President's Update – December 2020

December 22, 2020 · Tom McSwiggan

Brothers,

I hope this finds you and your loved ones healthy. As you are all aware, we have been making good progress renovating the Fraternity House over the past few years - The condition and functionality of the house is far better today than ever before. This renovation has only been possible due to the passion and generosity of the Eta Iota alumni. This past year, we took on the enormous task of replacing the deteriorated waste and feed lines under the slab which included jackhammering concrete to access the plumbing. The new plumbing under the main house has been replaced and has been fully functional throughout the fall semester. In total, 9 bathrooms were gutted and are currently being reassembled. Along with the bathroom and plumbing renovation, we are also renovating the 9 corresponding apartments. The renovation plan has been to do top-quality work to ensure that the Sigma Chi, Eta Iota house and chapter will live on in perpetuity - something that Eta Iota alumni understand.

Unfortunately, the most recent pledge classes have not shown the same adoration for the Fraternity House as is noted in these pictures.The alumni have always held the chapter and house in high-esteem but as you will see from the attached pictures, there has been a sharp increase in malicious damage to the house as well as a blatant lack of care by many undergraduates (and a few younger alumni). Although the semester was short this fall due to Covid, the amount of damage was extreme. These behavioral problems can no longer go unchecked.

During the renovation we installed a new Carriage House shingle roof at a cost of over $100K and low-e, tinted, hurricane windows at a cost of approximately $50K. In addition, almost every door on the house is new within the past 3 years. The pictures detail damage such as a crushed roof vent, damaged doors and broken door jambs and crap thrown on a new window. You will also note stains from eggs thrown on the new roof, doors and various walls of the house. Upon leaving for the semester break, brothers left 7 or 8 large garbage cans full and overflowing causing an unbelievable stench with beer cans and other trash abound. The laziness factor has gotten to the point that brothers take the garbage from their room and put it outside their doors in the hope that it will magically disappear along with intentionally throwing beer cans and bottles on the front lawn. You will also note: broken lights that were recently installed, meat left to rot in the sun, the new study room ceiling damaged and a chunk taken out of a new front column.

During house corporation meetings or in discussions with alumni, undergrads often make dramatic  speeches and impassioned pleas with a list of demands for the house corporation… we want, we need, give us…or inevitably we are doing something unsatisfactorily. The truth is that at Eta Iota and other chapters, the damage, the lack of care and other issues come directly from the undergraduates themselves and it costs house corporations a fortune to repair. For example: my door doesn’t lock. True, because you broke the door jamb! 

When I think about this issue, what comes to mind is the saying: If you receive something without working for it, you won’t know how to value or maintain it. Could it be that the reason the house is held in high-regard by the older alumni is due to the fact that they had to work so hard to purchase it (and found the chapter)? Could it be that today’s shorter pledge periods are not long enough to properly vet or train the new brothers? Young brothers need guidance and oversight from those that came before them.

It is impossible to put into words the type of time, effort and money that has gone into this project to ensure that the current brothers and future generations of Sigs can have a respectable place to call home. Admittedly, this pronouncement puts the house corporation in the difficult position. We cannot ask alumni for further donations until this issue is taken care of otherwise we are just subsidizing bad behavior and bad policy.

To finish, I fully understand that there will always be incidental damage at a Fraternity house. I am also not looking for a totally sterile atmosphere. I want the brothers to have fun but anyone thinking that malicious damage to the Fraternity house is fun needs their head examined. I have two business associates that have large rental apartments that rent to students. In discussions, they both make it known that if the students damage the property, they will pay dearly- they don’t tolerate it. This is made clear from the signing of the lease. This has worked out very well for my associates and it has worked at other Sigma Chi chapters. Why does Sigma Chi and Eta Iota have these behavioral issues? Because we tolerate them. As the owners of the house, it is time for the Eta Iota alumni to put their foot down and stop tolerating stupidity - full stop.

The chapter will be back billed for the damage and new rules and policies put in place to prevent future occurrences.  I would like input from alumni in regard to this matter. 

Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year to all!

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