anything but lay around, pissing and moaning.

We are well aware of the comical legacy of Omega Nu Alpha, and know the facts surrounding it's marginal existence.

[omeganu]

Nice sentiment...thanks for the clarity. We're still going strong 10 years later. How's Alphi Pi doing?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by OXMN

The posting from Omega nu is a nice bit of fiction. At the time Omeganu and 8 other deadbeats comprised the chapter at Minnesota, the Alumni Corporation was operating debt free, and was current on all financial obligations. Further, there was never a division between "old versus new" alumni. In fact alumni brothers with graduation years from 1952 to 1995 worked together to get these losers off their backsides.

It's also interesting to note that all of the things the undergraduates "tried" were actually initiatives put together by the alumni to attempt to get these guys to put down their video games, get out of their bedrooms, and try to recruit at least ONE new member.

After their absolute lack of motivation and social skill caused the udergraduate group to self destruct, the alumni went to the governing board of the fraternity asking them to officially remove the charter, even though the undergraduates had effectively done this due to their ineptitude at functioning as socially normal human beings.

Also, the city of Minneapolis NEVER condemned the building, but did provide a list of citations required to bring the building up to current commercial residency codes. As a note to the entire inaccuracy of Omeganu's myth, there were several pipes that needed to have asbestos insulation recovered, but asbestos issues were a very, very, minor part of the citation.

After the Grand Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity voted to revoke the Charter of the chapter at Minnesota at the request of the Alumni (there was never any accusation of drugs involved in any part of this decision, and I never heard any mention of this until reading this ludicrous account), the undergraduates, moved into a different property, started their own fraternity in direct violation of their oaths to Theta Chi (this further demonstrates their lack of understanding what it means to be part of a brotherhood), and operated as Omega Nu Alpha.

Finally, The Theta Chi Alumni never declared bankruptcy, and continues to exist as a legal business in the State of Minnesota. Unfortunately for Omeganu, all of the information regarding this issue is a matter of public record, so it is easy to prove my account is accurate and Omegnu is full of sh*t.

The only unfair hand these guys were dealt was that they had a group of alumni that wasted their time believing this group could do anything but lay around, pissing and moaning.

We are well aware of the comical legacy of Omega Nu Alpha, and know the facts surrounding it's marginal existence.

1. QFP.

2. These guys are presumably your brothers. They may actually be deadbeats and they may have actually been socially inept. Good form would suggest that you don't go out and air that in a public forum for the entire internet to see. Keep in mind that Greekchat is a highly ranked site. A search for your organization on Google with the name of your school will likely bring this thread to the first page of the results. Learn how to keep your dirty laundry in-house. The internet, particularly a popular place like this is absolutely the last place in the world you would want to do this sort of thing.

3. Nearly ALL chapters of all organizations with successful and supporting alums have a little bit of clash between old and new. You keep this stuff in house, period.

[omeganu]

I appreciate the perspective, Kevin. I shared that story years ago while reflecting on the experiences I had at the time. My frustrations with the alumni were apparent but "OXMN"'s comments are further reminder why that chapter was destined to fail. Omega Nu Alpha is going well, we're expanding and moving forward. Now I'm the 30-something alumni working with 19 year olds on matters of house management, recruitment and brotherhood. His post serves as a reminder of what not to embrace when dealing with the frustrations of the alumni/active relations. I'm fortunate to have created a new group that is free of that dissonance. I'm unfortunate that I wasn't able to work with the OX alum effectively so many years ago. I really wish them the best of luck and apologize for my knee-jerk response above. Some day that chapter will return and I'll welcome it - I am simply no longer a part of it and that's just life.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by OXMN

It's also interesting to note that all of the things the undergraduates "tried" were actually initiatives put together by the alumni to attempt to get these guys to put down their video games, get out of their bedrooms, and try to recruit at least ONE new member.

After their absolute lack of motivation and social skill caused the udergraduate group to self destruct, the alumni went to the governing board of the fraternity asking them to officially remove the charter, even though the undergraduates had effectively done this due to their ineptitude at functioning as socially normal human beings.

This begs the obvious question. Who gave these real-life Comic Book Store Guys bids to the fraternity to begin with?

[UAThetaChi]

I know that since I am a Theta Chi it might be hard to imagine I could remain impartial in my perspective of the situation but none the less I assure any readers that I have no stake in this argument and have nothing to gain nor lose in stateting any opinion supporting either side of situation. With that being said, from an outside perspective I dont see anything wrong with OXMN's post. I feel your antice are a bit unneccesary and quite frankly ill'placed. All he did was explain a situation with facts so thatthe public doesnt have a misconception of what had transpired. I see nothing wrong with that. If you do then I can safely say I have no idea why and cant place any rational logic behind your argument. Sorry but Im just being honest. Theres not much else I can say.

Originally Posted by Kevin

1. QFP.

2. These guys are presumably your brothers. They may actually be deadbeats and they may have actually been socially inept. Good form would suggest that you don't go out and air that in a public forum for the entire internet to see. Keep in mind that Greekchat is a highly ranked site. A search for your organization on Google with the name of your school will likely bring this thread to the first page of the results. Learn how to keep your dirty laundry in-house. The internet, particularly a popular place like this is absolutely the last place in the world you would want to do this sort of thing.

3. Nearly ALL chapters of all organizations with successful and supporting alums have a little bit of clash between old and new. You keep this stuff in house, period.

[omeganu]

It's best said that there is a disagreement on the "facts" as presented. My original post was three years ago and this whole event happened 10 years ago. I told my story with concessions to both groups making mistakes and tried to see the bigger picture. OXMN's response, accuracy notwithstanding, was directly attacking those undergrads of 1999 on a personal and emotional level. It's his tone and approach that reminds me why the chapter was destined to close.

I enjoyed my time there and for those of us that chose to leave Theta Chi to become Founding Fathers of Omega Nu Alpha did so in an attempt to continue the brotherhood that we had developed with each other. No matter how you look at it, the presence of my Fraternity will be a reminder that we could have succeeded as a chapter - we just do it now as our own organization. I bear no ill will to Theta Chi as my father is an alum of Theta Chi himself (and an avid supporter of Omega Nu Alpha's success).