60th Mu Upsilon Phi Gamma Delta PIG DINNER Saturday, April 22, 2017 Are you coming back for the Big Pig Dinner on April 21-22? Make your plans now for celebrating 60 years at the End of the Slant! So what is keeping you from coming? We expect more than 100 graduate brothers to join the 34 new FIJI pledges. Have you seen the house since it was rebuilt two years ago? Then come on back and hoist one to dear old Delta! Miami University’s new President Greg Crawford will speak to us and share how Miami has changed. Also speaking is Brother Chuck Pettis (1961). If you've been a FIJI for more than 50 years, we have a Golden Owl pin for you. I know that the class of 1970, originally 45 strong will have record returnees. Since the fire destroyed all the composites that hang in the back stairs hallway, we are working to replace them. If you kept yours, please bring one with you or send a good copy to me for reproduction. It will also be fun to see if anyone has aged since you frequented the halls of 130 East High Street. Do not wait until April to sign up and book your rooms. Hotels in Oxford are filling up quickly and we no longer have an upper dorm for you to crash in. Many of us thought we would live forever when we attended Miami. Now as we grow older, we realize that just might not be the case. The Porch Club awaits your arrival and so do many other FIJI brothers you have not seen in years. So remember “Not for College Days Alone” and find your way back to Oxford for this year’s Pig. See you in about 30 days. Proud to be a FIJI. Mike Bevis (1970) House Corporation Chair \r\nPIG Dinner & Networking NETWORKING is the theme of the Mu Upsilon 60th Pig Dinner. LinkedIn is one of the better ways to network. For Miami FIJI undergraduates, contacts can lead to part-time jobs, summer jobs, internships, assistance with resumes and shadowing opportunities. FIJI grads can assist the brothers and maybe find great, motivated student workers...It is a win for MU FIJI undergrads and grads!!...60 years of Excellence Continues!! The Norris Big Pig Dinner 2017, “60 years of excellence and brotherhood”, is April 22nd–60 years since the Miami FIJIS were founded. We expect another record-setting number of graduate and undergraduate brothers to attend, so we reserved the largest room in the new Armstrong Center. Make PIG Dinner reservations at www.phigam.org/ mupigdinner. Reserve a hotel room at a discounted PGD rate in one of these hotels: Sycamore Best Western (513) 523-0000 -Hampton Inn (513) 524-2012 -Marcum Center (513) 529-6911 -Comfort Inn (513) 524-0114 -Houston Woods (513) 523-6347 -Elms Hotel (513)524-2002 Join us for a weekend of celebration and brotherhood! Contact Dr. Warren Soare, PIG Chairman, for assistance wsoare@optonline.net Dick Hutchinson The 50th Big Pig 2 \r\nA Letter From the President Brothers, The beginning of this spring semester has been tremendous for Mu Upsilon. A full year in our restored chapter house has served us well, and maintaining the house’s former glory has been a point of emphasis. Our home at 130 E. High Street represents the tremendous strength and influence of our chapter at Miami University, and the enduring brotherhood among our undergraduate and graduate brothers. It is a privilege to call it our home, and we plan on keeping it that way for a long time. Spring semester also affords us the opportunity to welcome 34 exceptional undergraduates into our brotherhood. While the climate surrounding Miami’s Greek Life has been scrutinized and allegations have run rampant over the past several years, we have not had a single problem with our new member education. Phi Gams have also been focused on improving grades and the results are evident as we beat the All-Fraternity Men’s GPA last semester. Additionally, our chapter raised over $2,000 this semester during our Mother’s Weekend silent auction, which took place earlier this semester. The initiatives taken by all brothers to bring our scholarship and philanthropy have yielded significant results, and we hope to continue our progress in the future. Mu Upsilon is still full of athletes, as we continue to dominate in both hockey and basketball. Both teams are championship contenders, and we aim to bring back some hardware to 130 E. High at the end of the season. It is my expectation that Mu Upsilon will continue to operate as an exemplary fraternity on Miami’s campus for the foreseeable future. Active brothers are extremely excited for the rest of the semester, and we hope to see everyone at Pig Dinner. Fraternally, Thomas Staley III (2018) Chapter President Perge! 