| Beta Xi | |
|---|---|
| BΞ | |
 | |
| Founded | May 12, 1902 |
| College | University of Texas at Austin |
| Location | Austin, TX |
| Homepage | Beta Xi Homepage |
| Media related to Beta Xi Chapter | |
University of Texas at Austin established in 1883, Austin, Texas
Founded May 12, 1902 with 9 charter members
4,602 initiates (as of June 2015)
Charter members:
Olatia Crane, Helen Olive Devine, Fanny West Harris, Alma Keturah Jones, Minnie Avelyn Petty, Marian Leigh Rather, Katherine Andrews Searcy, Eva Miriam Sodekson, Josephine Lucile Wathen.
Fraternity Council Members:
Della Lawrence Burt, Grand Secretary 1920-1922, Executive Secretary 1922-1929; Dorothy McCampbell Nowell, Director of Chapters 1962-1966; Eloise Moore Netherton, Director of Philanthropies 1982-1986, Vice President1986-1988; Carolyn Boyle (Hasskarl), Field Secretary 1945-1947; Lisa VanStavern (Hunziker), Traveling Consultant 1993-1994
Fraternity Loyalty Award:
Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:
Helen Knox, 1952, banker, author, Red Cross volunteer; Prudence Mahaffey Mackintosh, 1988, author of books and magazines; Miley Tucker Busiek (Frost), 1990, sculptor whose work appears on the $50gold bullion coin;Sunny Hare Scribante, 2012, philanthropist; Dorothy Slator Paterson, 2014, international volunteer, breast health awareness advocate; Rosemary Dunaway Trible, 2014, TV host, author, foounder Fear2Freedom Foundation;
Additional Outstanding Beta Xi Alumnae:
Ann Haun (Barlow), Graduate Counselor 1961-1962; Nancy Haun (Dozier), Graduate Counselor 1959-1960;
Contents
The Early Years
Texas won its independence in April 1863, and 18 months later a bill was introduced in the Congress of the Republic of Texas to incorporate the University of Texas. However, the act that finally established the university was not passed until 1881. Two years later, classes were opened in the incomplete west wing of the Old Main Building with 221 enrolled in that first class of 1883.
Only 19 years later, Kappa Kappa Gamma established its first southern chapter by granting a charter to Beta Xi on May 12, 1902. Interesting events led directly to the colonization.
In 1898, a local organization (Delta Delta Delta) was organized by a group of girls in Grace Hall. Soon male friends of this group, by this time known as Delta Zeta, advised the petitioning of Kappa, and in the spring of 1899, the group sent its first formal petition. Refusal came the following fall.
Another local, Tri Sigma, also petitioned Kappa, and it too, was refused. Matters seemed hopeless. The Fraternity did not want them and the university authorities did not want the Fraternity. Worse still, a crowd of town students who had twice petitioned Kappa and twice been refused, seemed to have finally secured a charter and were planning to enter the university. For one week, the Tri Sigmas and Delta Zetas grieved in secret, feeling that it was a Kappa charter these other girls had won, but it was Pi Beta Phi.
In the fall of 1901, the two locals joined forces and wrote to the Grand Secretary of Kappa. Petition blanks arrived late in January and were sent off the next day. This time the decision was unanimously in favor, and on May 12, 1902, Beta Xi Chapter was formally installed, followed by a grand banquet at the Driskill Hotel, the height of glory in those days.
Housing
At first, the new chapter met in a single rented room furnished with a small table, three chairs, a tiny stove, and a piano. In 1903, the first house was rented. Only active members could live there by university rule. The chapter moved six times in 19 years.
In 1920-1921, a corporation of Kappa alumnae in Texas was organized, and each member signed a note for $100, payable in 10 years. Thus, a home was bought at 2400 Rio Grande Street, and in September 1924, the Beta Xis moved in. It was in this house that the chapter became noted for its “Hedge Test”—rumor having it that if a rushee did not touch the hedge on the south side of the Kappa house with both hips as she went through, she was not “Kappa material!”
In the early 1930s, the house association of Beta Xi received its charter and notified all members of Beta Xi who had paid $25 or more to the (now) defunct Texas Association that they were automatically members of the new association. All other Beta Xis in good standing were notified that they could become members by paying $25. From then on, all new Beta Xis were asked to sign $100 notes. It is significant that there were only three treasurers of the house association in 37 years.
The house on Rio Grande could hold only 15 to 20 girls, and, because the Fraternity had agreed to 100 girls including pledges, the “Brown Lot” was purchased in the fall of 1936. The old house was sold for $15,000 in December of 1938, and the new Georgian Colonial home at 2001 University Avenue was occupied in September 1939, with room for 40. In the 1970s, 58 active members lived in the home.
At one time, additional housing space was acquired and a house just behind the main house was bought, renovated and completed in 1965. But in 1966, this annex was bought by the university, spreading far beyond its original 40 acres.
Honors and Traditions
Beta Xi made outstanding contributions to the Fraternity. Della Lawrence (Burt) was elected Grand Secretary at the 1920 Convention, and in 1922 was made the first Executive Secretary when the position was created at the Convention in Glacier National Park.
The chapter had the honor of having one of its charter members become the first president of Theta Province. In 1917, another chapter member succeeded her. Beta Xi hosted the second Province Convention in May 1927, during which the chapter celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Key Ring, the province newspaper, was begun during another member’s term as Province President, 1925-27.
World War II Years
A change came about with the entry of the United States in World War II. Social and campus activities were replaced with war work and defense projects. Many hours were devoted to layette sewing for the Nora Waln project, and weekly schedules included bandage rolling, hospital and nurse’s aide work, canteen duty, and assistance with bond drives. For two successive years, Beta Xi made the largest pledge of any campus organization to the War Chest.
Social and campus life returned to its customary places as the war drew to a close, but many old patterns changed. A Kappa was elected University Sweetheart at the annual Round-Up, and the introduction of touch football into the intramural program gave birth to a colorful extra-intramural private contest between Pi Phi and Kappa—the Powder Bowl.
The 1950s
The chapter received the Standards Cup in 1950, and Helen Knox was given the Alumnae Achievement Award for banking in 1952.
It was with great pride that the 50th anniversary of Beta Xi was celebrated in May 1952 with a riverboat ride and a picnic at Green Shores. Kappas came from far and wide, and the occasion was climaxed by a historical pageant and the presentation of fleur-de-lis pins to eight of the nine founders (charter members). For this Golden Anniversary, a Beta Xi directory was sold for $1 each. The money was used to establish the Beta Xi Scholarship Fund.
The 1960s
The passage of civil rights legislation during the 1960s prompted major changes on campus. In the spring of 1965, the university discontinued all control of student housing, except that which was actually owned and operated by the school. Therefore, with all sorority houses individually owned by their corporation boards, the Panhellenic Council voted in 1967 to dissolve itself as a recognized student organization, hence no longer subject to university regulations or eligible to use university facilities.
At this point, Panhellenic became incorporated. Eloise Moore Netherton and another Kappa served for many years on the seven-member board of trustees.
The 1970s
For more than three decades, Beta Xi had a special friend and supporter, a Gamma Lambda, Middlebury, Kappa, who was first assistant dean of women and then dean of students before her retirement. In October 1973, Beta Xi proudly presented her with her 50-year pin.
Through Kappa leadership in Panhellenic in 1971, the Referral Counseling Program was initiated in cooperation with the university and student health center. This program trained key actives, alumnae and housemothers in each sorority to be mental health resource persons, to help with chapter education, and to be equipped to refer girls to the proper sources for help with any problem.
There have been many chapter philanthropy projects. In “A Run for Their Lives,” Beta Xi met the challenge of Beta Theta Chapter, Oklahoma, in a fundraising football marathon run to the Cotton Bowl. The joint Kappa venture raised $12,000 for muscular dystrophy.
Houston-Austin area Beta Xis were active and loyal women, distinguished in many fields. One of the youngest was chosen “Outstanding Teenager in America” in 1968. She lived with families in Spain and Switzerland and served as a volunteer at San Jose Clinic as an interpreter.
