Alpha Phi ofPht Gamma Delta at the University of Michigan (5^ Ann Art/or, Mich. N - ^ By Robert Erf "53 Fraternity from Ruin I ovember 5- 7, 1999, was filled with "Here's to Good Old Delta — Drink Her By Sam Morgan '81, Alpha Phi Ni I Down — Drink Her Down","1 Wanta Go Back To Michigan ", and more Graduate Association President article for this newsletter announcing that the Archons had taken disciplinary action against our chapter. A hazing incident resulting in a knee . V . .V ■ Golden Owls of Cheney Cup Era Hold Reunion How TO Save a Six months ago, I wrote an February 2000 ^ 1 where those came from, as about 20 (including several wives) of us from the 49/'50 Fiji pledge classes gathered to celebrate their Golden Owl year. Fridaj' night we gathered for a great dinner at the Ypsi Alarriott. New bO-^'ear initiates attending were George Anderson '51, Bob Erf '53, Bob Evans '53 (about three weeks after heart surgery), Dick Hodgman '53, Fred Ittner '52, Ted Maude '53, (Continued on Page 2) injury to one of our winter pledges and a brawl at a rival fraternity house precipitated the disciplinary action. We have as sembled a group of 15 graduates to serve on the Alpha Phi Board and Graduate Trusteeship. Thanks to the wonderful invention called e-mail, we have developed a network of over 100 graduates from all over the country who have been sharing their ideas, experiences and concerns about Attending the 1999 Golden Owl Dinner were:(L-R)Jack Stumpfig '54, Bob Webster '53, Joe Middleton '53, Bill Zerman '49, George Anderson '51, John Lindquist '50, Dick Hodgman '53, Bob Carr '53, Ted Maude '53, Bob Erf'53, Bob Evans,(Kneeling)Phelps Connell'50 and Fred Ittner '52. our chapter during the past five months. More recently, Steve Conn '80 set up a Web site for our graduates. To get access to that Web site, send an e-mail to steve.conn@intel.com, and he'll send you an invitation to log onto the Web site. (Be sure to include your full name, home maihn address, home telephone number and graduation year in your e-mail message to him.) Continued on Page 3 } April 8, 2000 — Pig Dinner Check out our Website for details on the Pig Dinner. For the ADDRESS, SEND AN E'lVIAlL TO STEVE.C0NN@1NTELC0M AND INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME, hfOME MAILING ADDRESS, HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER AND GRAQUATION YEAR. ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE AT THE SI Campus Inn AND THE Sheraton Inn. - -- -t: \r\nPage 2 January 2000 Gesundheit!Ach mein lieberfriends. Dat note she came today. You're dining by der p-beii in dat same oijoiiy vay. White me, ach gott, du iieber gott, i've sat me down und vept Der pig roast invitation dat i can not yet accept. Der p-beii - don't i know der place. Say blind me eyes oop tight, Und standts me bei derstate street, I viiifind der piace ail right! Der giass-vare i've ge-broken dere, de spoons i hefge-stoie. The Exiles' Toast — 1999 Und den ach hoch der vateriand, der is der Ve sits und vaits und vatches, und ve groan soidier man und tear der hair. Der terror oaf der Spaniards in der charge of San Joo-an. Der awful captun ittner, he's a howling Ve reckons out der difference in der time, und every one martinet. Ve says out ioud "dey hef kicked off, der (Vhen schpeaking to him, touch der cap, he game hefjoost begun". Und ve ain't der to see it piayed, und ve ain't der to yeii. Und ve ain't der to see der team p' ost knock loafs der etiquette.) Und dat Maude he is der too, oh dat quiet ieedie boy. 'em into heii. Dey caii him vhen he's very goot "der sewing circie'sjoy"! Veii vhen you aii sits down again to eat der Und Zerman, he's der sly one, but he knows tailgate lunch. der historie You aiijoost try to vancy dat ve're mit you Von efry Fiji chapter in der iandtfrom sea to in der bunch. Dee virsky middieton haf drunkfrom aus sea. der sugar bowii Und Anderson und Webster, dey det does der ieedie stunts Here's to der team by gott -stand oop - dis ain't no usual drink. Stand oop - hands Ah dose ver days - Stumpfg, he know, und Ge-drinking mit der "younger set" each round - between us aii it is der common Carr he know ut too. Saturday at Lunt's. iink. Stand oop!it is der exile's toast - ve're mit you aii today. Und Evans could remember yoost a iiddie ting or two. Und dat boy Hodgman, he is iiddie, but mein gott oh