THE END OF THE SLANT Spring 2016 - MIAMI UNIVERSITY - PHI GAMMA DEL- End of Slant By: Alex Cazorla (2017) October 3rd, 2016 marked a profound day for the brothers of Mu Upsilon. The chain-link fence surrounding the chapter house was taken down, and the construction crew packed up their gear and left. Two years after the traumatic fire at 130 East High St., the aggregated efforts of the brothers of Mu Upsilon came to fruition. The Fiji house was finally finished. We were once again able to call the corner of Campus and High St. our home. As I glimpsed upon the façade of the newly renovated Fiji house, I saw undergraduates and graduated brothers conversing on the front porch, recounting stories of the old days, talking about the future, and sharing a vast amount of laughs on what is now officially “Fiji Day” as mandated by the city of Oxford. I thought to myself, “man, this truly is brotherhood”. I recounted a conversation during my pledge semester with a revered graduate brother, Alex Blythe (2015) in which he told me “130 East High Street, is more than a house, it was our home. It’s a place where our collective efforts to be upstanding gentleman begins, it’s the key to our success, it’s the lifeblood of this chapter”. Alex’s passion has resonated with me for the rest of my years as a member of Fiji. I am proud to say that thanks to the outstanding effort of our undergraduate and graduate brothers alike, the Fiji house stands pristinely at the end of slant walk once again. Although the restoration of the chapter house was an immense milestone for Mu Upsilon, we did not waste time getting caught up in the present, and instead looked into the future. After all, it is not about where one has been, but where they are Caption Goes Here headed. Chapter Officers – President Ben Hicks (2017), Treasurer Sam Hicks (2017), Recording Secretary Billy Bauder (2018), Historian Jordan Cook (2016), and me, Corresponding Secretary Alex Cazorla (2017), looked forward with friendship, knowledge, service, morality and excellence in mind. It was very apparent that the brothers of Mu Upsilon were succeeding to the highest levels on all fronts, yet the spirit of persistence engrained in every Fiji brother led us to strive even further for success. Chapter officers and Purple Legion(Continued on page 2) Inside this Issue UPDATE FROM THE PURPLE LEGIONNAIRE 3 130 EAST HIGH STREET RENAISSANCE 4 THE TOP OF THE HEAP IS AT THE TOP OF THE HILL 5 PHOTO GALLERY 7 \r\nTHE END OF THE SLANT naire, Allan Payne (1968) gathered to discuss the processes needed for success on all fronts for undergrads. After many meetings, and much deliberation, the “Mu Upsilon Business Model” came into fruition. Its purpose was to create a support system for all members of the Royal Purple via a board chapter advisors, each with a niche role to cater to the specific needs of each brother. The chapter advisory board is composed of five advisors dedicated to servant leadership. Purple legionnaire, Allan Payne (1968) handles the day-to-day occurrences of the chapter. Allan has successfully overseen the whole rebuild of the chapter house, and has already left an immense impact on the dynasty of the Royal Purple. Dick Hutchinson (1969), acts as facilities manager to handle general upkeep of the chapter house. Academic advisor Rocco Manzo (Rocco was elected academic advisor of the year at Miami University during 2015) has created furthered an academically oriented mindset throughout the whole chapter, contributing to an outstanding cumulative chapter GPA that is still on the the rise. Newly added “life coach” Jim Menninger, serves as an advisor to help each brother of Mu Upsilon effectively manage any personal qualms that may need to be solved. An effective “jack of all trades”, Menninger has serves as an on-call coach to help the brothers of Mu Upsilon tackle big issues ranging from career planning to personal conflict resolution. The future is bright for the brothers of Mu Upsilon. Equipped with all of the tools necessary for success, it is inevitable that Fiji maintain the reputation as the most outstanding chapter on campus at Miami University New Year, New Brothers Alex Cazorla (2017) Every year a new generation of brothers to is recruited to carry on the Fiji legacy. This year however, is special. It marks the first year the Fiji brothers will be in the new house. When the old chapter house burned down, countless years of rich history were lost, but we continued moving forward, counting down the days until the new house opened