Another alumna was a Lady in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a Papal honor. Another Kappa, an artist with portraits in college libraries in three states, received the Houston Panhellenic Citation for long, outstanding service.
A Kappa alumna gave the Charlotte Barrell Ware Standards Cups in 1934, and when it was retired in 1970 because all available engraving space had filled, she replaced the original award with a beautiful sliver punch bowl, tray, ladle, and cups. She had long been a generous supporter of the Rose McGill Fund. This Kappa was the first female member of the Board of Regents of the University of Houston, and received the Matrix Award of Theta Sigma Phi (Women in Journalism). She served as mentor and president of Girlstown, USA. In 1958, she and her husband established a foundation to give financial support to medical research, education, and cultural advancement. The Fraternity awarded a silver tray to this Beta Xi alumna in 1974 as “recognition for her devotion and service to Kappa Kappa Gamma.”
The previous information was adapted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, 1870-1976. The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.
Highlights of the 1980s
Beta Xi continued to prosper in the 1980s. In 1987, Kappa and other sororities on campus officially became associated with the University of Texas at Austin. Although the association brought challenges, the chapter welcomed the change. Summer Rush was always an event the Kappas eagerly anticipated, and the chapter regularly added large pledge classes of 50 or more women. Beta Xi was busy with many sisterhood activities, such as Kappa Casual in November, but also made time for events with other Panhellenic groups, including Monmouth with Pi Beta Phi and Kite and Key with Kappa Alpha Theta.
The chapter worked hard to improve its scholarship and to encourage academic excellence. “Smarties” awards were handed out at chapter meetings to recognize members who had a scholarly accomplishment. In-house sisters received Scholarship Scoops, paper ice cream scoops that were taped on the Kappa’s door, after earning a good grade. For each three scoops earned, the Kappa received a yummy treat—a certificate for ice cream! Beta Xi members were involved with a variety of activities on UT’s campus. However, many of the sisters contributed to different groups and programs within the chapter. By the 1980s, Beta Xi formed its own Kappa Pickers musical group. The sisters also focused on developing leadership skills, and in February 1989, chapter officers attended a Greek Leadership Conference.
Throughout the decade, the chapter continued to forge relations with alumnae. A picnic with local alumnae often kicked off the school year, and Founders Day was celebrated each year with alumnae. At Halloween, active members often went trick-or-treating with the children of alumna members. Beta Xi sisters worked with alumnae to implement the Alum Chum program, which paired a new member with an alumna mentor. In 1987, Beta Xi received a visit from former Fraternity President Jean Hess Wells, Georgia, who helped the sisters better appreciate the history and ritual of the Fraternity.
Housing:
In 1987, Beta Xi worked to renovate the chapter’s house under the guidance of the “Building the Legacy” Committee, a group responsible for organizing and raising funds for the work. The living room was repainted and new items added to the common rooms. Two years later, in 1989, ceiling fans were installed in each room of the house, to the delight of the residents.
Philanthropy:
Beta Xi was busy with philanthropic activities in the 1980s. The chapter organized a canned food drive as well as painted the house of someone in need. In addition, the Kappas attended a casino night at a local nursing home. The chapter contributed to the Adopt-A-School program and the Helping Hands Project. Chapter women volunteered their time to serve food at the concessions stand at the Legends Golf Tournament.
Convention Awards:
Highlights of the 1990s
In 1990, Beta Xi faced changes in the Rush schedule at UT. Instead of summer Rush, the events were held slightly later in the year and became fall Rush. Even with the changes, Kappa still proved successful each year. Chapter Council members attended a Greek Leadership Conference throughout the decade. The chapter continued to host programs to benefit members, such as talks about issues like campus safety and eating disorders and workshops on résumé writing and relaxation techniques. Beta Xi improved its relationship with the University by hosting guest lunches and study snacks for students outside the Fraternity and holding a professor lunch to recognize the outstanding faculty at UT.
Each year, Beta Xi hosted Kappa Casual and Junior/Senior Night, an evening of togetherness for the junior and senior classes before graduation. Owl-O-Ween was a popular event, as was Monmouth with Pi Phi. Mom’s Weekend and Dad’s Day brought family members to campus, and the Kappa Pickers regularly performed at the various events. These fun activities certainly promoted sisterhood as well as Panhellenic pride.
Housing:
In 1990, Beta Xi received the gift of new furniture in the bedrooms of the house. The chapter members were grateful to the House Board for the new beds and dressers.
Philanthropy:
Philanthropy remained important to Beta Xi throughout the 1990s. The chapter regularly served food at the concessions at the Legends of Golf tournament to raise funds for charity. In 1990, the Kappas established the “Key to the Heart” volleyball tournament as the chapter philanthropy event. A few years later, Beta Xi began to host its annual Kappa Klassic Pool Tournament, which benefitted Children’s Shelter, a battered women’s shelter, the Austin Child Guidance Center, and the Children’s Advocacy Center throughout the years. Habitat for Humanity also became an important project for the chapter.
In 1995, the Kappas worked with Sig Ep to repair and repaint a house for an underprivileged elderly widow. The chapter women took time each year to participate in Challenger Little League, where the members coached and cheered for disabled children.
Other philanthropic activities included hosting a blood drive for Brackenridge Hospital, volunteering at Barton House Alzheimer’s Unit, donatng to a deaf community’s garage sale as well as to Goodwill, and participating in the Texas Relays tournament, an AIDS walk, and Forty Acres Fest. In 1998, Beta Xi hosted a ticket-selling fundraiser where the chapter raised over $3,000 for Blue Mist, a band comprised of blind musicians.
Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2000-2010
Beta Xi welcomed the new millenium with a variety of new chapter activities. Each year, the sisters gathered at a chapter retreat in the fall to build and restore relationships within the chapter. New sisterhood programs included television nights, a makeover with a make-up artist, a cooking class, a yoga class, manicures, and a ceramics class. To prepare for Recruitment, a Work Week was held in which the entire chapter learned new skits, practiced old songs, and perfected Recruitment strategies. A leadership workshop for the outgoing and incoming officers, and their advisers, to aid in the transition process. The Vice President-Academic Excellence worked to improve the chapter’s G.P.A. by implementing the “Owl Jar” program, which recognized members for their hard work, and introducing the “Study Fairy,” a magical being who rewarded Kappas found studying on campus.
Social events included Kappa Cocktail, Owl-O-Ween, Monmouth Duo with Pi Beta Phi, Kappa/Tri-Delt Ranch, Parents’ Weekend, Mom and Dad Weekends, and Junior/Senior Night. One evening the entire chapter attended a sing-a-long at a local restaurant. Beta Xi also continued the tradition of hosting a Halloween party and trick-or-treating for the children of local alumnae.
Housing:
Beta Xi continued to occupy the chapter house throughout the decade.
Philanthropy:
Philanthropy was a priority for Beta Xi in the twenty-first century. The chapter maintained traditions such as the Kappa Klassic Pool Tournament, which raised almost $5,000 for a charity in 2006. Other philanthropic activities included holding a Chili Cookoff with the Tri-Delts, volunteering with for the SPCA and the Highland Park Elementary Halloween carnival, decorating the Children’s Hospital for various holidays, hosting Easter and Halloween parties for local children, and making Christmas cookies for hospitalized children. Children have always been a major focus for the group, and in 2008, the sisters provided free winter coats to children through Coats for Kids.
Two new philanthropy traditions began during this decade. In 2009, Beta Xi hosted its first Kappa Cookout, an event that invited community members to join the sisters for delicious catered food. That year, the proceeds from selling tickets to the event, $7,600, went to The Austin Children’s Shelter. The following year, the chapter raised more than $8,000 and donated the proceeds to the RIF (Reading is Fundamental)of Austin, specifically to the Palm Elementary School. Donations were also made to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. The other new philanthropic event was a powder puff football game with Pi Beta Phi. Proceeds from the tickets were donated to the Davis Moon Project, a non-profit organization that collects books to be hand-delivered through organized literacy mission trips in Addis, Ethiopia.
