Delta Revival: Beta Strengths Reemerge at DePauw

When institutions we treasure do well, we assume they're strong and resilient. But we only confirm what they're made of when they run into trouble.

This has been the experience of one of Beta's most venerable chapters during the past three years as it recovers from a proverbial near-death experience and pushes forward with a rebuilding effort driven by its undergraduates, nurtured by its alumni, supported by the general fraternity, and monitored by its university administration.

For generations, the Delta chapter at DePauw University had been a leader--frequently the leader--of one of the Greek world’s most competitive campuses. Its large, active membership and loyal alumni had nurtured a close-knit, high-achieving brotherhood that excelled in academics, leadership, and athletics. Delta was consistently among Beta's strongest chapters.

Unsettling Trends
In recent years, however, Delta had begun to lose its edge. Although it still excelled in campus leadership and attracted viable numbers of new members, the chapter's vital signs were deteriorating. Partying was up--way up. But grades, sports participation, chapter involvement, alumni support, and relations with the national fraternity had all declined.

Among the DePauw officials who had observed the Delta Chapter's slumping trajectory was Cindy Babington, DePauw's interim vice president for student services and dean of students. "The chapter often had good leaders. In fact, I remember a lot of strong Beta presidents," she said. "But the overall membership wasn’t where it needed to be to sustain a really strong chapter."

As Delta floundered, its strengths slowly waned. In the spring of 2004, the Delta class of '54 returned to campus for the fiftieth anniversary of its graduation. The alumni were shaken by what they saw. “The house was filthy, there was a bar in every room, and no one knew any Beta songs,” said Carl "Bud" Wilson II ’54 of Carmel, Indiana, who is chairman emeritus of Bocar Enterprise, Inc.

Wilson began pressing for change. Passionate about Beta, he was aware of the national fraternity’s Men of Principle Initiative. This breakthrough effort in the Greek community has established high standards consistent with the Beta founders’ vision of a constructive, enduring brotherhood. Moreover, it has defined strategies for nurturing chapter performance that combine alumni support, general fraternity resources, and undergraduate leadership enhanced by Men of Principle training for more than 1,400 actives annually.

After the jarring chapter visit, Wilson and more than a dozen of his Delta Chapter contemporaries paid for the participation of 14 Delta undergraduates in Men of Principle programs designed to prepare Betas for leadership in their chapters and beyond. "On a campus where many juniors study abroad and many seniors live off campus, leadership often falls on sophomores who have never lived in the house,” said Wilson. “The training was our gift to the chapter." Wilson’s childhood friend, U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (Denison '54)--an enthusiastic Men of Principle advocate--spoke at a dinner at DePauw recognizing the gift.

Although the investment in the chapter by the class of '54 would have long-term benefits, it did not prove to be a quick fix. After a hazing incident in September 2005, the national fraternity suspended Delta’s charter. Related disciplinary actions included a ban on alcohol in the chapter house. A number of members soon chose to go inactive. The remaining actives began to doubt their ability to recruit new members as a “dry” house on a campus known for its social life. The issue was whether “the patient” could survive the treatment prescribed to save it.

Alumni Answer the Call
The good news was that this crisis fully engaged Delta’s traditional strengths. Building on the efforts of the class of '54, a number of Delta alumni, the national fraternity’s staff, and a select group of undergraduates agreed on a 14-point "workout plan" for Delta. The DePauw administration was a partner in the rehabilitation effort.

The Beta headquarters has a strong team that frequently intervenes with troubled chapters. Soon after the hazing incident, Michael Wolford (Miami '04), Beta's director of operations and education, visited Delta Chapter. He said, "There was a mix of shame for what had happened, frustration for what was probably going to happen, and uncertainty about whether the chapter would stay open."

To accelerate Delta's rebuilding, Dan Hasler '80 formed a broad-based chapter advisory group recommended by the Men of Principle initiative. (See a full listing of advisory board members on our Alumni Board & Undergraduate Officers page.) This team quickly began working with the chapter’s executive committee to address priorities that began with a rededication to Beta’s founding values and stressed improvements in scholarship, pledge education, house maintenance, community involvement, risk management, communications, and much more.