up. As we welcome in our new generation of brothers, we turn the page on a new era at Miami University. The 2016 pledge class consists of a diverse group of gentleman with many different talents. They come from all over the country, from Pacific Grove, California to Boston, Massachusetts and all the way down to Houston, Texas. The wide range of hometowns allows them to contribute to the community and carry on the tradition of brotherhood passed on by current and past Fijis. They possess a multitude of skills, having Page 2 \r\nSpring 2016 New Year, New Brothers Cont... starters on the basketball and hockey intramural championship teams, multiple high school state championships, and even a brother, Jake Salerno, who created his own start up company. front doors of 130 East High St. during Rush week until the day they were initiated, they were a part of something truly special by christening the new house that we are all so proud to call our home. “We are so privileged to be able to pledge in this unbelievable house for the best fraternity on campus. I couldn’t be happier with the decision to rush Fiji and I will always be indebted to the actives, alumni, and donors for providing me with such an incredible experience.” -Quinn Sullivan ‘19 Each year brings new opportunities and new members. Years of traditions and history are passed on to a new group of young men with the hope that it will carry on into the future. From the moment each young man walked through the Caption Goes Here The President’s Gavel: A Mu Upsilon Tradition Long Ago Cory Foster (1967) I was elected President of the Mu Upsilon Chapter during the spring term of my junior year (196566) and served until the conclusion of rush in my senior year (1966-67). It was in that rush in the spring term of 1967 that we successfully pledged the largest pledge class the House had ever seen to that time. That Class of 1970 was really instrumental in pushing the House into a new era – providing some measure of financial strength by increasing the size of the House and by being themselves in leadership during the “Spring of 1970.” Those were exciting times for me personally: as President my junior-to-senior year, as Rush Chairman for that pivotal class, and coming back to Miami in the fall of 1969 to teach in Systems Analysis (with Brother Joe Takacs ’70 as my student grader). Those were the days of anti-war protests, student strikes, Kent State, the closing of Miami, increased experimentation with drugs, increased living off campus, and reduced interest in Greek life. Getting through that period and the several years that followed were critical for our Chapter. During that term as President and then President+Rush Chairman, we had a lot of meetings. We had lively debates about whether or not to let the House grow well beyond the capacity at 130 E. High. We had lively discussions about the financial picture of the Chapter, one of the things leading us to consider expanding beyond our ability to house everyone who might want to live in the House. We had lively discussions about the rushees as we moved to build that hoped-for large pledge class. One of the things that always helped the President exert some decorum during those discussions was the Chapter’s gavel. The rapping of the gavel seemed to be able to cut through even the most contentious arguments, err discussions, to restore some semblance of order. Page 3 \r\nTHE END OF THE SLANT The permanent gavel that was used by the President during those meetings, whether formal or informal, was inscribed with the founding date of the Chapter and the Phi Gamma Delta crest. When my term was completed, I was proud to turn the Chapter’s gavel over to Brother Tom Simons ’68, who had been elected President for the 1967-to-1968 term. The tradition then was for the outgoing President to be presented with a gavel inscribed with Phi Gamma Delta, Mu Upsilon Chapter, President, my name, and the term of office. I think that presentation was made to me at Pig Dinner later in the spring. I kept that memento for the intervening 48 years, until Brother Allan Payne ’69 put out a call for memorabilia to be placed into some display area in the new House. I offered to donate my President’s gavel as something from the old Chapter House, but I also hoped that it might rekindle one of the old Chapter traditions. I know that year as Chapter President was one of the most valuable in my life to that point. As I began my career which went back and forth between corporate America and returning to teach