3 \r\nLetter from the Outgoing President As I, and most of the rest of my class, prepare to graduate in the next few months, it is easy to reflect on all the great times we had here. From not finishing last (depends who you ask) in Delta Zeta’s POTH dance competition philanthropy Freshman year, through all the formals, Fiji Islands and everything in between, I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we could not have had a better four (or more) years. As a two-year member of the Mu Upsilon Executive Board, I have, what I hope, is not a unique appreciation for the strength of our past leadership teams. The administrations of Ethan Kaplan (2014), Andrew Bell (2015), and Andrew Karle (2016), as well as my past team, have been invaluable in the consistent improvement and growth of what was already a great chapter. This past November, the outgoing and incoming cabinets participated in a two-day leadership retreat at Hueston Woods State Park, where our effervescent Purple Legionnaire Allan Payne (1968) and Life Coach Jim Menninger led us through a number of activities and competitions, including, but not limited to: a ropes course, bumper balls, zip line and Allan’s personal favorite, “win all you can”. Although the outgoing cabinet easily beat the young guns in all competition (depends who you ask), all things considered, it was a great start to what we are sure will be an excellent administration under Thomas Staley (2018). Special thanks to the rest of my leadership team in Sam Hicks (2017), Billy Bauder (2018), Alex Cazorla (2017), and Jordan Cook (2017), without all of whom the chapter would not be where it is today. Proud to be a FIJI Ben Hicks (2017) Perge! Letter from the Treasurer When discussing a chapter’s reputation or quality, finances have long been integral to a fraternity’s success although it is rarely considered. In the case of Mu Upsilon, financial standing has long since abandoned being a hindrance to success and has become a chapter strong point. While typically functioning in the background, this strong standing has helped propel the chapter to new levels. With excellent financial backing and the help of talented committee chairmen, most notably Philanthropy Chairs Thatcher Creber (2018) and Chris Lane (2019), the chapter has been able to excel, standing among the best Greek organizations in philanthropic donations. This good standing has also allowed the chapter to invest more heavily in member education and increased attendance at events like FIJI Academy and Ekklesia The chapter’s goal in recent years has been to hold a $20,000 budget surplus at year’s end to ensure chapter health in unexpected times of adversity. This goal has been met by my predecessors, and I am proud to note that at this point the chapter is again on pace to meet this 4 target. With Miami FIJI reaching its highest ever level of membership, the financial situation is expected to strengthen further, with the standing surplus likely being brought up alongside it. Additionally, the recently erected house at 130 E. High Street is expected to be at nearly full capacity, freeing up additional funds within the House Corporation’s budget for potential improvements to the building. I am thrilled with the chapter’s current financial standing and am excited to see where it may take us when combined with the passionate, talented and ambitious men that proudly call themselves members of Phi Gamma Delta Mu Upsilon. Jakob Hicks (2018) Treasurer \r\nFIJI Basketball When intramural basketball teams and other fraternity teams see FIJI on the schedule, they often just don’t show up. We are known for toughness, energy, and most of all, winning. In the past three years, the team has won the 2016 Greek Week basketball tournament, 3 straight BasketBrawl tournaments (a philanthropic basketball tournament put on by a sorority) and 2 intramural league championships. This year, with departure of veteran Zack Abbruzsese (2016), the team has leaned heavily on Ben Vandertill (2017) for veteran leadership. Despite his history of head trauma, he continues to be a voice of reason for the squad. Nate Haas (2019), Myles McNeal (2019), and Matt Molina (2019) lead a strong sophomore class that plays tough, fast and together. Although Haas may be better known throughout the league for playing in cutoff sweatpants, his ability to penetrate the defense opens up prolific shooters like Jacob Wiseman (2019), Neil Shaw (2019), and McNeal. Molina and Benjie Barclay (2019) dominate the paint and frustrate opponents with their length. Barclay’s propensity to shoot from the outside sometimes agonizes teammates since most would kill to have his 6’7” frame. But his stroke is smooth and he surprises even us with his ability to hit the outside shot. Offseason acquisitions Adrian Awuah (2020) and Tristan LeMon (2020) add energy to an already stacked team. Our talent is undeniable, but our persistence wins us championships. The team this year is young, and when asked if youth could be a problem during the upcoming championship run, the team captain simply