"We relearned the importance of alumni involvement," said Hasler, of Indianapolis, who is vice president of global marketing at the pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and Company. "Consistent with the fraternity’s traditions, we have to build bridges for the young men of Delta to walk across."

Initially, the general fraternity required Delta’s executive committee to submit weekly updates on their workout plan. Then the alumni advisory group took the lead role. Advisors began having one-on-one discussions with Delta’s officers about the chapter's priorities. Each semester, the full advisory board and the chapter's executive committee started sitting down together to evaluate progress and identify key assignments for Delta officers and advisors alike.

Undergraduates Step Up
Then Delta began to exploit an asset that had remained largely intact--leadership. "Looking back, we had our hands in virtually everything, from campus organizations to Relay for Life," said Zach Szilagyi '01, a former president of the Delta Chapter and the DePauw Interfraternity Council. A veteran of the Iraq War, Szilagyi is now a law student at Indiana University in Bloomington.

During the full-blown crisis period in the fall of 2005, Dan Moon '08, of Indianapolis, was a sophomore who had just moved into the house as he began his term as president of the Delta chapter. His administration ran headlong into external sanctions and internal turbulence.

"The hardest thing is to be honest with yourself--and make an honest assessment of what's happened and why," said Moon."As a sophomore president, it was hard to learn that not everyone would agree with you, or even like you.” Moon said that the decisions by more than a dozen Delta Betas to deactivate and leave the chapter were crucial steps in the chapter's revitalization. “They made the right choices--mature choices--that were best for everyone."

After those departures, the core group of undergraduates who remained was free to focus on the chapter's workout plan. "We made progress not by telling people what to do, but by setting examples," continued Moon, a political science major who has filled other chapter leadership roles and now serves as his campus's Interfraternity Council president. "The year was very tenuous. It didn't begin to feel better until we began to see physical improvements in the house, like new study lounges. We could actually see change for the better."

Meanwhile, the advisory board took the lead with certain priorities (including the physical condition of the house) that proved so important to the undergraduates' morale. Tim Weadick '83, the alumni plant management adviser, initiated improvements like a well-appointed study area that replaced the bar-dominated social domain on the first floor. Weadick, of Goshen, Indiana, is president of Maple City Commercial Leasing, Inc. His sons, Mike Weadick '09 and Marshall Weadick '10, have worked closely with their father as Delta's house manager and vice president of physical plant, respectively.

Broad-Based Progress
No single priority was more important during the 2005-'06 school year than new member recruitment--the lifeblood of all Greek organizations. Delta needed growing numbers of young men who wanted to be part of its efforts to change. "We worked nonstop on recruitment," Moon recalled.

During its 2005-'06 rush, Delta overcame some members' wariness about the potential turn-off of their dry house by initiating 14 new members whose grades ranked second on campus. The following year, the chapter initiated a class of 22 that was number-three academically in the pledge rankings. The chapter just pledged 30 more high-potential young men.

Rush success has fueled academic progress. "The single area of greatest improvement has been our commitment to improve our grades," said Delta President Joey Medvescek '09, who was a religious studies major at the time. For the 2006-'07 academic year, the chapter won the coveted award for the most improved grade point average on campus. During the fall 2007 term, Delta's GPA of 3.23 vaulted it to number three among DePauw fraternities--just .11 points from the top. The chapter was recognized once again for most improved GPA.

"Grades are up, recruitment numbers have risen, the quality of the men joining the chapter is better, and the house is clean," said Ethan Braden (Willamette '02), who serves as the Beta district chief for the DePauw and Wabash chapters.

The men of Delta are altering perceptions among rushees, alumni, parents, the DePauw community, and Greencastle neighbors. "We're in the process of 'rebranding' the chapter from a party house to the best of Beta brotherhoods that is committed to academics, athletics, and high principles," emphasized Hasler.

The DePauw administration has closely monitored Delta's journey. "Increased alumni presence was absolutely the most important factor in the progress," said Babington, the senior DePauw student affairs official. "I also believe that the involvement of the national fraternity was important. In addition, the transparency of the process has been critical. The fact that the Betas have had frank, open conversations with me in the room has made a big difference."