at Miami, my experiences in team building, reaching consensus on contentious issues, planning, dealing with different behavioral and leadership styles, expressing myself, and formal reporting to higher authorities continuously served me well. There’s no doubt that I took away from that year much more than any contribution that I might have made. I’m guessing that most Mu Upsilon Presidents have felt exactly the same. Being President of the House is a lot like a fulltime job with no set hours, but on call 24/7. Recognition in the form of the President’s gavel is a small token that says, “Thanks from a Grateful Chapter.” I hope that the tradition of the President’s gavel can once again take its place in the Chapter’s culture and practices. A Letter from the Purple Legionnaire Brothers: I want you to know what a pleasure it has been the last 3 years working with the leadership of Phi Gamma Delta at Miami. The last 3 leadership teams have been bright, mature, and motivated. We have a cadre of professionals around our chapter as key advisors. They are: • Rocco Manzo – Academic Advisor • Jim Menninger – “Life Coach” • Jim O’Donnell – Outside Facilities Manager • Allan Payne – Purple Legionnaire • Dick Hutchinson – Grad Financial Advisor • George Simonds – Financial Analyst, Payables/Receivables We are committed and close to the action. I am only 40 minutes away from Oxford and on campus at least once per week. Jim Menninger is on campus 2-3 days per week, and Jim O’Donnell is there up to 3 days per week. Page 4 \r\nSpring 2016 We have had 4 ½ days of leadership training with the leadership team since February of 2015. Our focus has been: VISION, ALIGNMENT, and EXECUTION, the front, middle and back-end of leading and managing people. Our tagline for our chapter is “A Culture of Accountability”. We are incorporating our 5 Fiji Values of: • Friendship -- We are united by FRIENDSHIP. It is the basis of our brotherhood. Because of it we accomplish far more than we do as individuals. Friendship is the sweetest influence. • Knowledge -- We promote the pursuit of KNOWLEDGE. It is the key to a fuller, richer life. We gain it through education, the harmonious development of the powers of the individual. • Service -- We encourage SERVICE. We have the ability, the opportunity, and the duty to serve our fellow human beings. Our reward is the satisfaction that comes from serving. • Morality -- We believe in MORALITY. As gentlemen of quality we must do what is right as individuals and as a group. Moral behavior is the basis of society’s existence. • Excellence -- We strive for EXCELLENCE. It is attained only when we fulfill our total potential. Mankind benefits when each of us becomes all that we can be. These themes are driving everything we do in order to create our vision of chapter excellence. We are committed to making Phi Gamma Delta at Miami live up to its stated vision, values, and goals. Allan Payne, Purple Legionnaire Perge! The “Fiji Cup” Steve Gertz (1967) Reason for Being: The “Steve Gertz Fiji Cup” shall be presented annually to the graduating Phi Gamma Delta active brother enrolled at Miami University who best embodies the convergent values of the fraternity and the niversity, including scholastic achievement, community/university engagement, a tradition of excellence and brotherhood. The essence of the “Cup” is to recognize a brother who participates in a multi-faceted way in the affairs of the chapter and the university. The “Cup” shall reside in the Miami Fiji House safe from harm. A plaque commemorating the annual awardees shall accompany the “Cup”. A selection committee including the then serving Purple Legionnaire, House Committee chair and President of the chapter shall be responsible for selecting the deserving recipient, after the committee obtains feedback from 75% of the active chapter brothers. Brief History: The “Fiji Cup” itself was created in 1967 for Steve Gertz while a student at Miami, by a college paramour and has survived a checkered history of its own throughout the last nearly 50 years. It held a position of prominence within the Chapter House while brother Gertz lived there from 1964-1967. Often, as well, it could be seen at “The Q”, a pool establishment adjacent to the house in those years, where brother Gertz worked, shot pool and held Page 5 \r\nTHE END OF THE SLANT court six nights a week, “Cup” in hand. In fact, legend has it that brother Gertz, while playing pool one night at The Q against Willie Mosconi, one of the most famous pool players in