Convention Awards:
Highlights of 2011-2019
Highlights of 2011
In 2011, Beta Xi focused on strengthened sisterhood and encouraging scholarly achievement. A chapter retreat was held for the benefit of the members and “get-to-know-you” games were played at the Kappa house. Sisterhood activities included Nightmare on 6th Street, Tri-Delt Ranch, Kappa Cocktail, and Monmouth. The Vice President-Academic Excellence stressed the importance of good grades with the new “Smarty Pants” system at chapter meetings. Alumnae members are often invited to campus to speak to the chapter about job applications and careers.
Housing: Beta Xi is currently one of only two Greek houses on the University of Texas at Austin campus in which. 60 members are able to live, most usually live in during their junior or senior year. Every Monday, the sisters gather for dinner before the chapter meeting, and lunch is provided every day for members. Every two weeks, a delicious Mexican Guest Lunch is held where Kappas can bring a guest from outside of the Fraternity.
Philanthropy: Beta Xi continued hosting the spring Easter party and the fall Halloween party for local elementary students every year. In 2011, the Kappa Cookout was again held by the chapter and raised $7,800 for the Davis Moon Project, an organization previously supported by Beta Xi’s efforts. Kappa once again faced off in a game of powder puff football against Pi Phi, an event that raised approximately $5,000 for the Austin Children’s Shelter.
Highlights of 2012
The 2012 calendar year started off with the newly elected officers of the Beta Xi chapter making a smooth transition into their new positions. Chapter Council also kicked off the year by hosting the LEAD seminar with Kappas from Texas A&M and Texas Tech. The chapter council, led by President Erin Weitzel, met every Sunday evening to plan upcoming meetings and events throughout the year. Erin implemented pillars of organization and enthusiasm which set the tone for the chapter council officers. This was a very important year for Beta Xi and many improvements were made to better our chapter this past year. The officers worked very hard to better the chapter and efficiently and effectively follow out their duties.
Callie Williams, Vice President of Organization, maintained an organized calendar of all the events throughout the year and communicated with officers and the chapter about what events to put on the calendar. Along with Callie the Chapter Council put together a great Leadership Action Plan that highlighted the goals of the Chapter for the upcoming year. Callie also assisted with giving chapter members the ability to fill out a Google Form to indicate which committee they are interested in and would prefer to be in, rather than simply designating members to random committee. This was a big change for our Chapter Committees that made members at large much more dedicated to their committee. Callie also prepared for the Leadership Consultant's visit to the the Beta Xi Chapter and hosted her during her stay.
Laurel Pugliese, Vice President of Standards, worked with her committee to perfect the bus system and make sure members were upholding the standards of the Fraternity policy. Laurel also organized the Chapter retreat at Alamo Draft house in January to encourage chapter-wide bonding. All of Beta Xi attended for singing and dancing to 90's music. Laurel also planned many events for the Chapter to increase bonding such as movies at the house or profit shares at Red Mango.
Ady Wetegrove, Vice President Academic Excellence, helped our Chapter improve our overall GPA to be above the All Sorority Average for the Spring of 2012. She and her committee held individuals more accountable for their individual grades while providing them assistance. She also incorporated “office hours” for New Members and any other members needing further guidance during registration for the Spring 2013 semester. She also organized study snacks at the house on Tuesday and continued the "Smarty Pants" system from last year.
Philanthropy Chairman Margaret Smith and Assistant Philanthropy Chairs Ellen Perkins and Courtney Catalani worked together to plan all chapter-wide philanthropy events. Margaret made some changes this year to our program with the national philanthropy, Reading is Fundamental. She planned a Reading Festival for the whole chapter to attend to teach kids and spend the day working with them and having fun with kids. She also planned a book drive so that each kid could take home a book. Margaret also helped plan Kappa Cookout in the Fall, Pi Phi vs. Kappa philanthropy powder puff game in the spring, and got members involved with the Wonderball where we went dressed up as princesses and helped with face paint and costumes. Margaret provided the chapter with many other volunteer activities such as Kisses from Kappa on Valentines Day where we took valentine goodies to a retirement home.
Sara Beth Tunnel, Event Chairman, worked hard to plan and schedule all of the social events for the year. She worked very closely with Risk Management to plan events that would be safe and uphold the Fraternity standards. She found fun and unique venues to host events with other sororities or parents of Kappas. In 2012 she planned Kappa Pi Phi Monmouth, Kappa Mom's Weekend, Kappa Dad's Weekend, Kappa Date Dash, Kappa Chi O Owloween, Kappa Tri Delt Ranch, Kappa Parent's Weekend, Kappa Kidnap, and Kappa Cocktail. These events were fun, safe, organized, and help brought the chapter closer together.
Kelsey Koentges, Pubic Relations Chairman, did a great job of helping keep members active and bridged the gap between the chapter, university, parents, and alums. She created a monthy newsletter to send out to parents of Kappas and the Beta Xi chapter. She also planned the Easter and Halloween party, both were held at the house for alumni and their children. She helped organize the babysitting list and the Kappa Chirstmas card which was sent out to other UT sororities and families of Beta Xi members. Kelsey also kept the system of the "Round Up Newsletter which summarized the year and sent it out to the Chapter.
Kathryn Uecker, Fraternity Education Chairman, was in charge of planning program nights at the house. She provided the chapter with fun speakers and programs such as Zumba. Another large improvement was made by Kathryn by re-implement Senior Programming – a once a month program night for Seniors in place of meeting. Kathryn also planned Founders Day in October where the Beta Xi chapter recognizes the founding members and hosts an event for alumni in the Austin area.
Mary Beth Burgher, Membership Chairman, assisted by Sullivan Franklin-Mitchell, Isabel Dann, Molly Henson and Kat Schindler succesfully prepared for Recruitment. They held 3 recruitment workshops in the spring to plan for recruitment in the fall. They also implemented new fun ways to celebrate recruitment such as having members talk about their favorite parts of recruitment during chapter meetings. They set up different committes and helped implement new change. Beta Xi greeted the largest pledge class in Kappa history and we celebrated the new members on Bid Day by taking them to Abel's on the Lake for a fun dinner.
Katie Satterwhite, New Member Chairman, worked hard alongside Avery Walker to integrate the new members into the chapter. They organized many different activities for the new members and helped bring them together as a pledge class and as a chapter. They taught the new members the traditions and history of Kappa. They worked alongside Caroline Cooper our Marshall to teach the New members the rituals of Kappa after Initiation. They made Inspiration week fun for the new members and helped Caroline with Initation.
Kelly Bowman, House Chairman, served as a liason between the in house girls, staff, and Miss Judi. She helped organize and clarify the house points system and selecting 60 members of the chapter to live in the house. She met with the staff and Miss Judi to make sure the house was running smoothly and attended house board meetings. Kelly provided gifts for the staff throughout the year. She also organized Sunday dinners for in house girls that were provided from local Austin restaurants.
Sarah Snelling, Treasurer, was in charge on handling the chapters finances. She worked extremely hard to make sure that the new Bill Highway system was working well and that members could understand how to use it. She was in charge of the dues, budget for Chapter Counci, and any other charges that needed to be made. She also worked to reinburse members and offiers and worked with favors to bill members through bill highway.
Ksenia Kolesnikova, Panhellenic Delegate, served as the liason between Panhellenic and Beta Xi. She represented the chapter by voting for Panhellenic initatives. She also attended meetings each week and reported back to the Chapter about new policies set by Panhellenic.
This was a big year in the Nation's history. President Obama was reelected as President of the United States and Kappas gathered in the living room to watch the events unfold and watch the weekly debates between candidates. Many Kappas donated to the different campaigns and almost every Kappa participated in voting. Another big event in 2012 was the London Olympics. A few Beta Xi members actually attended events at the Olympics. Beta Xi members were involved in many different organizations worldwide from volunteering in South Africa to traveling to South America for mission work.