Taking progressively more responsibility for their chapter’s destiny, the Delta undergraduates have set high goals:

- Further elevate the chapter's GPA
- Consistently pledge large numbers of men who are attracted to the Men of Principle philosophy
- Refine a pledge program that exceeds university and Beta standards
- Implement disciplined approaches to financial operations, house maintenance, and risk management
- Maintain Delta’s strong role in campus affairs and philanthropic activities
- Maximize the chapter’s representation in the general fraternity’s Men of Principle leadership programs

As Delta moves forward, the active members continue to receive strong support from Faculty Counselor Adam Cohen, who also serves as DePauw’s swimming coach. "We're very fortunate that Adam has been a big part of Beta life on our campus," said Hasler.

Delta’s alumni advisory board also reestablished another strong presence in the chapter’s day-to-day operations by hiring Lin Bunnell to fill the role of house mom. A Greencastle native, Bunnell had worked most recently as a cook at for the university’s chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

"The Betas hadn’t had a housemother for a number of years, and I was a little concerned that they weren’t looking forward to having additional supervision," Bunnell said. "But that wasn’t the case. The brothers are polite and helpful. They’ve made me feel welcome. And I want them to feel that Beta is their home--even if their real homes are miles away."

Hasler added, "Lin is a wonderful person who's had an incredible impact on our men. They love having Lin as their mom."

Positioned for a Renaissance
Looking ahead, the Delta alumni advisory board is preparing for a long-range planning discussion that will consider what Delta undergraduates need to solidify and sustain a place at the top of DePauw’s Greek system. One of the advisory board members involved in this effort is Philip N. Eskew Jr. '63, of Carmel, Indiana, who recently retired as a physician and director of patient relations at St. Vincent Hospital and also serves as a trustee of Indiana University.

"I have been so impressed with the rededication, participation, and commitment that these young men have shown," said Eskew. "They’ve worked together to succeed in all areas of chapter life. And, above all, they've succeeded despite being the only dry house on campus. For all those reasons, we need to determine how we can best support the active chapter and the men who will follow them."

Indeed, the Delta actives are working hard to prove they can consistently fulfill the Men of Principle essentials--lifelong friendship, cultivation of the intellect, responsible leadership, responsible social conduct, and commitment to humanity. As the DePauw Chapter pursues the Beta values, it faces challenges that are common throughout the Greek world, including intense competition for students' time and commitment, deep skepticism among influential campus constituencies, and the dominance of second-semester rush that results in compressed "three-year generations" of chapter membership and leadership.

But the chapter’s strengths are fully engaged--and its vital signs are robust. "I believe Delta can become the exemplary collegiate fraternal society at DePauw and beyond if young men there remain committed to the changes that are taking place throughout the chapter," said District Chief Braden, who worked with 80 Beta chapters during his three years with the Beta Theta Pi Foundation and administrative office.

Reflecting on Delta’s potential to resume its traditional leadership role at DePauw, Hasler again stressed the importance of alumni involvement. "Delta chapter has a long history of great alumni--brothers who have gone on to do great things in their careers and their communities," he said. "Many of the skills and relationships that energized that success were forged when we were Beta actives. Today, all of us who’ve gotten so much out of Delta chapter can contribute to ensuring that the next generation of 'Men of Principle' are indeed being developed at 415 Anderson Street in Greencastle."

Chapter President Medvescek outlined his vision of reviving the chapter’s tradition consistent excellence in a contemporary campus environment: "What I see in the years ahead is a house that’s truly unified," he said. "For that to happen, our house must stand on a solid foundation of principles and brotherhood. I hope to see this house take a stand on how fraternities should be run and, especially, on how they can make a positive impact not just on their members but also on the campus and the community."

Three years ago, Delta was on the razor’s edge of possible closure. But the recent time of troubles has confirmed the strengths that have made it a potent force in the lives of more than 2,000 young men over more than 150 years. Beta’s future at DePauw University looks brighter than it has in a long time.


 

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