November 2011
______________________________________________________________________________
- Cover Story - President and Rising Stars Academy
- Feature Article - Saying Goodbye to Brothers is Difficult to Do
- Where's the Flag
- Theta Xi Colonizes at Kappa Phi
- Make the Switch to OmegaFi
- Connect with Theta Xi on Facebook and Twitter
- Get Your Theta Xi T-Shirts
- Alpha Beta Honors a Fallen Member
- Beta Alpha Featured On ACC Network
- Save the Date for 2012 NDLA's
- Gamma Kappa and Beta Upsilon Success Stories
- Important Tax Information - FAQ 990
- Report Your Officers and Prepare Your House for the Winter
Register For 2012 Leadership Academies!
Presidents Academy
(January 13-16, 2012)
In its 13th year, Presidents Academy is an intensive weekend of leadership training for Chapter Presidents. This academy is an exciting and interactive program that enables each chapter president to improve his personal skills and chapter operations by joining with his peers from across the country for a high quality leadership and educational weekend that includes small group interaction, outdoor leadership experience and quality interaction with recent past presidents (peer facilitators) and alumni volunteers.
Past attendees consistently rank Presidents Academy as one of the highlights of their undergraduate Fraternity experience. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this unique and engaging program! Incoming or current chapter Presidents are the only members eligible to attend the Presidents Academy. The small registration fee covers all on-site expenses. Travel to St. Louis, where the Academy is held, is each president’s responsibility. In many cases, chapters and/or alumni associations provide financial support for travel expenses.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PRESIDENTS ACADEMY CLICK HERE
TO REGISTER CLICK HERE
Rising Stars Academy
(January 13-16, 2012)
This academy is for first-year initiates (men initiated in 2011) and runs concurrent with the Presidents Academy. The
Rising Stars Academy concentrates on providing attendees an opportunity
to assess and develop their leadership styles and skills, in an
interactive and experiential setting.
Along with new members from across the country, they gather ideas they can take back to strengthen their chapters in the areas of recruitment, membership education and overall operations. In addition, team building skills are strengthened by accomplishing tasks presented on an exciting outdoor leadership challenge course.
This is a can’t miss event so identify a new initiate whom you feel is your emerging leader and make plans to get him to Rising Stars Academy today! There is a small registration fee per man but Theta Xi Foundation will pay the on-site expenses of one person per chapter/colony. Additional Rising Stars attendees are encouraged at a reasonable registration fee. All attendees provide for their own travel to St. Louis. In many cases, chapters and/or alumni associations provide financial support for travel expenses.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RISING STARS ACADEMY CLICK HERE
TO REGISTER CLICK HERE
REMEMBER TWO THINGS!!!
1) Participants at both of these academies consistently rate them as the single best Fraternity activity they experience during their college career!
2) Participation in both events are required for achieving the Chapter Operations Standard for the Annual Accreditation Process.
CONGRATULATIONS TO RISEN STARS!
Congratulations are in order as well to those brothers selected as the 2012 “Risen Stars!” The following brothers have been chosen to serve as peer facilitators at the upcoming Presidents Academy: Alec Edwards (Kappa Theta), DJ Greenberg (Gamma Phi), James Kiefer (Beta Omega), Zac Knodell (Mu), David Mangold (Alpha Zeta) and Nick Wright (Alpha Nu). Each year six past presidents are chosen to serve as peer facilitators for the new presidents at the Academy. These men completed applications, wrote essays, provided references, and participated in a phone interview – CONGRATULATIONS to these leaders!
Theta Xi Headquarters is pleased to announce an unbelievable deal on Theta Xi T-shirts for your entire chapter. They can be used for recruitment, special events, promotion and more!
You will not beat this price - $4 per shirt - which includes shipping directly to your chapter!
Minimum order is ten t-shirts, available while supplies last, in both L and XL sizes. Orders will only be taken as a chapter and not individually but will be available for sale individually beginning at the Presidents and Rising Stars Academies.
Place your order today by contacting Theta Xi Headquarters at 1-800-783-6294 or via email at txhq@thetaxi.org
<back to top>
___________________________________________________________________________
Sometimes Saying Goodbye is the Greatest Act of BrotherhoodOne of the most difficult decisions a chapter has to make is the removal of a brother from the bonds.
The majority of the time, the reason for the removal of a brother comes down to the inability to meet the financial demands of fraternity life.
FRMT publishes a regular newsletter and recently they featured a very interesting article on just this subject. It was written by T.J. Sullivan, who is the CEO of CAMPUSPEAK and one of the leaders in the field of Greek Life education. We encourage you to read his interesting take on a very difficult chapter decision.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
<back to top>
______________________________________________________________________________
Where's The Theta Xi Flag?