Campus: Beta Xi is very involved with the University of Texas. We try to promote members of the chapter to be involved in different organizations on campus. Many Kappas are members of honors societies such as the Dean's list or Order of Omega. A few Kappas participate in Student Government and the Texas Athletic program. There were a few changes that were made to our campus in 2012 such as adding new buildings, banning smoking on campus, and having the library open 24 hours a day.
Chapter: The Beta Xi chapter has many strengths and some weaknesses that we improved on in 2012. As a chapter we are extremely unified. Throughout all grades girls are friends and spend lots of time together. Every day you can see many girls across campus wearing Kappa shirts. We are extremely proud of our Chapter and members are very dedicated to Beta Xi. We lacked in communication between the Chapter and Chapter Council and we worked very hard to fix that and now have clarity between the two.
Highlights of 2013
The newly elected officers were very excited to get into their positions for the 2013 calendar year. After completing triplicate meetings in December, the officers all felt that they were ready to continue the great leadership that was in place before them. Our first order of business as Chapter Council was to create a Google Drive for us to share. We were astounded by previous the chapter councils’ ability to work without the technology we have today. As a chapter, we communicate much of our information through emails, Google documents, and the Kappa website. We also employed the use of the Gin system to provide all our information to the entire chapter. Our improved use of technology allowed for clearer channels of communication between officers and the chapter as a whole.
In our first Chapter Council meeting we created our 2013 Leadership Action Plan. We spent time working on a plan that would guide us to chapter improvement and would help us hold each other accountable in our various offices. Our first area was Self-Discovery and Intellectual and we chose our focus to be to support future career endeavors. We made 3 goals for this area: implement Owl of the Week (an time for a chosen Kappa to describe her internship), host a resume workshop and mock-interview session, and offer additional resources such as networking and internship lists. Our second area was Interpersonal Development and our focus was to increase chapter unity. Our three goals were family (plan 2 spring family events), fitness (encourage weekly workout classes at the Kappa house), and film (feature a “Rom-Com” of the Month after study snacks at the house). Our third area was Leadership and Skill Building with a focus on clarity and transparency. Our four goals were to increase chapter usage of the Gin system, make house points viewable and update them monthly, keep a detailed record of the budget, and present information in a comprehensible and entertaining manner. Our fourth area was Understanding and Appreciation of Kappa and we wanted to emphasize Kappa Then and Now. Our three goals were to promote better understanding of formal meeting, ritual, and the history of Kappa, expand the size of Pickers and increase their involvement, and look to alumni for opportunities and guidance after college. We are proud to say that all of these goals had a clear presence throughout 2013, and we successfully followed through on them to make sure they will be implemented in the future as well.
In January, the chapter was in the midst of getting adjusted to the new semester and Chapter Council. We received 2 new affiliates, Ella Coffey and Danielle Fenson, and voted to accept them into our chapter. Molly McConn, Membership Chairman, immediately got started on the recruitment process by recruiting freshman to become Area Rush Captains. She also held a meeting for the freshman in order to start teaching them about the rush process. Willa Jolink, Education Chairman, planned a cooking class for the seniors to replace one of the meetings that they are required to attend. Willa also planned the program night for January and brought in Kendyl Richards from Austin Smiles to speak about her non-profit and the importance of volunteering. Peyton Bivins, Public Relations Chairman, worked on the January newsletter. The officers also made a fun video for the chapter that introduced the new leaders and explained their positions. It was a fun way to get the New Year started!
February began with our first “Rom-Com” of the month on February 5th. All of the girls came to the house to watch a fun movie after study snacks. There was a huge turnout and made for a fun night of bonding at the house. On February 10th we held “Rookie Rush” at the house for the freshman. They were taught the basics of recruitment, and all of the recruitment team worked with them to learn chants, the stack, and the general recruitment process. All of the freshmen were so excited to meet the new girls that could potential be our new Kappa members. Additionally, every year we participate in Kisses for Kappa. We donate and make goody bags of Hershey’s kisses to give to a local elderly home on Valentine’s Day. Catherine Wilson, Philanthropy Chair, helped lead the chapter in making goody bags and delivering them to their lucky recipients. It brightened the day of the people living in the home and made Valentine’s Day special for all of the Kappa members that participated. Later in the month, our biggest event of the year, Monmouth, was held on February 16th with Pi Phi. The party was at the Hyatt Regency with huge success! We had a face painter, photo booth, food, and a band. It succeeded due to a lot of work from Isabel Dann, Social Chairman, and Julie Parma, Risk Management Chairman. The chapter took buses to and from the event and safely enjoyed the evening. On February 18th, Chapter Council met with the Alpha Xi Delta Chapter Council as a part of a Panhellenic sisterhood event that Sara Holl, Panhellenic delegate, planned and organized. Chapter Council also went through the Standing Rules and By-Laws during their February Chapter Council meetings and made sure they were up to date and correct for each position. February 21st was our Chapter Retreat at Jump Street. The chapter rode buses out to the event and had a blast jumping on all of the trampolines and playing dodge ball. February was a busy month!
March opened with the Province Retreat in Lubbock. Chapter Council got on a bus with the A&M Kappa chapter council and headed out for to meet with all the other Kappa chapters in our province. We all had a great time in Lubbock talking with other chapters and learning more about leadership in Kappa. Our chapter received the award for Best Ritual. Overall, it was a great bonding and learning experience for our chapter council and helped kick start the month of March. The first week in March was also House Mother Appreciation week. After our first meeting of the month we all wrote notes to our House Mother, Miss Judi, to express our appreciation for her dedication to our house. Additionally, each day Macy Barnett, House Chairman, planned something special for Miss Judi. Spring Break was March 11-17 and the Kappas traveled across the nation and abroad to enjoy the week off from school.
When we got back from Spring Break, our Leadership Consultant, Kristi Watts, came to visit our chapter from the 17th to the 22nd. She had a presentation and activities for the chapter at our meeting on Monday. We also had a program night where Willa Jolink, Education Chairman, brought the Ransom Notes (an on campus a cappella group) to sing for our chapter. On April 19th, Kristi Watts held a Zumba class for the chapter before study snacks, and Lea Edwards, Registrar, hosted the “Rom-Com” of the month for the chapter. March 22-24 was Round-Up weekend and all of the fraternities and sororities hosted fun philanthropy events and concerts throughout the weekend. On March 25th the freshman had another recruitment event where each Area Recruitment Captain told the chapter about the incoming freshman that they were excited about. The girls made cute posters and signs to help people remember their names. On March 27th Peyton Bivins, Public Relations Chairman, hosted our Easter party for alumni and their kids. We had face painting, games, candy, and an Easter Bunny at the party. Many Kappa alumni brought their kids to the party, and it was a huge success.
April 1st started off with a resume workshop to help prepare for the upcoming round of job interviews. Caroline Cooper, VP Academic Excellence, hosted the event and everyone found it very helpful and informative. On April 5th Catherine Wilson, Philanthropy Chair, hosted our annual Kappa Pi Phi Powder-Puff game at the intermural fields to raise money for RIF. It was a huge success with a snow cone maker, prizes, and a raffle. Kappa won the game for the 3rd year in a row! On April 6th we had our annual Reading is Key party at Zavala Elementary School. Our chapter brought books for every kid hosted an afternoon party, complete with games, crafts, and face paint. On April 7th we had our third recruitment workshop with the freshmen and sophomores. The sophomores demonstrated their rush skills by helping them with the songs, dances, and noise level. Nancy Ellison, our PDC, who was regularly updated by Sullivan Franklin-Mitchell, Recording Secretary, attended our Chapter Council meeting on April 7th. It was fun for Chapter Council to chat with her and get to update her in person rather than through email.