my! He nefer sits his schooner down until he's drunk her dry. Hi aii you grads, you iucky grads, who dis Pig Dinner Day in Ann Arbor -just tink of us - der exilesfar Und also Caihoun every bit, who always Ve're back once more on State street und ve're back again to schtay. Und Conneii(whoops - he's dere), und Dis day ve show our colors -shout "aii hail der maize und blue." Ve're dining in der Fiji landjoost like ve used to do. Stand oop!Stand oopi From east und west, knows us ail. Thompson's in P-A ve've come to shout und scream! Und Lindquist "love of women"- he leads Und Battie's here tomorrow, und der's Ve're dining in der Fiji land und drinking to Shermans at Lunt's Hail. Zarbock got-r knows vair. der team. away. Der's Heiniein in Arizona und der's Lauer by the Bay, Golden Owls of Cheney Cup Era Hold Reunion, Continued Joe Middieton '53, Jack StumpPig '54 and Bob Webster '53. Joining us to help Kathe '52, Dave Lauer '52, Crawford Young '53, Dick Thompson '53 and western on their way to a 9-2 regular season and a berth in the Orange Bowl. in our celebration were Bob Carr '53, Dick Spaulding '51. The Golden Owl Of course, Leo Caihoun '50 was there in Phelps Connell '50, John Lindquist '50 certificates and lapel pins were distrib the Victor's parking lot with his famous and Bill Zerman '49. Honors for the uted, and a recitation of the Exile's Toast, modified to fit the occasion in Ittner, who had traveled from Califor Ann Arbor, was presented by me (see bus positioned, as always, adjacent to the Chrisler Field House. Leo amply supplied us with food and libation as we nia to represent (in the words of Dave above). Flip Connell '50, who retired to continued our recollections of those Lauer '52) the BAGOOM (Bay Area Golden Owls Ot Michigan) Society. Ann Arbor about three years ago. Filled wonderful college days. That night we us in on the doings at 707 — where we enjoyed dinner at a delightful country However, many other states were represented as well: Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsjdvania and, of course, Michigan. We first remembered those 50-year Fijis who had passed ad astra: Tom Anton '53, Dave Connell '53, Ray are "hanging in.'" They h ave elected a new cabinet and had just completed a inn in Dexter whic h Bob Carr '53 had Guerin '51 , Dale Lawson '53, Bill Zerman '49, Phi Gamma Delta's former weekend of fun and reminiscing. Most Mclntyre '52 and Guy Tribble '51. Executive Secretary and a Field Secre tary during our days at Michigan, of us decided that there was really no most distant attendee went to Fred We all very briefly recapped our last 50 years, and I relayed the greetings from those who had responded but could not attend, including Donn Coddington '53, Joe Heiniein '53, John house. The chapter is moving forward arranged for us. About 12 of us were able to stay for that event and were joined by Len Battle '50, another new with the untiring help of several local Golden Owl who couldn't make the graduates who are also going to actively Friday night gathering. very successful rush — rushing a dry participate in the pledge training. Bill briefed us on some of the activities and status of the international fraternity. Saturday, of course, was the game as the Wolverines rolled over North That, very quickly, sums up a grand need to wait 50 years for getting together, so if properly inspired, we shall try to arrange a similar gettogether sometime in the not-too-distant future. \r\nThe Alpha Phiji News Pace 3 How TO Save a Fraternity from Ruin, Continued Unfortunately, assembling a group of graduates to ser\'e on a board and attend semi-monthly meetings, and creating a means tor instant, broadbased communication among our graduates is not enough to save our chapter. We need tar more personal involvement by our graduates in things such as recruitment, membership development, building maintenance and management and undergraduate/ graduate relations. At the undergradu ate level, our chapter has suttered trom poor and/or inadequate leadership in recent years. The chapter no longer possesses most of the characteristics that made Fiji different from the rest of the fraternities at the University of Michi gan. At the graduate level, until the disciplinary action, the Alpha Phi Board dwindled down to just a handful of overburdened graduate brothers who had