Theta-Upsilon Chapter History: Parts V & VI

V. Resurgence and Growth Leads to Decision to Move to East Withrow
 

March 1979 Issue was the first of
two times that the chapter was 
highlighted on the cover of he The Caduceus.

By 1979 the chapter had become a major part of Miami’s Greek system, providing many leaders in IFC and other student organizations  and sponsoring many campus philanthropy events like the Turkey Trot, College Bowl, Beer Chug, dance marathons and other events. Brother Jim Velo ’78 won the campus-elected position of VP for Campus Activities, a post that organizes concerts and other social events for the entire campus. Prior to that he served as the Chapter’s Social Chair and was responsible for securing parties with the largest and most popular sororities of that time. Grand Master, Thomas Queen ’77 organized the President’s Charter Day Ball working with President, Phillip R. Shriver. 
 
The chapter was making strides to become more in the mainstream of university life and the chapter’s success was highlighted in a cover story in The Caduceus in March 1979  written by Thomas Queen ’77.  This would be the first of two times Theta-Upsilon would be featured on the cover of the national magazine.
 
The chapter was once again initiating large numbers of new members each year and it became clear that space limitation of 111 East Spring Street chapter house which could house less than 30 members was limiting the potential to grow. The members also wanted to locate on one of Miami’s two main fraternity rows for better visibility and easier access to Miami University facilities.
 
Exploring several options, the Theta-Upsilon Housing Company eventually negotiated an agreement on May 15, 1982 with the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity to purchase the current facilities at 404 East Withrow. Jeff Maxwell ’74, the Secretary of the Housing Company signed the deal that also included selling the 111 East Spring Street property to AEP which they used for several years. However, many of the members of the AEP Fraternity were not happy with the decision to move from Withrow Avenue and left the property in a bad condition.  Members of the chapter worked hard during the summer to clean the facility and make improvements including painting all the interior walls, building a new deck, removing a parking lot to create the grass front yard facing Talawanda.       
 
VI. 1980’s: Establishing Foundations for Greater Success
 
Updating the facility was a drain financially and consumed most of the attention of members at first. Once it was complete the leaders of the 80’s set to work on realizing the promise of the larger, better located chapter house.  Grand Master, David Ledman ’81 focused attention on getting all members engaged in committees and the work to support the life of the chapter. Grand Masters Patrick O’Brien’82  and James Buckley’83 focused attention on the need for rushing “quality” members.  Grand Masters Wes Bren ’85, Richard Cuneo ’85 and Larry Rosinski ’86 focused attention on the need to develop relationships with key stakeholders like Alumni (holding a 20th Anniversary Celebration event and restarting the Kappa Signal-the chapter’s newsletter to Alumni), sororities, IFC, University Administrators, National headquarters and even neighbors (inviting them to cookouts and providing them with officer contact information).  Traditions such as the “giving away” of a fraternity pin to a girlfriend and the Kappa Sigma Song Book serenade were restarted.
 
It was at this time that the Ohio legal drinking age for beer was raised from 19 to 21 and the large open parties of the past were discontinued because of potential legal problems and replaced with more creative, invite-only, themed events like the Alcatraz Party which included renting a massive search light to light up the Oxford night sky.
 
This pursuit of improving University relations led members to ask Dr. Bruce Perry, a professor of Science Education to become the new faculty advisor in the spring of 1988.  The relationship strengthened and the chapter invited Dr. Perry to become a member the following year. He was initiated in 1989 and his work as a faculty advisor was instrumental in the success achieved by the chapter during the next decade. 
 
Another key development in the growing health of the chapter was Lou Antonelli ’81 joining the Housing Company as the new treasurer, a volunteer post he held for 20 years!  In that role, Lou partnered with the chapter to help fund facility improvements and shrewdly manage the cash flow.  It was under his term, that the mortgage was paid off. 
 
During the 80s and the 90’s, members of the chapter continued to make improvements to the grounds and rooms during pledge projects, summer work sessions and other times of the year often funding the work with money from their dues. Tony Nasser ’85 painted the crest and badge murals that remain in the stairwells to this day. Members in the 90’s constructed two large, new decks on the front of “Shoe Box” and the back of the “Stone House” and updated many of the rooms and furnishings.