On April 9th we had our “Rom-Com” of the month, which was right after study snacks and was a fun break for everyone. Soon after, Junior/Senior night was on April 11th. It was a special night where the upperclassman had dinner together at Iron Cactus and talked about all the fun memories they’ve had at Kappa. April 12-14 was our annual Mom’s Weekend. Isabel Dann, Social Chair, planned a fun weekend with a happy hour at a local store, Adelante, and a brunch at The Driskill Hotel. It was a great weekend spent showing our mom’s Austin and the Kappa house. On April 18th we had our very own, Kappa Kasual, as our second date party of the semester. It was a fun party at a local Austin venue called Haven, and girls invited dates and danced to the band. The next day we kicked off Dad’s weekend with dinner at Serrano’s. We ate fajitas on a patio and enjoyed live music under the stars. The next night we paired up with the Texas Cowboys to have an event at a local venue called The Stage. Overall it was a great weekend with our Dads.
On April 24th Caroline Cooper, VP Academic Excellence, planned a networking event at the house for all chapter members. She brought in various Kappa alumni form different industries to talk to chapter members about future careers. On April 26th we had Kappa family night at a local Austin movie theatre drive-in. They showed the film Grease and all the Kappa families carpooled together to see the movie. On April 28th the entire chapter participated in another Rookie Rush event. We all worked together in preparation for recruitment before the summer. Our last meeting of the semester was on April 29th, which included the Senior Send-Off during the meeting. This includes all of the seniors sharing a funny memory from their four years of being a Kappa. It was a bittersweet way to end the semester by saying goodbye to our beloved seniors.
Over the summer, Kappa members took jobs all across the world. Some traveled and studied abroad, while others took classes in Austin or worked in New York. From diving with sharks in South Africa to spending an afternoon at Barton Springs, Kappa was represented all around the world.
August 12th kicked off Work Week for the chapter in preparation for recruitment. The week was filled with fun events along with a lot of time spend preparing. The Recruitment Team, led by Molly McConn, planned fun events for the chapter, such as a petting zoo in the key garden, while also organizing slide shows and bump group practices. Throughout the week the seniors had fun skits that they presented to the chapter and the rush team gave out fun prizes. August 15th was our Date Dash party that was planned by Isabel Dann at Recess, a local venue. It was a fun break during Work Week, and some of the previously graduated Kappas joined in on the fun. August 21-27 was Recruitment Week for the Kappas. It was an extremely successful year with a new pledge class of 71 members. Everyone at Kappa was so excited to see all of the new members running down University Avenue toward the house when they got their bids. Tatum Jolink, New Member Chairman, planned a great Bid Night for the new pledge class with dinner at Abel’s on the Lake and a face painting. They got decked out in all new Kappa gear and had a great night meeting their new Kappa sisters. And quickly after, the next morning was back to school for a new semester.
September started out with our first meeting back from school and formal pledging for the new pledge class. Lea Edwards, Registrar, put the information for all of the new members into Key Reports. Tatum Jolink, New Member Chair, started holding pledge meetings after chapter meetings on Mondays. She planned out a full semester of appearances from each Kappa officer to enhance understanding of the inner workings of Kappa. Macy Barnett, House Manager, updated the Gin system, improving the house point system. Margaret Smith, VP Standards, scheduled meetings to meet individually with each new member. It was also a nice surprise when Caroline Cooper, VP Academic Excellence, was one of six invited to attend the Academic Excellence conference at the Kappa headquarters. She had an excellent time strategizing with other VPAEs about grade improvement in each chapter and learning ways to promote academic excellence.
Our meeting on September 9th was program night; it was special because a member of our chapter, Barbara Gass, discussed her experience biking from Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska to raise money for cancer research in Texas 4000. Kappa Kidnap was our second event of the year on September 12th. It is a very exciting event in which the chapter is unaware of the location of the event until we arrive. This year it was hosted about an hour outside of Austin at the famous Coupland Dance Hall. Girls wore cowboy boots and dresses and danced the night away. Parent’s Weekend was September 20th and 21st. On the 20th we hosted a fun party with the Texas Fiji’s at a local venue called The Stage. There was a fun band and games. On Saturday night Catherine Wilson, Philanthropy Chair, planned Kappa Cookout. Every year we have barbecue at the house and invite our parents and friends to come by after the football game to raise money for Reading is Fundamental. It was a huge success with a band playing in the key garden and the house set up in a football theme. On September 27th Tatum Jolink, New Member Chair, planned the new member retreat. She hosted it at the house and cleared out all of the furniture. The new members played games and watched movies and all got to know each other even better. September was a full month of fun and educating new members.
October started with our annual TriDelt/Kappa Ranch Date party on October 3rd. It was held at a new venue called Brazos Hall and people danced all night in cowboy boots. On October 7th the new members had an orientation with all of the new members in the UT Panhellenic system. On October 12th the Kappas headed north to Dallas for the annual TX/OU weekend. This was the first year in 3 years that Texas pulled out a win and everyone was very excited! On October 14th we had program night during our meeting and Willa Jolink invited the UT Slam Poetry team to come perform for us. It was a great way for the chapter to see a different side of campus. Lea Edwards, Registrar, planned composites pictures to be taken on October 15-16. Everyone dressed up in black to take pictures in the side living room. On October 16th Chapter Council had a fun dinner with all of their advisors at Santa Rita. It was a great way for everyone to hang out with their advisor and meet the other advisors who do so much for our chapter. We celebrate Kappa Founder’s Day on October 21st. Willa Jolink, Education Chairman, planned a wonderful event at the AT&T Conference center across from the Kappa house. We honored Kappa alumni and remembered our founders. We even had an appearance from the Pickers! On October 29th Peyton Bivins, Public Relations Chairman, planned the alumni Halloween party. All of the local alumni brought their kids dressed up for Halloween, and our chapter hosted a party with trick or treating, face painting, and games. On October 31st we had our annual party with Chi Omega called Owloween. It was at a local venue downtown and was a great way to celebrate Halloween as a chapter.
On November 1st we had Big/Little Reveal. Tatum Jolink planned something new and fun for the girls. We had a barge out on Lake Austin and the girls dressed up in a costume to match their bigs. It was so much fun and everyone enjoyed adding a new member to their Kappa family. On November 4th we had reverse pledging for the new members and started Inspiration Week. Throughout the week we had fun events planned for the new members leading up to Initiation. We had a House Buddy reveal party and many other fun things to celebrate their transition into official members of Kappa. On November 8-9 we had Initiation at the house. This year, 47 alums and over 200 actives took part in our best initiation yet. Both the actives and alumnae were eager to participate; all felt a strong sense of renewal afterward. Our white room was 18’ x 32’ larger than in years past due to the extensive efforts of the Marshal, her adviser and her committee. We added an extra Red Room along with 12 Runners and four Marshals to help run the Red Room process. Everyone participated and alumni from around the country came to initiate girls they know and love. After initiation on November 9th we had an Initiation brunch for all of the girls and their moms. On November 14-17 we had a Kappa trainer come visit our chapter. She taught us about risk management and the importance of Kappa’s reputation. It was extremely helpful for our chapter to have her help us improve. On November 19th we had a sisterhood event at the house. We all brought supplies and participated in a fun event that helped boost self-esteem and demonstrate our appreciation for one another. On November 21st we had our last event of the year, Kappa Cocktail. We had a great semi-formal at a local venue Buffalo Billiards. It was a great way to end a semester!
In December we finished up with our last meeting of the year and the old officers handed down their positions. We all participated in Triplicate meetings and were very excited to pass off our positions to a great new Chapter Council.
This has been a big year for the Beta Xi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Every year our chapter is expanding at a much faster rate than the previous year, and our chapter is learning to adjust to our new large numbers. Overall, the Greek system at the University of Texas is growing at an extremely rapid rate, and men and women across the country are realizing the value in joining a sorority or fraternity. As we grow, we are adding many new facets to the personality of our chapter. Reflecting on the nature of our chapter brings to mind a collection of different girls with different strengths, such as biology, guitar, or computer programming. Our chapter is very close due to our diversity. When studying or interacting with other students on campus it is always a proud moment to meet someone who has previously worked with a Kappa. We are all eager to represent Kappa on campus and we hold ourselves to the highest standards.