simply grown tired of doing all the tance to get too upset about under graduates drinking alcoholic beverages in the house. After all, many ot us drank beer and had large parties with alcohol, in the house, during our undergraduate days. All 3'ou have to do is look at the words to some ot the songs in our songbook for confirmation that drinking alcohol has been verv much a part ot our fraternitt' experience. However, alcohol-free housing will become the standard in fraternities beginning in the 2000-01 school year. Most of the national sororities (about 16 on U. of iM.'s campus in total) have adopted rules that will prohibit their chapters trom participating in social activities with an^' fraternity that is not alcohol-tree. Therefore, our chapter must eventually' con\'ert to alcohol-tree housing it they want to have any social activities with any ot the sororities on campus. While the alcohol issue creates most work. There has been a lot of controversy regarding the graduate trusteeship, particularly the permanent ban of alcoholic beverages on the chapter's premises. This new rule was in large part responsible tor 19 ot 42 in-house brothers moving out ot the house at the conclusion ot the tall term. Many of our graduates (especially those from the '70s and '80s) have expressed their reluc of the controversy, most ot the gradu ates on the Board and the Trusteeship agree that other, more fundamental problems, have caused the downward spiral ot our chapter. Perhaps, the biggest problem is the absence ot any senior leadership. In lact, today it is rare that a senior chooses to live in the chapter house. None ot our chapter's current sophomores and juniors plan to live m the fraternity house during their senior year. The basic routine is that it you pledge the fraternity during the tall semester ot your freshman year, you likely will live in the house during your sophomore and junior years. If you pledge during the winter semester, chances are that you will already be locked into an apartment lease tor your sophomore year, and you end up living in the fraternity house during your junior year. In recent years, the so-called "outot-house-brother " membership has grown to a number that equals the number ot undergraduates who live in the house. .\s a result, after our under graduate members get a taste ot living in the chapter house tor a year, the tendency' is to move out ot the house and into a tour-man apartment, or eight-man house with a bunch ot other out-ot- house brothers. The absence ot senior leadership, and the practice of li\'ing in the house tor onK' a \'ear or two, is responsible tor man\' problems. First, there is no continuitv ot leadership, and there is no continuitv ot e.xperience with those members chosen to become the house leaders. iMembers ot the pre\'ious vear s cabinet tvpicalK' do not stick around tor Continued on Page 4 At the Golden Owl Dinner, graduates serenade their wives with "She's a Phi Gamma Dream Girl." They are (L-R) George Anderson '51, John LIndqulst '50, Bob Erf '53, Bob Evans '53, Dick Hodgman '53 and Fred Ittner '52. \r\nPage 4 January 2000 How TO Save a Fraternity from Ruin, Continued another year, and often move out after their term ends in December, leaving to learn their positions and lead from scratch. As a result, they don't have the past president and treasurer there to provide the wisdom of their past experience. The house does not have practice of taking the "house furniture " up to those locked bedrooms, leaving the library, living room and card room barren, with the exception of one lone pool table and a huge permanently installed bar. The ceiling in the living room and card room is spray painted dark brown, and the place really looks two or three former rush chairmen or more like a modern "industrial" dance pledge trainers living in the house to rely on for help. This "no-seniors-living-in" routine has caused our undergraduate members to lose touch with our chapter's tradi tions and rituals. For example, a few hall. the new cabinet members on their own years back, the chapter stopped having formal chapter meetings in the chapter room. It wasn't too long after that year that there was no one in the chapter who had ever experienced a formal chapter meeting in the chapter room. The end result is that, today, no one has any knowledge of