responded, “No.” Thomas Staley (2018) Team Captain 5 \r\nA Note From the House Manager Being the house manager for a house that just underwent a huge rebuild is not the easiest of tasks, but with the help of all the great men in the house it is totally doable. The house has gone through two recent fire inspections and one city inspection, passing with flying colors. These inspections take place twice a year and call for much more than a quick sweep of the house. We take our safety and the safety of our house very seriously, and for that reason it wasn’t hard getting the men to help out and deep clean the house for its inspections. Jim O’Donnell has also been a huge help with the recent upkeep of the house. There are times when things happen that we are unable to fix ourselves, but Jim is always on top of it and gets a professional in that can fix the problem. We’re also in contact with the fire chief and the city to make sure we are updated with code changes or checklist updates. Looking forward, we expect to keep our beautiful house in the best shape possible, and we know that future pledge classes will inherit our love for the house and they’ll want the best for it as well. Matthew Molina (2019) Perge! A Note About Our New Members Throughout the first semester of school, the undergraduates of the Mu Upsilon Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta were tasked with one thing– to find 30 new members. These 30 men could not be just anyone, but rather men that the active members of the chapter considered to be of character and capable of upholding the values of this Fraternity. After a full semester of searching, our recruitment team did exactly what they had set out to do. fully embody the values and character that this fraternity stands for. They are a well-rounded group of individuals, coming from all over the country. With the average new member GPA sitting at 3.06, there is no doubt that they are a smart group, more than capable of taking care of themselves within the classroom. Many of these men have already taken positions on our multitude of athletic teams and are making contributions to all of their winning records. Led by Recruitment Chairmen Pat Caufield (2019) and Myles McNeal (2019), the chapter sought out men who embodied our core values of Friendship, Knowledge, Service, Morality and Excellence. These men were not only to embody our core values, but be able to fit in and share our interest in the athletics and philanthropic events that have continued to develop over my time here. “They’re all great guys,” says Co-Chairman Pat Caufield. “They’re also all incredibly eager to learn about what it means to be in this fraternity. I’ve never seen a group as a whole as interested in the ritual and history of the fraternity as these guys.” “It’s easy to get along with anyone,” says Recruitment Co-Chairman Myles McNeal. “However, we were looking for guys we thought were gentlemen that could also hold their own in the classroom and on the court [or field].” As the second semester rolled around, the stresses of finalizing all of the chapter’s hard first semester work was upon us. In the end, it was to no frustration, 30 bids were extended and all accepted within two days. The new members have been found, and the entire chapter is thrilled with the men that they chose to bring into the brotherhood. It is my pleasure to say that after getting to know all of these men, I truly believe they 6 I encourage all of the graduate brothers to meet these new members and get to know the men that will carry on of the legacy of Phi Gamma Delta at Miami University. I believe that the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta will be in more than capable hands when their time comes to run our Mu Upsilon Chapter. Whether it be their own personal studies or the ritual and history of the Miami University FIJIS, I am confident that these new members will be leaders for the community. Many thanks to everyone who has made my time as a Phi Gam possible, as well as to those who will maintain the legacy of this chapter in the future. Dave Andrews (2018) Historian \r\nPhilanthropy The past year has been a tremendous success for the Mu Upsilon Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. From winning multiple intramural championships to developing a strong on-campus involvement, perhaps the most impressive of our achievements has been our philanthropy. Phi Gamma Delta’s philanthropy involvement has taken a complete 180° turn since Thatcher Creber (2018) became chair last year. From an approximate $1,000 yearly total two years ago, we have grown to donate $18,000 to various charities. This more than doubled the next highest fraternity’s total, and was a mere $200 away from being highest collective charitable contribution in all Miami Greek life. Our primary philanthropy event is a brand-new event called ‘Strike Out Diabetes’. The event was a great success, despite our last inning loss to Theta Chi in the early Saturday morning softball game. Overall, we raised $4,500 for the American Diabetes Association. Thatcher is now expanding 'Strike Out Diabetes' to all Big Ten schools across the nation with the help of Collegiate Charities in Bloomington, IN. Our most exciting event is an annual hockey tournament called ‘Drop the Puck on Cancer,' which took place in April. This past year’s final donation was over $7,000, supporting Luna Cares, a charity for women battling cancer, as well as Central Ohio Men Against Prostate Cancer. 