This year UT has experienced many changes. Our head coach of the football team, Mack Brown, retired from coaching after a very successful tenure at UT. A new coach from Louisville, Charlie Strong, replaced him. It will be interesting to see his success at UT over the next few years. The UT Board of Regents has been eventful to follow—with some members disagreeing Bill Powers, the president of UT. The City of Austin has also been growing at a very fast rate over the past few years. There are many new buildings added to the skyline each year and Austin is becoming a destination for people around the world. Overall, Kappa is adapting to UT and Austin’s development and growth with ease, and we are excited to see what happens in the years to come.
Highlights of 2014
Upon electing the new officers for 2014, the new and old Chapter Council wasted no time in preparing for the year ahead. After completing triplet meetings in December, the officers all felt that they were ready to continue the great leadership that was in place before them. Our first two orders of business were to get everyone up to speed on the Kappa Google Drive, and to create a 2014 Leadership Action plan. Chapter Council completed these two items with outstanding efficiency and thoroughness, which set all the new officers up for a very successful year!
In January, all the new officers had a great beginning to the new year. Willa Jolink (President) spent much of her time organizing and leading Chapter Council and Chapter meetings every Sunday and Monday. Her organizational skills and heart for Kappa helped everything run smoothly in the first month of her office. The chapter also welcomed two new transfers from Texas Tech and Alabama, which Willa Jolink (President), Tatum Jolink (VP Standards) and Leigh Robinson (Registrar) helped usher in. Tatum Jolink organized the first Sisterhood event of the semester, bowling at the underground alley on campus, which was a huge success! Becca Johnson (VPAE) also implemented a new system of gauging the academic success of the new members, which ultimately led to one of our best overall GPAs yet! Madalyn Brim (Membership) organized a successful first Rush Workshop to prepare for recruitment in the fall and began the process of preparing for a new pledge class! Meghan Lowenfield (Chapter Education) treated the Chapter to a Zumba Workout during the first program night. Overall, the 2014 year was off to a great start!
In February, the new officers began to get the hang of their positions and began brainstorming ways to make this the best year of Beta Xi yet! Becca Johnson (VPAE) received the grade reports from the Fall 2013 semester and was pleased to see that we had raised our GPA significantly above the all sorority average and was ranked 6th overall! The chapter celebrated with a cake and Kappachino party that Julie Parma (House Chairman) and Miss Judi put on! Leigh Robinson (Registrar) also held the first RomCom of the Month on the week of Valentines Day, and partnered with Meghan McGowan (Philanthropy) to hold Kisses from Kappa, an event where the chapter writes Valentines to hospitalized children. It was a huge success, with the biggest turnout that both events have ever seen. Tricia Curry (Marshal) also held a Ritual Workshop to teach the entire chapter the Kappa rituals. This was extremely helpful to the new members especially. Last, Kappa had their first formal of the semester, Monmouth, with the PiPhis in late February. It was at a new venue on 6th street, and all the girls had a fun time with their dates thanks to a lot of planning from Mimi Richardson (Events Chairman) and Sam Stavinhoa (Risk Management).
March was a big month for the Beta Xi Kappas. Julie Parma (House Chairman) began the month by analyzing House Points and assigning roommates in the house for the 2014-2015 school year. She also revamped the Lillian, a lounge on the second floor that had begun to look outdated. With the House Board’s help, the new Lillian is now a favorite hangout spot for the girls in the house! Beta Xi also had House Mother Appreciation week, where the girls honored Miss Judi and all the amazing work she does for our chapter. Peyton Bivins (VPO) also worked hard on preparing the chapter for the Leadership Consultant to visit in late March. The LC helped us so much, and we were so happy to get to gain wisdom from an older, wiser Kappa! Becca Johnson (VPAE) also went above and beyond by compiling a “Majors List”, a new resource for Kappas to find others who share the same major. Becca also planning a Registration Party, with older Kappas helping younger girls navigate the perils of registering for classes. Barbara Gass (Corresponding Secretary) took a lot of time in March to inventory and label all the resources in the basement, making it much easier for the chapter to access. Meghan Lowenfield (Fraternity Education) also organized two fun events for the chapter: a senior yoga class and a Keys Overseas presentation! Both made meetings interesting and fun! In the end of March, the girls went on Spring Break, many going on trips with other Kappas. The Kappas traveled all over the world and took advantage of a whole week off from school! Upon returning back, Beta Xi held our biggest philanthropy event during Round Up, Fajita Fiesta, with PiPhi! This was the first year to do this, and Meghan McGowan’s (Philanthropy) hard work on it paid off!
In April, Beta Xi did not slow down one bit in preparing for the end of the semester. Mimi Richardson (Social) worked with Theta to plan Kite and Key, a beloved date party with the Thetas. Sam Stavinhoa (Risk Management) did a ton of work with the bus policy for this event, and spent many hours contacting the bus company and thinking of new, innovative ways to take roll on the buses. Additionally, Mimi Richardson helped plan fun Mom's and Dad's Weekends in April. The chapter loved getting to hang out with each other families in group dinners and events. Alex Collins (Panhellenic Delegate) helped run Greek Grub, an awareness event that helps Greeks meet each other on campus. She also organized a profit share with our sister sorority, AEPhi, at Red Mango. The turnout was great, and all the proceeds went to One Million for Anna, a charity that Meghan McGowan (Philanthropy) has developed a relationship with. Michelle Nash (Public Relations) threw the annual Easter Party, one the of the chapter’s favorite opportunities to meet alumni! Michelle put on an incredible party with Easter egg hunts and even the Easter Bunny made an appearance. Julie Parma (House Chairman) also assigned parking spots in the Kappa lot based on preference forms for the 2014-2015 school year.
May signaled a slow down in Kappa events as finals approached and the semester came to an end. Meghan Lowenfield (Education Chairman) conducted Senior Sendoff, a fun event after Chapter where we recognize the seniors and hear funny memories from their at KKG. Leigh Robinson (Registrar) also worked hard in obtaining all the graduating seniors’ contact information and put them on alum status in Key Reports. Tatum Jolink (VP Standards) also helped in getting the seniors to comply with the Senior Agreement, and she believes that the seniors were more aware of the requirements than in years past. Maggie Hood (Treasurer) worked hard in setting up the budget for the next school year. She met with all the officers individually and looked at past bills to determine the correct amount to allocate to each of the officer accounts. Maggie Hood (Treasurer), Willa Jolink (President) and Tatum Jolink (VP Standards) also worked hard to ensure that all accounts were cleared and everything was organized and squared away nicely for the chapter. Catherine Anne Prideaux (New Member) and Madalyn Brim (Membership) both worked hard to prepare for the recruitment and the new members coming in August! Catherine Anne finalized Bid Day plans and worked closely with Caroline Wallace (Favors Chairman) to design fun t-shirts and gear for the new girls to wear. Madalyn held the last recruitment workshop and began planning for the summer. Lastly, Mimi Richardson (Social Chairman) and Sam Stavinhoa (Risk Management) planned a fun End of the Year Party on a barge on Lake Travis for the Kappas! It was a huge hit and a great end to the school year!
Over the summer, the Kappas parted ways to do internships, study abroad, hang out at home or take classes in Austin. All the girls, especially the officers, kept up a strong line of communication and continued to uphold the Kappa name all around the world. Five members of Chapter Council attended Convention over the summer with all of the Kappa chapters in our region. The girls gained a lot of great tips in how to better run our chapter! Madalyn Brim (Membership) and the rest of Recruitment Team stayed in Austin over the summer, and attended parties and events where they could meet some of the girls who would be going through recruitment in August. The team did a ton of hard work for the rest of the chapter, but also had a ton of fun in Austin! However, in August everyone was ready to get back to the Kappa house for another fun year of Recruitment, new members, date parties, meetings, and sisterhood events.
In August, Madalyn Brim’s officer position kicked into high gear when she led an extremely successful Spirit Week and Recruitment Week. All of the chapter’s hard work paid off when 78 new Kappas ran to the house on Bid Day! Everyone was so pleased with the girls we had gotten, and Catherine Anne Prideaux (New Member Chairman) was ready to begin integrating the New Members into the chapter!