any rituals, chapter meetings resemble the hall meetings many of us experienced in our dormito ries, and none of the undergraduates have ever experienced a formal chapter meeting with "C & C ". One year not too long ago, the chapter decided to stop having weekly work sessions. House cleanup was to be performed by the pledges as part of their pledge duties. Today, none of the undergraduate members have ever heard of in-house brothers cleaning up the house every Saturday morning, nor would they ever consider doing that. "That's what pledges are for." The list of things that have changed goes on and on. The m-house brothers no longer sleep in dormers or "rack rooms. " They sleep in their rooms, resulting in doubles becoming singles, and quads becoming doubles. The result is that a house that was designed to house 65 young men can comfortably house only 42, and room and board rates are not competitive with apart ments and individual houses. High room and board costs is one of the reasons Throughout the past five months, I have heard from many of our graduates who have commented on their recent visits to the house. Universally, these graduates have been deeply disap pointed in what they have seen."The house is a pig sty," "It's disgusting," 'These guys apparently don't care, " and "I can't believe how bad it's gotten," have been some of the most common remarks I have heard. However, the single most common remark is a ques tion,"How did it get this way?" I have learned that the answer to that question is, most likely, that we have all allowed this to happen. Unintentionally for sure, we have all allowed ourselves to forget about the Alpha Phi chapter, as we have become busy with and committed to our families, careers, businesses and jobs. Our eyes tend to light up when we speak about our own Iraternity experi ence, describing it as among the most important experiences in our lives. Yet, not nearly enough of us have regularly gone back, and/or given back, to our chapter so that the experience we had can or could have been .shared by the young men who followed us. It's hard to blame the current undergraduate members for the state of disrepair of the 50 plus-year-old radiant heating system in the old house, or the fact that the toilets, sinks and shower drains in the old house bathrooms continue to stop up and tail no matter how many times they are snaked by a plumber or tilled with cans ot tJrano. For the most part, we have had a rack rooms, the study rooms have nonexistent graduate association during the past 20 years, and because of our absence, very little of our experience, become bedrooms. The doors are traditions and brotherhood as we know routinely closed and locked, leaving you it have trickled down to the young men who are members today. The chapter as it exists and operates todaj' is the only Fiji these undergraduates have ever cited when the undergraduates explain why seniors move out. Also, with no with the sense that the house has become nothing more than a dormitory. The undergraduates have developed a known and, until this past September, none of them really knew that there was a large group of graduates who were deeply concerned that the chapter be preserved. One of our famous Fijis, Newton D. Baker, said that "a fraternity ... is of such a character that after men have left college, they delight to renew their own youth by continued association with it and to bring their richest experiences back to the younger generation in part payment of the debt which they teel they owe to the fraternity for what it gave them in their formative years. " How do you save a fraternity from ruin? The answer to that question can be found in Newton Baker's observation. The Alpha Phi chapter needs your assistance and your Financial support, desperately. The problems of the chapter did not arise overnight, and they will not go away immediately. Ifyou can participate on a committee of our Board ol Chapter Advisers, either in membership develop ment, recruitment, lund-raising, or the building committee, vour help is welcome and desperately needed. We will have a Pig Dinner th is spring. The date is Saturda\', April 8, 2000, most likely at the Michigan Union or the Michigan League. About 15 years ago, we celebrated the 100th anniver sary of our chapter house, with a special dinner that drew over 200 graduates and raised a tremendous amount ol money for the chapter. There is a possibility that this year's Pig Dinner could be our last with an undergraduate chapter on the Ann Arbor campus lor quite some time unless we step forward now. Please join us and help make a difference. S^in Morgan can be reached at cmorcjan ©c-bonline.coin, 248-746-4008 (coice), or 248-9)6-2148 (fax). See the enclosed Honor Roll for a list of the BROTHERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE GRADUATES RELATIONS PROGRAM LAST YEAr! \r\nThe Alpha Phiji News Page 5 Quick Facts about Greeks 70% OF THOSE LISTED IN AmERICA's Who's Who are Greek. 