'Drop the Puck' featured eight fraternities in series of full contact hockey games, ultimately won by the Phi Gams on a last-second game-winning goal by then Philanthropy Chair and orchestrator of the whole event, Thatcher Creber. Nearly the entire chapter came out to watch our team dominate on the ice, and many of us purchased newly customized FIJI jerseys to add to our large donation sum. This year, Thatcher and I have expanded the event to host 16 total chapters and to follow a full tournament format. 'Drop the Puck' is scheduled for April 4, 6 and 8 this year at Goggin Ice Arena, and we hope to raise upwards of $25,000. In one short year, FIJI philanthropy has become a campus-wide movement. I am set on our two sporting philanthropy events raising more money than the year before. We will continue to co-host a dozen events, and make a real difference that the world can relish in. Chris Lane (2019) Toronto Orange Leafs After a strong fall semester campaign, which ended with a disappointing Semi-Final loss to the eventual league champions, Mu Upsilon’s Elite division hockey team (also know as the Toronto Orange Leafs) has continued their momentum heading into the winter season. The team is currently sitting in second place, with a record of 4-1. Having lost a game scheduled for 11:30pm on a Thursday night, when the squad was too busy with their studies, and had to forfeit. The team has won the Elite division winter season the past two years running and expects to continue that tradition in the coming weeks. The team is also looking forward to defending their philanthropy title in the Dropping the Puck Charity Tournament, which by a new contingent that plays in the beginner division. Calling themselves the Jr. O Leafs, these players are all relatively new to the game, but have a huge passion for winning. With a record of 4-0-1, the Jr. O Leafs have emerged as early favorites to win the championship. Team Captain, Matt Molina (2019), talked about the team’s high expectation for the season. “We’ve got a lot of tough competitors,” said Matt. “When you combine that with the natural scoring ability of guys like Rob Schaupp (2019), and Grant Delaney (2019), we’re a tough team to play against.” raised $7,500 in the fight against prostate cancer, last year. This year, Mu Upsilon’s Elite division team has been joined this year Sam Hicks (2017) 7 \r\nPlans to Fence in the FIJI Yard The location of the house has long been a point of pride for Miami FIJIS, punctuating the already beautiful walk along Slant. Few feelings compare to that of advancing along that path to a lawn filled with brothers throwing a football and enjoying the beautiful weather and incredible sights that the prominent uptown locations provide. While 130 E. High St. is likely the best and most revered address in Oxford, its central location does not come without drawbacks. Since returning to our home in the fall of 2015, we have unfortunately experienced problems with the back yard facing the alley behind the house. The less visible path has allowed for vandalism, such as 8 the house’s barbeque, which was found smashed beyond use one Saturday morning. Littering has also proven to be a problem, given the proximity to the uptown bar scene. This not only detracts from the beauty of the newly constructed house, but also draws the suspicion of the Interfraternity Council, charged with ensuring that alcohol is not present at the house. While it is not the brothers of Phi Gamma Delta throwing empty beers onto the lawn, we are nonetheless the group forced to answer for it. As a result, the Chapter is seeking donations in order to build a wall on the edge of the back lawn. We believe that it would ensure privacy, safety and compliance with school regulations. Its addition would add to aesthetics of the house, as well as the experience of the FIJIS that call it home. Should you have interest in donating, please email me at jakobhicks@gmail.com so that I can provide you with further information on pricing and construction time following our having locked down these details. This email will also include the potential for naming rights and other incentives. P! Jakob