September marked the first week of school and the first football game. This year, long time football coach, Mack Brown, left the University and Coach Charlie Strong was hired as the new Longhorns head football coach! This football season looked promising for the Longhorns, and the Kappas were excited to begin attending football games again. At Beta Xi, September was a very busy month. Unfortunately, Bid Night behavior posed some challenges that Chapter Council had to discuss how to move forward with this yearly celebration of the new members. Willa Jolink (President) led these discussions and worked as the communication between the House Board and Chapter Council. The Kappas handled this situation very well and implemented extra service events and programs to put our chapter back in good standing. We are very proud of the progress we have made! Also in September, the New Members had their retreat at the KKG house, where they played games and bonded at a pledge class. Peyton Bivins (VPO) diligently constructed the calendar for the upcoming semester and implemented a new system for Committee Night. Now, all officers have a committee and the girls have a bigger hand in choosing a committee for the semester. Becca Johnson (VPAE) also made a fun new game out of Smarty Pants, which puts the 4 grades into competition to see who can get the most As. Overall, September was a busy and challenging semester, but very rewarding overall!
In October, Beta Xi was brought the news that the house would officially be undergoing a major renovation in the 2014-2015 school year! The girls were all very excited about the prospect of a new and improved house, but many challenges did arise in terms of housing everyone in the chapter during the year that the house cannot be used. House Board and Chapter Council worked together to form a relationship with 2400 Nueces to get a block of rooms for the Kappas, find a house for Miss Judi and locate potential new meeting and recruitment spaces. Overall, the strong team mindset in Kappa made these challenges easy to overcome. Beta Xi also had another visit from the LC, Riley. Peyton Bivins (VPO) ensured she had a wonderful stay and the chapter benefitted from the news ideas that the LC had to bring. Meghan Lowenfield (Fraternity Education) planned and implemented Founders Day, a time to celebrate and commemorate the founding and history of Kappa. The tradition is beloved by the Kappas. On October 25th, Tricia Curry (Marshal) officially initiated all 78 of the pledges in a beautifully run ceremony. Tricia organized everything with ease and made it the most efficient Initiation Ceremony in the past years. Initiation marks the end of an 8-week education process of the new members. Michelle Nash (PR) held another successful holiday event, the annual Halloween Party at the House. Mimi Richardson (Events Chairman) and Sam Stavinhoa (Risk Management) worked hard to plan and throw Kappa Kidnap and OwlOween on two back-to-back weekends, which were both fun ways to end the month of October!
November marked continued efforts to organize and communicate updates from House Board about the new upcoming renovation. Willa Jolink (President) and Julie Parma (House Chairman) worked for a very long time to make sure this process ran smoothly. Leigh Robinson (Registrar) coordinated the Composite pictures and signed a contract with a different Composite company for the next school year. She hopes to save money and increase composite quality with this switch! Tatum Jolink (VP Standards) Meghan McGowan (Philanthropy) and Alex Collins (Panhellenic Delegate) worked together to organize a Sisterhood event. At the event, girls decorated Thanksgiving cookies with Kappa Delta and wrote holiday cards to Dell Children’s Hospital. Mimi Richardson (Events Chairman) planned Parents Weekend and Kappa Cocktail. Kendall Sealy (Recording Secretary) worked with all the officers to revise the Bylaws and Standing Rules for the next officers. Then in mid November, Beta Xi began officer transitions, led by Peyton Bivins (VPO). Julie Parma (House and Slate Chairman) and the Slate Committee had elected new girls to serve on Chapter Council, and the groups began working together to transition all positions over smoothly. The 2014 Chapter Council is extremely excited to see what the new Chapter Council will do in 2015!
In December, the semester began to come to a close, with only one week in between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks for some. The girls worked really hard to get their schoolwork done and finish with great GPAs. Slowly but surely, girls began to move out of the house to return home for the winter break and holiday season. Overall, 2014 has been an incredible year for Beta Xi, and we could not be happier with the challenges we have overcome and the changes we have implemented.
Campus: Recent changes on our campus have made it increasingly important to be technologically savvy. With the influx of media and technology that has come about in the past couple years, students must utilize these avenues to be successful at the University of Texas. In other news, in 2014 we hired a new football coach, Charlie Strong. The students has have begun to call themselves "Stronghorns" and all have made an incredible effort to stand behind and support this new football era. We are hoping for some big football wins in 2015!
Chapter: The nature of our chapter is something that we are most proud of . We are known as campus as being friendly, welcoming and bright. We still maintain a highly admired reputation among both Greeks and non Greeks, and we wear the Kappa name with pride. Our biggest accomplishment this year was overcoming some disciplinary issues with alcohol in the house. It was a long road to work with the House Board, advisors, and Miss Judi to enforce the rules surrounding this. We began doing room sweeps of the House to ensure than no one was keeping alcohol against the rules. We are happy to say that the chapter has been properly educated on this rule and all the girls have completely supported our Standards Chair and President in this challenge, and our chapter is now stronger a whole.
We hold chapter meetings in the large downstairs living room of the KKG House on University Drive. We normally move the furniture and bring in chairs to ensure that everyone has a comfortable place to sit. The chapter owns our House, which maintains a Historical Landmark status in Texas.
We have had our red brick house on University for decades now. The girls have the opportunity to live in the House both their junior and senior years, if they choose. The House has 60 spots, and the House Chairman generally fills them with half junior and half seniors, based on House Points that can be earned throughout the school year. In our history, we have had one other chapter owned house, which was formerly on the corner of 24th of Rio Grande, the current site of a gas station. The chapter is looking forward to a massive renovation of our house in 2015 and 2016, a 15 month project to update it and revamp it. This will cause member s to not be able to live in the house in the 2015-2016 school year.
Highlights of 2015
2015 was a big year of change and growth for Beta Xi. In January, the new Beta Xi Chapter Council was eager to continue the legacy of great leadership that was put in place the previous year. Tricia Curry was President, Annie Whitehead was VP Standards, Sam Stavinoha was VP Organization, Catherine Anne Prideaux was VPAE, Morgan Bridges was Recording Secretary, Sarah Branch was Corresponding Secretary, Rachel Theilmann was membership chairman, Annie Bernica was New Member Chairman, Elise Roth was Treasurer, Sarah Cordill was Philanthropy Chairman, Meredith Nagel was Event Chairman, Michelle Nash was Registrar, Katie Sears was House Chairman, Avery Travis was Marshal, Sophie Worrell was Risk Management Chairman, Grace Anne McGinnis was Panhellenic Delegate, Kathryn Stouffer was PR Chair, and Anna Wittenmyer was Education Chair.
Tricia Curry (President) kicked off the year by efficiently planning and leading CC meetings. The first few orders of business were finalizing edits on the chapter bylaws and standing rules, getting officers up to speed on the Kappa drive and webinars, and reviewing the basic expectations and responsibilities of Chapter Council members. Sam Stavinoha (VP Organization) went over our strategic plan and goals for the Chapter Council, which included increasing chapter unity, transparency and understanding of ritual, revamping philanthropy, and encouraging proactivity. Annie Whitehead (VP Standards) went over her new plan for implementing positive probation. Kathryn Stouffer (Public Relations Chairman) led a GIN presentation to get members acquainted with the new system, and published another great issue of “Round Up”, the annual Kappa newsletter. Under new leadership, the first few chapter meetings of the new year were completed with outstanding efficiency and thoroughness, and set the pace for a very successful year ahead.
In February, the officers were beginning to get the hang of their new responsibilities on Chapter Council and the semester began to pick up speed. Meredith Nagel (Event Chairman) planned another awesome Dad’s weekend with a barbeque dinner at Ironworks, a joint event at the Rattle Inn with the Texas Cowboys, and more. She and Sophie Worrell (Risk Management) also pulled off another great Monmouth formal with the Pi Phis at the Downtown Austin Hyatt, and everyone had a wonderful time with their dates. Rachel Theilmann (Membership Chairman) held a very successful first recruitment workshop with the freshman, teaching them the inns and outs of rush and the importance of spring semester for recruiting. Chapter Council also attended Province in late February and learned a lot of great tips from other chapters on how to run the chapter more efficiently and effectively.