85% OF Fortune 500 executives ARE Greek. Greeks lead 80% of the 50 largest corporations in the NATION. ' 85% OF U.S. Supreme Court Justices since 1910 have been Greeks. '75% OF OUR nation's congress ional representatives and sena The Alpha Phiji News is publishedfor the members andfriends ofthe Alpha Phi Chapter ofPhi Gamma Delta at the University of Michigan. Address changes, news items, photographs and contributions may be sent in the en closed envelope or mailed to Phi Gamma Delta, Graduate Records Office, P.O. Box 2019,Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-2019. tors ARE Greek. '32 U.S. Presidents are Greek. '100% OF Apollo 11 Astronauts ARE Greek. ^Ipha Phi Graduate News George H. Borneman '37(400 W. Butterfieid, Apt. 405, Elmhurst, IL 60126; louiseb9@juno.com), a Presbyte rian minister, is working with the Interfaith Council for the Homeless. tion in recognition of his 50 years in practice as a lawyer. authored more than 100 articles and Retired attorney John R. Carpenter '48 and was named one of the best doctors (509 Vernon Dr. S.E., Cedar Rapids, lA in the USA in 1997 and 1998. Professorship at the school. Gordon has book chapters in peer review journals 52403) has two great-grandchildren and Jolin A. Riiiek '39(8053 Caminito enjoys his cottage in the Windward During a consulting assignment at Gianna, La Jolla, OA 92037) is presi Islands. On occasion, he exchanges Pacific, Gas & Electric, Richard L. dent of The Rinek Co. Inc. and has been correspondence with Lois an d Bob elected to the board of directors of J Foukal '46 Pinkerton '55(4721 N. Cedar Ave., #111, Fresno, CA 93726) met one of the company's attorneys, Mark Penskar and JM Products. Family affairs, including reunions and visits, are a top priority for Lorenz W. Rinek '40(35 Riverside Dr., Waterford, CT 06385) and his wife. They are also active in volunteer work in their church Now that he's retired as chairman and CEO of Combustion Tec Inc., Glenn C. '71. "Our Iraternity connection helped Neff'48(ll/2 Brampton PL, Heath row, PL 32746) is looking forward to procedure for the purchasing depart lots of tra\'el. He \'isited Clair an d Phil with Fred Ittner '52 me solve a very difficult legal review ment," Richard notes. He also visited Holcombe '45 in Arizona. Ernest H. McCoy '58(531 Madison, and community. "The friendships created and the lessons Gordon L. Hyde '54(331 1 Brookhill Cir., Le.xington, KY 40502; gordih@ learned at 707 will always be remem aol.com) is now retired after 20 years as bered and cherished," writes William O. Mays '42(1001 S. 22nd St., Quincy, chief of vascular surger\' at the Univer sity of Kentucky. Llis former colleagues IL 62301). In July 1999, he received a and residents have established the certificate from the Illinois Bar Associa Gordon L. H\ cle M.D. Endowed Albany, CA 94706) is a patent attorney' on weekdays antf a commercial glider pilot on summer weekends. In his spare time, he's building a cabin at Donner Lake, Calif., with his son. When we heard from him last August, Ernest was planning to marr\' his 1955 Fiji Island \r\nPage 6 January 2000 477c a Phi Graduate News party date after 31 years of bachelor hood. Ernest noted that he and his 91- year-old mother have attended all the Penn State/Michigan games. Frank H. Tranzow '59 (1230 Ramona Rd., Arcadia, CA 91006; tranzovv@ sprmtmail.com) now spends May Chris T. Cartwright '79 (1025 N.E. 33rd Ave., Portland, OR 97232) is a program specialist at Portland State University. E-mail for him can be sent to cartwrightc@pdx.edu. As manager of business development at K&M Engineering & Consulting Corp., Philip M. Schuchter '82(914 "T " St. N.W., Washington, DC 20001; pschuchter@mailer.kmec.com) travels