Hicks (2018) Treasurer \r\nA Letter from the Purple Legionnaire Brothers: A brand new Cabinet (“Exec Team”) was introduced last November – five men with a pile of talent, continuing the legacy of excellent leaders at Mu Upsilon during my tenure as PL over the last 4 years. The last Slant covered them in some detail. I can tell you that working with them has been very encouraging. Our leadership theme is VISION, ALIGNMENT and EXECUTION. We have been spending the majority of our time on the latter two to ensure the best working of the chapter and preservation of our property. Our next leadership session this spring will review the status of these two and then focus on VISION, a vision for the future of Mu Upsilon. I’m not sure what the decades after me did in this area. In my era (the 60’s), life was simple and the unwritten vision was simple– have fun, win Greek Week and interfraternity sports and look toward Fiji Island for the biggest and best party ever. Ummmmm, not real visionary. So, what does Mu Upsilon really want to be when it grows up? I can tell you that for the first time ever, the leaders are not only applying for the best chapter publication award (End of the Slant), but they will be applying for the other 13 awards as well. So, the vision starts! The guys have done a super job in philanthropy, outdistancing all fraternities while being edged by only a couple hundred dollars by one sorority. Outside consultants as part of the BCA continue to be a strength with Jim Menninger as our “Life Coach” (he has the same role with the Miami men’s basketball team), Jim O’Donnell as Outside House Manager, and “Hutch” as our Chief Financial Advisor. We are currently looking for a new Academic Advisor, and I’m told by the Cabinet that we’re close to making this happen. Jim Menninger and I are constantly planning new approaches to developing our undergrad leadership, and we are starting to connect with Miami administration to lend our talents to Miami’s needs, e.g. drug and alcohol programming. The best news we can offer is a targeted FULL HOUSE this fall, full occupancy, allowing us to fulfill all our financial obligations and MORE. We have a large sophomore class moving into the house, and we have a 35-man pledge class for the following year. Gear-up for PIG –April 22! Miami's President Crawford will be speaking! He and his wife, Renate, are the best thing to happen to Miami in years! They are making a huge impact already. Allan Payne (1968), Purple Legionnaire Perge! 130 East High Street The Smiths-Munns House was built in the late 1820s by Captain John Smith, replacing a log cabin on the site. In the early 1840s, the brick dwelling was bought by a professor of mathematics, who sold the property to Miami University in 1845. Miami's third president, bachelor Erasmus McMaster, and forth president, William Anderson and family, resided here during their terms in office. By the late 1850s, the property was purchased by a widowed Cincinnati physician, Alexander Guy. After his sons were grown, he and his second wife employed a live-in-servant, Susan Anderson, an African American from Virginia. The home was next sold to another doctor with a family, Horace Logee, who in the 1880s sold the residence and practice to a third physician. This was Charles Munns, who with his wife Cornelia (Bogart), their children, her mother, and the live-in cook, shared the spacious home for a of number. After his death in the 1950s the property became the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house. Often called the “FIJI House” by Miami students, it was enlarged in 1963 with a major addition to the north. 9 \r\nBrother Dan Hronic, Shirley McClain and the Microwave Allan Payne (1968), and I recently conversed about how we both wasted a lot of our college years. Oh, we graduated and we moved on with life. But we both regret not paying a little more attention to our educational endeavors and a little less time chasing brunettes and beers. We both regret not absorbing more information, more facts, more of everything educational we were exposed to during our days at Miami. Ever put a cup of coffee in the microwave to heat it up and watch as the microwave timer clicked the seconds down from 30 to 0? Those 30 seconds you are watching as your life going by. Those are 30 seconds you can never get back, unless of course you believe, like Shirley McClain, that you will be reincarnated and returned to earth as a dog. So what's the big deal about losing 30 seconds? After all, we're all going to live to 100, right? Ask that question of Brother Dan Hronic (1968) who opened a package sent to him by his finance's ex-boyfriend. The package contained a bomb that blew Dan's body all over the ceiling. Dan was only 29. We never know when life will end, so we must make the most of every second we have on