Follow the Theta Xi flag this semester as it makes its way from chapter to chapter across the country!
This fall, Theta Xi Headquarters signed a Theta Xi flag and sent it on its quest - a journey from chapter to chapter in chartering order - starting with Alpha Chapter. So far the flag has traveled 1,706 miles!
Each chapter has been asked to sign the flag, take photos with it in front of their house, on campus, and in town and then send it to the next chapter on the roll. You can follow the progress of the flag on Facebook and Twitter.
Also you can view photos of the flag HERE on our Facebook page.
The photo to the right is Gamma Chapter members in front of One World Trade Center (aka The Freedom Tower).
Let's see if we can bond together and have the flag hit every single chapter!
<back to top>
______________________________________________________________________________
OmegaFi - Remember To Make The Switch!
In the Spring of 2011, Theta Xi Fraternity entered into an agreement with Omega Financial to provide billing and financial services for all undergraduate chapters beginning immediately. This information was presented at Presidents and Rising Star Academies and also at the 147th Anniversary Convention.
The Grand Lodge has determined that all chapters will be required to sign up for Vault and Billing Collections prior to the beginning of the Fall 2012 semester. However, your chapter does not have to wait. You can sign up immediately, and OmegaFi will give your chapter a discounted rate. Call 800.276.6342 and request to speak to a member of the Theta Xi Implementation Team or email ThetaXiSetUp@omegafi.com. You may also visit www.omegafi.com and click on "Vault" and "Inquire Within" to submit information to receive pricing for your chapter that includes Theta Xi’s special discount.
At Convention, a number of the questions surrounding OmegaFi dealt with cost. To answer those questions simply, your chapter will pay a percentage of payments received, as they are received. This makes the OmegaFi fee performance-based and does not stifle your chapter’s cash flow. However, it's important to remember that, for most chapters, this system will actually pay for itself by helping you collect more of the dues and fees that you bill your members. In fact, chapters using OmegaFi collect an average of 97% of everything that is billed to their members. For most Theta Xi chapters, that will be a substantial improvement.
Any chapter not on a bursar system at their University or College who wishes to waive their requirement to switch to Omega Fi, must formally petition the Grand Lodge. Your chapter will need to send in a written request, accompanied by the last two years of your 990 Tax Return. That information can be sent directly to Fraternity Headquarters at txhq@thetaxi.org.
For any further questions, contact Ron Trucks at ron@thetaxi.org
<back to top>
______________________________________________________________________________
The Social Network
Follow Us!
Find yourself missing out on announcements? Change that by following us on our social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter.
Simply log on to Facebook.com and 'Like' Theta Xi or log on to Twitter.com and follow us @thetaxihq.
We will be blasting out information, contests, photos, and fun facts throughout the year so please follow Theta Xi today!
<back to top>
_____________________________________________________________________________
Theta Xi On TV
Everyone who is a sports fan knows that the ACC Conference has one of the most passionate fan bases of any college football conference. That passion was on full display of a recent episode of ACC Road Trip when they visited the campus of Georgia Tech and more specifically - Beta Alpha Chapter of Theta Xi.
The feature followed a number of Theta Xi members around during various Georgia Tech Homecoming events - from the building a float in the homecoming parade to the annual tricycle races. Beta Alpha did a wonderful job of representing Theta Xi on a national stage!
You can view the program by clicking HERE.
In the video section on the right hand side of the page, select Georgia Tech Homecoming.
ACC Road Trip airs on the ACC Network and other corresponding cable and satellite providers.
<back to top>_____________________________________________________________________________
2012 NDLA's - SAVE THE DATE
Newell District Leadership Academies (February, 2012 - date and sites below
) –A host chapter in each District hosts these academies designed to create a greater national consciousness by bringing together chapter members to meet, work and interact with one another and with officials of the Fraternity.They provide an opportunity for representatives of chapters to share their successes and concerns. NDLAs provide educational and leadership programs to aid in the personal development of undergraduate members, thus helping to build leaders who improve and strengthen their chapters overall operations.
Held in February, chapters will gather at a host campus for a full day of workshops and activities focusing on Fraternity values and individual leadership skills training. All chapters in good financial standing will receive a mileage reimbursement.
Registration information will be posted very soon on the Theta Xi homepage.