March was another busy month for Beta Xi and the spring semester was in full swing. Avery Travis (Marshal) led a successful ritual workshop that was an extremely helpful refresher for the entire chapter. Catherine Anne Prideaux (VPAE) received the fall grades and found that our chapter GPA had risen since last semester and there were also 30 girls with 4.0’s from the fall! Rachel held another great Rush Workshop with both freshman and sophomores to begin preparing for recruitment and began developing a strategy with area assistants. Sam Stavinoha (VPO) worked hard to plan for the leadership consultant’s upcoming visit in April. On program night the chapter heard very valuable career advice from Lori MacNeil from Career Onward. Lori talked about the importance of resumes, LinkedIn accounts, and overall social media identity. The chapter was very receptive to her talk and learned a lot about professionalism. Sarah Cordill (Philanthropy Chair) planned another successful fundraiser with Pi Phi during round up. The event, called Kappa/Pi Phi Carnival, was our biggest philanthropy event of the year and actives and guests attended with a petting zoo, face painter, snow cones, and more. Hudson Moore performed and the event raised around 1000 dollars for our philanthropy. It was so much fun and a huge success.
April was another great month for Beta Xi. Kathryn Stouffer (PR) planned the annual Easter party for alumnae and their children. The event was held at the house and featured an Easter egg hunt, face painting, and the Easter bunny made an appearance per usual. The event was a blast for all who attended! Meredith Nagel (Event Chairman) and Sophie Worrel (Risk Management) planned another successful event with Theta- Kite & Key. The event was held at a venue downtown and everyone had a wonderful time with dates and Theta friends. Mom’s weekend was also a blast and the Kappas enjoyed a chapter-wide dinner at the Driskill with their mothers. Meetings were running smoothly and Carolyn Simpson came and spoke to the chapter about recruitment and Kappa nationals. This talk was very informative for the entire chapter, and helped shed light on how Kappa functions as an organization nationally beyond just the level of our chapter. Our leadership consultant, Alex Von Springer also visited in April and gave a very helpful presentation to the chapter at the end of her visit with some tips and advice on how we could improve. We also held a ring ceremony at an April meeting for one of our seniors, Becca Oertli, who got engaged. Sarah Cordill held a successful RIF event at Wooldridge Elementary. The entire chapter came together and set up stations at the school to interact with the kids. Stations included sports, reading, card decorating and face painting. This event was looked forward to very much by both our chapter and the kids, and was a huge success as usual. At the end of the month, Chapter Council got news that due to unforeseen complications, our house renovations would now be delayed until November of 2015. Though this meant we would be able to hold recruitment at the house, this presented new challenges to chapter council and the members affected. A member of house board came to answer questions and help sort out the issues.
May signaled a slow down in Kappa events as finals approached and the semester came to an end. Anna Wittenmyer (Education Chairman) conducted Senior Sendoff, a fun event after chapter where we recognize the seniors and hear funny memories from years past. Michelle Nash (Registrar) also obtained all of the graduating seniors’ contact information and put them on alum status in Key Reports. Elise Roth (Treasurer) worked hard to set up the budget for the upcoming school year, and held budget meetings with all of the Chapter Council officers. Annie Bernica (New Member Chairman) and Rachel Theilmann (Membership Chairman) both worked hard to prepare for recruitment and the new pledge class coming in August. Annie worked hard to finalize bid day plans for the new members and Rachel held the last recruitment workshop and began planning for the summer. As everyone began moving out for summer, it was hard to believe that this was the last time any Kappas would be living in the old house! With renovations beginning in the fall, it was a bittersweet end to a great year.
Over the summer, Kappa sisters parted ways for internships or study abroad programs. Summer flew by and by August everyone was ready to get back to the University of Texas for another fun year. Rachel’s hard work over the past semester all culminated in an extremely successful spirit week and recruitment week in August. Her team and our chapter’s hard work paid off when Beta Xi welcomed 61 new members on bid day at the Kappa house. In the wake of last year’s bid day behavior issues, Tricia and chapter council worked hard to make sure that bid day was safe and fun for everyone. We were able to overcome the challenges from the previous year and put our chapter back on good standing with this yearly celebration of the new members.
September marked the first week of school and the first football game, and everyone was excited to be back. With renovations starting, this month was the first time we began holding chapter meetings in the Student Union, our temporary home. The first meeting in the union ran smoothly and Catherine Anne (VPAE) congratulated the 26 members that received 4.0’s and happily announced that the chapter GPA had increased from the previous semester to a 3.44! Meredith (Event) and Sophie (Risk Management) worked hard to plan our first date event of the semester, Kappa Kidnap. The event was at a dance hall right outside of Austin and everyone had a great time with their dates and the live band. Annie (New Member) also planned a fun new member retreat and the new pledge class had a great time bonding and getting to know one another before the semester began to pick up speed.
October was another busy month for Beta Xi. Meredith (Event Chairman) planned another great date event with Tri-Delt, and the month ended with Owl-o-ween, our date function with Chi-Omega. We had some issues with our risk management policies that needed to be addressed after these events. Chapter council discussed some ways to hold the chapter accountable for their actions at events and to reinforce new standards for behavior for everyone. We decided to implement a buddy system between “bigs” and “littles” as well as looking for ways to improve bus riding attendance at events. Michelle Nash (Registrar) worked hard to plan composites, and coordinated with a new company to have composites taken in the Union. Avery Travis (Marshal) did an amazing job planning and executing Initiation without a house. Initiation was held in a church near campus and ran very smoothly, and the newly initiated members and their parents went to a fun brunch afterwards at Hotel Ella down the street. Anna Wittenmyer (Fraternity Education Chairman) did an outstanding job planning Founder’s day. The event was held at AT&T and actives and alumnae attended and enjoyed stories and songs from the Kappa pickers.
In November the semester was quickly wrapping up. Meredith (Event Chairman) did a great job planning a fun parent’s weekend and everyone enjoyed the chapter-wide dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. Meredith also did an outstanding job planning Kappa Formal, our last formal of the semester. The event was held at Austin Music Hall downtown. Morgan Bridges (Recording Secretary) was elected slate chairman, and worked extremely hard to conduct meetings with the slate committee to nominate the officers for next year. She gave the slate presentation at meeting in November, and officer transitions began quickly after, and the new and old Chapter Councils began working together.
In December, the semester began to come to a close, with only one week in between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks for some. The girls worked really hard to get through finals and the end of the semester. 2015 was a great transition year for Beta Xi. Despite challenges from the house renovation, our chapter has remained stronger and closer than ever, and we look forward to the next year!
Campus: There were some changes to the campus climate in 2015. The University of Texas transitioned to a new president, Gregory L. Fenves, and Bevo XIV passed away near the end of the football season.
Chapter: The nature of our chapter is what we are most proud of because Kappas are well known at the University of Texas for being friendly, open-minded and well liked by all groups on campus. Our main goal in 2015 was to increase chapter unity despite the house renovations, and our chapter did a great job finding ways to be together in the face of those challenges.
Chapter Philanthropy:
What organization(s) has your chapter historically/traditionally raised money for, or donated hours to, in your community? Wooldrige Elementary, SEAL
Why did your chapter choose this organization(s) to support? We have a great relationship with Wooldridge Elementary where we have our annual RIF event every spring. The kids are always very excited about the event and the Kappas are always eager to make a difference face-to-face.
Note to Chapter Registrar: Please refer to your chapter archives including chapter meeting minutes and back issues of The Key to fill in any gaps in the above historical highlights. If your chapter archives are not complete, please research your university library, campus newspaper and yearbook archives for newsworthy information about your chapter. Please double check your work for accuracy. Contact chapter Advisory or House Board members, local Alumnae Association members, or your Province Director of Chapters for assistance.
Your efforts will ensure a complete and accurate history of your chapter for future generations to enjoy!