earth. You're going to hear this a million times before you grasp it, "Life goes by so very fast." The older you get the faster it goes. So what's the point of this column and my sage advice? To help you relate that point to your college days. Your Purple Legionnaire, A New Era The knowledge Allan and I possess today is based upon the foundation of knowledge we built in grade school, high school, college and beyond. Every time we re-heated our coffee, or went uptown for a beer, we lost precious time we could have spent learning. The next time you re-heat your coffee in the microwave, don't forget, those are 30 seconds of your life you'll never get back. So, don't waste your time at Miami. Enjoy college life, and re-heat your coffee, but also take advantage of the unique opportunity you've been given to build a stronger foundation of knowledge. Use your time wisely. Last, but not least, we graduate brothers who contributed time, or money, or both to the construction of the "new" FIJI house, are keeping an eye on you. "Our" new house is absolutely beautiful... help keep it that way. Take pride in yourself, take pride in your Fraternity, and take care of that beautiful fraternity house at the end of the slant. Malcolm W. MacLeod (1966) Perge! The 2007 pledge class started out the year with a bang and ended in a dud. We had been booted from campus for something we felt was minuscule and sophomoric. At this point, we could’ve taken the low road and sat around, but we chose a different direction. We decided that we didn’t want to accept the decision that had been given to us. We decided to fight an uphill battle, not because we wanted to, but because we thought we had to. We loved FIJI and we loved 130 East High Street. A lot had to change for us to get back on campus. We couldn’t just be a good a class; we had to be a great class. If you meet the class from back to front, I think anyone would be surprised. 10 anyone would be surprised. It truly is a group of men that came from all walks of life and all parts of the United States. For once, the class wasn’t dominated by people from Ohio, which is always nice to see. As a group we all either worked to lobby the House Corps at that time or went a step further and stayed in the house during 2008-2009. The 2007 pledge class graduated in 2010, with FIJI back at 130 East High. I think if you ask anyone from my era, you’ll get great stories about Fiji Island and Tour De Franzia, but the most memorable was recapturing our house and bringing pride back to Oxford. Michael Wagner (2010) \r\nthe unique experience of pledging an active house with no active members, under the leadership of two graduate brothers. Unique is a good word to describe the FIJI experience during those days. We faced the challenge of reconditioning a badly damaged house. And with no active group of undergrads to join, we also faced the challenge of forming a brotherhood from scratch. Sitting in Shriver Center on a fall day in 1991, I opened the Miami Student to find an intriguing ad. Are you searching for something different from the usual Greek experience? Do you believe in friendship, knowledge, service, morality and excellence? If so, we would like to meet you. That ad changed my life. I was a member of Mu Upsilon’s reformation class in 1992. We had I learned a lot through Phi Gamma Delta. I learned that putting in the hard work early always pays off. I learned to accept and appreciate different points of view. I also learned (sometimes the hard way) that no matter how angry you get, you still have to face your brother tomorrow and work through the issues. The patience, humility and tolerance I acquired in the fraternity created a foundation for the success I have experienced in my life. cheese sandwiches one man can eat, and that improving my Euchre skills didn’t lead to an improved GPA. I learned that “art discussion hour” can become “TV hour” very quickly, but spending time together in any way is usually better than spending time apart. Friendship, for me, has been "the sweetest influence." It wasn’t always easy living with 45 other guys. But it was always worth it. Matt Deevers (1994) Aside from those profound lessons, I also learned there are limits to the number of grilled Gallery Not for College Days Alone! September 2016, Door County Wisconsin Mike McGurk (1970), Gerry bird (1970), Tom Forbes (1970), Tim Tilton (1970), Joe Takacs (1970) Whenever a Brother Clasps a Phi Gamma Delta Hand Dan Reehorst (1961), Ted Goble (1968), Mike Bevis (1970) 11 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta Fraternity Mu Upsilon at Miami University 1201 Red Mile Road P.O. Box 4599 Lexington, KY 40544 Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 THE END OF THE SLANT Spring 2017 MU UPSILON CHAPTER AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY 12