history, drank from the “Cup” during their match and proceeded to run ten tables before Willie got his first shot. Of such moments is “Cup” history defined. Until its recent re-emergence, the “Cup” had been secreted in various concealed locations around the world in the dark and dust-filled basements of time. And among the past transgressions against the “Cup”, during the time of brother Gertz’s tenure at Miami, the “Cup” was stolen by the Beta’s and held hostage for a year. It was later recovered during a surreptitious raid on the Beta house and restored to the chapter and ensconced under lock and key within the Miami Fiji House. Moreover, while being used as a lacrosse ball during a catch, the “Cup” sustained fatal damage, resulting in its inability to hold liquid without leaking, forcing its retirement as a useful drinking vessel. After brother Gertz’s graduation the “Cup” then endured its global odyssey, until now. As a result of the Fiji House fire, and its subsequent rise as a Phoenix from the ashes, the “Cup” now becomes part and parcel of the lore of the Miami Fijis and will occupy its rightful place in the Miami Fiji House for time immemorial, as both a remembrance of brothers and events past and as a beacon for Miami Fiji brothers to come. Perge! A Letter from the President Mu Upsilon brothers, It is my pleasure to write you this letter from our restored and ameliorated home at 130 E High Street. The house is the tangible product of the efforts and contributions of both undergraduate and graduate brothers, whose continued and evident care for the chapter even after graduation is a testament to how special this chapter is as well as to the strength of our brotherhood. The first half of spring semester has been an eventful one for Miami’s FIJIs: we reinstituted an in-house meal plan for the first time in years, donated $2,000 to leukemia and lymphoma, and just recently won both intramural hockey and basketball championships. Additionally, despite the turbulent climate afflicting Miami’s Greek Life, unlike what seems like the majority of chapters, the FIJI brothers avoided embroilment and were found not responsible for any and all issues that surfaced among fraternities. Moving forward, the brothers are excited for the last half of the semester and hope to see everyone at Pig Dinner. Fraternally, Ben Hicks (XXXX) Chapter President Perge! Page 6 \r\nGallery Left to Right: Drew Musser (2018), Drew Deleo (2018), Clark Currier (2018) Allan Molina (1980), Matt Molina (2019) Left to Right: Alex Cazorla (2017), Ryan Cramer (2017), Kevin Vantine (2017) Spring 2016 Left to Right: David Nelson (2016), Andrew Karle (2016), Reed Schlesner (2016), Drake Powers (2016) Caption Goes Here Left to Right: Brennan Jackson (2016), Mark Bennett (2016), Drew Musser (2018), Jordan Cook (2016) Page 7 \r\nNonprofit Org US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity Mu Upsilon at Miami University 1201 Red Mile Road P.O. Box 4599 Lexington, KY 40544 THE END OF THE SLANT Spring 2016 MU UPSILON CHAPTER AT MIAMI UNIVERSITY MAKE YOURSELF IMMORTAL! Phi Gamma Delta is teaming up with Donate Life to increase the number of organ donors across North America. This joint venture is called the Immortal Phi Gam project. There are more than 125,000 people waiting for an organ transplant in the United States and Canada, with approximately 150 names added to the waiting list every day. About 79 organ transplants take place every day, but sadly, approximately 22 people die every day because they did not receive an organ in time. The good news is that together Phi Gams can make a tremendous difference. One organ donor can save or improve the lives of up to 50 other people! Making yourself immortal is an easy 3-step process. 1. Go to www.phigam.org/immortalphigam and register at the bottom of the web page. 2. Click on the link on the same web page that will take you to Donate Life’s map page. Click on the state or province where you are licensed to drive or live and register to become an organ donor. This step is unnecessary if your driver’s license in the U.S. or insurance card in Canada already shows that you are an organ donor, but register again if you are uncertain. 3. Tell your parents, spouse, family members, and loved ones that you want to donate your organs when you die. If you are already a registered donor through your state or province, please register with the Fraternity as well at www.phigam.org/immortalphigam to help track the number of brothers who have made this life-saving decision.