January 11, 2021
Delta Chi Michigan Chapter Life during COVID-19 – Winter 2021
Hello Alumni and Current Brothers of the University of Michigan Chapter of Delta Chi Fraternity. As reported in previous E-Delts, the constant this academic year of 2020/2021 is CHANGE. This trend continues on for the winter semester. For most of us, the semester traditionally started shortly after the M Bowl game on January 1 – usually in some warm place. This year there was NO bowl game and the semester will not start until January 19, 2021 in good old cold and snowy Ann Arbor. The snow is really not here yet but it is coming – some things do not change!
As we start the new semester, we will have a “full” house with 34 actives at 1705 Hill. All of the 31 members from last semester are expected back and we will add three new members. With the most U of M residence halls “kicking” people out almost literally, it was fairly easy to fill the openings from last term. The members will come back to a different set of requirements for living on campus (even if they are not living in the University residences). There will be mandatory testing on a weekly basis for all living on campus. In addition, the student must have a negative test before returning to campus.
Another tradition that will go the way of the dodo bird – there will not be any “spring break” – no road trip to somewhere warm like many of us used to do. The semester will run straight through to finals in the middle of April. Also, the very popular “overseas study program” that many recent Brothers have participated in the last few years – those are also cancelled this year due to COVID-19.
The current Chapter has learned to adapt, modify and persevere even more than many of us endured. The uncertainty of COVID-19 has “stolen” a lot from their college experience in the Fraternity (whereas some of older Brothers just had to worry about stealing composites from sororities). Things we all took for granted are just not there to enjoy – intramural sports, TGIF parties, the Village Bell (although there is an incarnation of the Pretzel Bell on Main Street that is pretty good if the Governor lets them reopen). One thing they still have is RUSH (which some saw as a burden and others enjoyed meeting new future members and just maybe the partying that often went with Rush).
As previously reported – there were 27 Associate Members for Fall Rush but they need to find additional Associate Members to fill the capacity of the house next fall. If they fall short on the numbers then some of the current Members will be required to live another year in the house rather than venture out to the “Junior” or “Senior” houses that Delta Chis have been renting for several years. There are 20 leases fully executed for next school year and seven still “under construction” with some further along than others. We MUST have 34 in the house next fall.
On another important note, the process for seeking the renewal on the mortgage has recently begun. As some may remember – the Delta Chi Alumni Corporation took out a $2.6M mortgage to help finance the new Chapter House in 2016. This mortgage was a five-year note with payments on principal and interest (well much more interest than principal). Time flies when you are having fun and the mortgage ends in December of 2021 – so it seems we must have had a lot of fun prior to COVID-19. We have paid enough payments on time that our current lender seems interested in renewing the mortgage. This is a GOOD THING for a couple of reasons. First, we do NOT have $2.3M in cash to pay off the balloon payment and second, interest rates are at historical lows right now. We will continue to offer updates on this process as we continue into the spring.
We want to once again commend all of the Brothers who contributed monetarily for the new Chapter House at 1705 Hill Street. This has been a tremendous investment in the future of the Delta Chi Chapter on the University of Michigan campus. We also say congratulations to the current Brothers who are carrying on as many as they can of the traditions that came before COVID-19 and they continue to be the largest chapter on campus.
