January, 2003

Dear Alumni Brothers,

The past year has been an exciting one for Delta Sigma Phi. We have been able to truly show the Greek community and campus at WMU what a real fraternity should look and act like.

At the end of last year, we won the University's Standards of Excellence Award. In addition to that, we also won 2nd place in the Greek Week competition, and saw our outgoing president, John Knowles, bring home the Greek Man of the Year Award.

Coming off that high, we began the fall semester with the intent to not only keep up our outstanding activities, but improve upon them with more community service and enhance grades and social activities. We also set the goal of eliminating any and all debt that the undergraduate chapter owed to the National Headquarters.

Beginning in Fall 2002 we set a goal to achieve 1500 hours of community service for the year, and we are well on our way to accomplishing this goal. We have also established for the first time in recent years a functional scholarship program, and have begun building a test file to aid brothers in need of academic assistance.

I am also very pleased to report that again for the first time in recent history, the undergraduate chapter has become debt free, clearing all of our outstanding debt with the National Headquarters. Two years ago we owed about $12,000 dollars. Today we have a working budget with over $300 in excess cash. It may not seem like much, but it truly is a stepping stone to a new and healthy chapter in the story of Beta Tau's history.

Our recruitment for the Fall 2002 semester was disappointing to some, with only six new members being initiated. However, we had 100% retention and each new brother thus far has proven to be a model for how many of us should act. Each has done more than their fair share of community service and participation in house events, as well as paid off all dues in a timely manner, helping to ensure that the chapter can stay out of the debt that it has cleared itself of.

In other news, we have moved our elections from the end of the academic year (March) to the end of the calendar year (December). This new election period ensures a longer and more proper transition period. This will guarantee that the new chapter executive board can be properly transitioned and given the tools needed to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.

This past year was an eventful and successful one for Beta Tau chapter. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at Parents'/Alumni Day and our 55th Homecoming Anniversary.

YITBOS,
Joe Yanos
Undergraduate Chapter President