2012 District Leadership Academies
| District | Host Chapter | School | Date |
| Northeast | Alpha | RPI |
Feb 18th!! |
| Allegheny | Beta Omicron Colony | Clarion University. |
Feb 18th!! |
| Southeast | Beta Omega | Virginia Tech |
Feb 18th!! |
|
Ohio Valley & Midwest (Combined) |
Kappa Theta | Western Illinois |
Feb 18th!! |
| West |
Alpha Nu |
USC |
Feb 18th!! |
|
Great Plains |
Mu | Iowa State |
Feb 18th!! |
| Bayou Hill |
Alpha Omicron |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
Feb 25th!! |
<back to top>
_____________________________________________________________________________
On Saturday, November 12th, over 200 people attended the dedication of a new flagpole in front of Alpha Beta Chapter at University of Illinois. The flagpole was erected in honor of Major Jeff Bland, who was killed in a helicopter training exercise on September 19, 2011 near Camp Pendleton, California.
The Alpha Beta Alumni Association raised the money for the flagpole and the plaque that honors Brother Bland. He left behind an eight month old daughter, Allie, and a loving wife Heather. Brother Bland was laid to rest on November 23rd at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.
The Association has also established a trust to help fund Allie's education.
“Aliana Bland”
Mailed to:
First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust
331 E Main St
Knoxville, IL 61448
(309) 289-2331
__________________________________________________________________________
Congratulations to the members of Gamma Kappa Chapter at the University of Illinois-Chicago who raised $350 to donate to breast cancer research.
The chapter bought pink Theta Xi T-shirts with the Theta Xi letters and a breast cancer awareness ribbon on the front and they then sold the shirts to raise the money for a wonderful cause.
It is great to see Theta Xi Chapters leading the way on campuses across the country in service!
<back to top>
_____________________________________________________________________________
Beta Upsilon Chapter at Slippery Rock University has been on a role in a number of areas of chapter operation. On the academic side, Beta Upsilon led all Greek organizations on campus with a 3.29 Chapter GPA last semester. That first place finish includes all sororities and fraternities!
Outside the classroom they have been very active in the community as well. Recently the chapter volunteered to work at a major event put on by the American Heart Association called "Heart Walk." Not only did the chapter raise several hundred dollars over the course of the day, but they helped out the event organizers in several key operational areas.
Keep up the great work Beta Upsilon Chapter!
<back to top>
Theta Xi Colonizes at Kappa Phi
The Grand Lodge of Theta Xi is pleased to announced that it formally colonized the Kappa Phi interest group at Western Carolina University on October 22, 2011. The Colony hopes to have its application for charter ready by the end of the school year.
National President Dennis Marstall presided over the weekend’s events, which were attended by Director of Leadership Development Dr. Phil Barrineau and a number of other Kappa Phi alumni.
Congratulations to the members of Kappa Phi Colony!Alumni Associations/Housing Corporations Federal Tax Return Obligations
An alumnus recently asked, "What are the federal tax reporting obligations for an alumni corporation?" It’s a good question and we share our response for your information and use.
Alumni associations must file IRS Tax Form 990 each year. This also applies to all chapters and house corporations. Tax Form 990 is an information return for tax exempt organizations. No tax is due but a substantial fine can be imposed for failure to file. The filing deadline is the 15th day of the 5th month following the end of your fiscal year. (For example, November 15th would be the deadline if the fiscal year ends on June 30th).
In addition, the association must file the appropriate payroll Tax Forms 940 & 941 if the association has any employees (for example; a house cook, housemother, resident advisor) employed by the alumni association, not the chapter. One is a quarterly report and the other is an end of year final report.
And finally, the association must fill a Federal Tax Form 1099-MISC for each individual or company that meets one of the following criteria:
- Lawyer or law firm paid any fees during the year.
- Owner of any property to whom the association pays rent.
- To any individual or company that is not a corporation that has been paid $600 or more for services provided to the association during the year. Some examples are accountants, bookkeepers, contractors, repair men, catering service, etc.
The IRS revised the reporting requirement for Form 990’s in the past year and now all chapter and alumni corporations and house holding corporations are required to file Form 990. For more information regarding filing this form go to www.irs.gov/charities
<back to top>
Winter weather is here and Winter/Holiday break is right around the corner. Don't leave for break without making sure the house is prepared.
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT......
CHANGED OFFICERS LATELY?
Most chapters hold officer elections in November or December. If you have,
make sure to let us know who your new leaders are. Check with Amy Collins at
amy@thetaxi.org to verify who we currently have listed.
Also, all new officers are encouraged to touch base with one of the following
staff members for help, guidance and assistance with their new responsibilities.
-
Ron Trucks, Director of Operations - ron@thetaxi.org
-
Phil "Dr. B" Barrineau, Director of Leadership Development-doctorb@thetaxi.org
- Jeff Vernetti, Manager of Communications - jeff@thetaxi.org
- Leadership Consultants, JT Thomas - jt@thetaxi.org and David Dorsett - david@thetaxi.org