often to Egypt and the Philippines. He through October at 1430 Fox Acres Dr. W., Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545. Last year, during his first summer in the Centennial State, he and Phil Matthews 60 were partners in the Fox Acres and h is wife welcomed the arrival of a Country Club Men's Invitational. Frank son. Grant, in January 1999. and his pledge dad, Steve Simich '58, got together for the first time in 20 years at the International in Castle Pines, Colo. In August 1999, Donald A. Leopold '69 With his wife, Jody, and three children, Pete B. W.Davey '87 has relocated from Illinois to 8364 N. Pinewood Dr., Castle Rock, CO 80104. He has a new job as associate curator of mammals and training at Ocean Journey. Pete's electronic address is pdavey@ oceanjourney.org. Attorney David C. Goldberg '87(7503 Colonel Lindsay Dr., Falls Church, VA 22043; go!dbcrgd9@ao!.com) has been named senior litigation counsel at America Online Inc. He and his wife, Heather and Sean B. W. Martin '84 announce the birth in May 1999 of their first child, Caroline. Sean is a partner in Fole\' and Lardner (One IBM PIz., 330 Joyce, have a I-year-old daughter, Laura. Since his graduation, CPA Scott F. Hesse '92 (3345 Paddington Ct., (310 S. 89th Ct., Omaha, NE 68114; N. Wabash, Ste. 3300, Chicago, IL dleopold@unmc.edu) became chairman 6061 I). You can contact him on the Rochester Hills, MI 48309; Internet at sbwmartin@foleylaw.com. scott.f.hesse@us.pwcglobal.com) has been working as a tax consultant in the automotive industry practice of the Tax & Legal Services Group at Pricewaterhouse Coopers. He is of the Department of Otolaryngologv' at the University of Nebraska. For the previous eight years, he specialized in rhinology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Theodore W. Kokas '85 (4247 S.E. Happy Ln., Stuart, FL 34997) has established Theodore W. Kokas & Co. currently a senior manager. Scott and executive director of the Montana State Inc. with three partners. The institu tional money management firm invests in leveraged buyouts. Last year, it acquired an aviation company and was in negotiations to acquire three more University Foundation. He has two businesses. marry last summer. In an effort to renew St., Birmingham, MI 48009; ab8888@wayne.edu), a physician at Thomas A. Raar '85 (6263 Lakeshore canoe/kayak slalom racing in his area, Dr., West Olive, MI 49460; traar@ Beaumont Hospital, met with Seth Rubin '94, Jason Riesel '94 and Tom Fund-raiser J. Thomas Gelder '70 (423 N. 22nd Ave., Bozeman, MT 59718; tgelder@montana.edu) is president and granddaughters and was planning to Tom started a new boating club and held two races in 1999. He is also orking to get a skate park in Bozeman. '76, a physician at 1 dren s Hospital, writes: "Doin' fine. Alpha Phis are doin . Brothers can drop Tim a line at 3518 Lenox Rd., Birmingham, AL aol.com) IS one of three partners in FBN Validation Associates Inc. The consult ing firm is in its si.xth year as a provider of validation support to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The main office is located in Denver."Barney ' travels throughout the States with his work and manages to make it back to Ann Arbor Johnson '93 in Connecticut for a great weekend. Brad also visited Jon Rosenbaum '95 in Vancouver, Canada. He reports that Jon is director of production for The Sci Fi Channel s "First Wave " and is writing his next script. Patrick F. O'Brien Jr.'98 has moved Last June, Noah D. Teicher '86 (1122 N. 77(1245 Sunset Dr., Winter Park, FL Bradley S. Trivax '95 (360 E. Frank for almost all the home football games. 35213; tfrye@zebra.net. In a new position, William P. Deuchler his wife, Patricia, were expecting their first child in October 1999. to 980 Walther Blvd., #1916, Alexander, Royal Oak, Ml 48067; Lawrenceville, GA 30043 and is now a ncteich@gateway.net) opened his own technical service engineer at Holnam 32789; billd@zacks.com) is head of institutional marketing and client service mortgage company, e-mortgagedirect. The Inc. He and Jessica Taylor were business offers many types of mortgages planning to be married in November for Zacks Investment Management, He and is working on a strong Internet 1999. E-mail for Pat can be sent to has three children. presence. Noah has a 7-year-old son. pfo21 @yahoo.com.