Chapter is excelling in its second year

The shield of Phi Kappa Psi will once again hang above the doorway at 729 E. 11th in the fall of 2023.

It started two years ago with a vision for the Oregon Alpha chapter that embraced the best of our history while setting new standards for what it means to be a fraternity in the modern age. A chapter advisory team of twelve brothers was formed, support from the national fraternity and university were secured, and in the fall of 2021, the process of forming the new chapter began.

Starting a fraternity is no easy task. The standards are very high to earn a charter and it often takes two years of work by the undergraduates and alumni advisors to meet all the criteria. Everything has to align in order to turn the vision into a reality.

Fortunately, we had a lot going for us. Our house corporation and chapter advisory team is made up of nearly 20 alumni that are smart, committed, and hard working. Nationals provided us with expansion consultants to kick-start the recruiting and has since helped us hire our current consultant who also happens to live in the house as our resident caretaker.  And, then, there is the fraternity house. The promise of living in one of the most classic structures on campus is a huge recruiting tool. Without it, our job would be so much more difficult.

Our job in year one was to assemble a core group of undergraduate men who shared our values and wanted to be a part of building something new. There is nothing more important than getting this first step right because this is the group we are counting on to rebuild what we know and love. At the end of that year, it was clear we had found a solid group of men who were committed to the vision.

Year two is the second most important year. That core group has to recruit new members, develop leadership skills, and take care of business in the classroom. Our new brothers have demonstrated they are able to grow into those responsibilities and they have earned the trust of the alumni which is very important because the next question all alumni and undergraduates ask is the big one: When can our chapter reoccupy the fraternity house?

The hope has always been that our chapter would be back in the house for the 100th anniversary. That meant making a decision in the fall of 2022 not long after rush was completed and before students have to sign leases for the following school year. The House Corporation and Chapter Advisory Team worked together to assess the financial impact, evaluate the renovation needs, work with the current tenant, and decide if the young chapter was ready for this responsibility.

Late last year, the House Corporation unanimously approved a motion to reoccupy the house in the fall of 2023 assuming all undergraduate members sign housing contracts and pay their deposits this winter. The decision has already energized recruiting for the undergraduates and we know all alumni will be thrilled to see the letters of Phi Kappa Psi back on the front of our house.

While exciting, it’s just the beginning of the work. The chapter needs to continue to build membership and earn the charter. The House Corporation must continue to fund and manage renovations that are essential to creating safe, comfortable student housing. And the Chapter Advisory Team needs to actively support every aspect of chapter development to ensure our success continues.

Support the chapter through your donation

You can also play an important role. A key to our success has been the hiring of an expansion consultant to work with the chapter this year. It’s made a huge difference in recruiting and all the work that goes into getting the charter. We are asking you, the alumni, to help fund the salary and expenses for that position so the house corporation can focus it’s money on the house itself. Please support the Century Club fundraiser so the chapter can continue to grow and thrive on campus.