The time has finally come for ground to be broken at Morgan Hill for the AOII house and other sorority houses at UT. We are very excited and know our alums are, too, but we’re also “down to the wire” in getting all of our fund-raising in place to receive the green-light from UT to proceed with our building project. Without UT’s go-ahead, AOII can’t move the first shovel of dirt.
Here is the situation: UT requires a certain amount of cash raised up-front before each of the sorority groups can begin construction. While Omicron Chapter’s building fund has raised more than $800,000 to date with a lot of hard work and countless volunteer hours, AOII is missing the mark on our goal to begin construction by about $210,000, as of April 2010.
What this current shortfall means for AOII is that – right now – there will be other sororities that may very well be able to get their houses started before we do, which means they’ll be “open for business” for Rush / Recruitment in fall 2011. And we won’t. What this will mean for our recruitment numbers and competitiveness within Panhellenic is not completely clear. But, we can only imagine that it will not be to AOII’s advantage that in less than 18 months other groups will be able to host their memberships and new member prospects in brand-new, beautifully built houses – while AOII is still stuck in the old, antiquated, over-crowded, structurally unsound Panhellenic Building.
AOII has always had a UT tradition of leading the way for others, not trailing behind. This house is a key part of AOII being competitive and remaining a top organization for excellence among university women at UT for generations to come. Without this house, AOII will not be competitive – it’s that simple. And when sororities cease to be competitive, they can also – over time – cease to be. With all the years we’ve shared in AOII and with the knowledge of Omicron Chapter as such a point of pride on the UT campus, this scenario is not one we want, nor is it one we can risk.
We have made many calls, visits and personal requests for support among our chapter’s alumnae, and we’ve been honored and tremendously appreciative of our alums who’ve answered that call. However, many alumnae have not yet answered it. There may be all kinds of reasons why – very legitimate reasons, too. The tough economy, kids or grandkids in school, demands of other charitable giving requests . . . we know that there are many reasons this house campaign may not have been an immediate priority in the past. But now – at this point -- we need 2010 to be the year that the house becomes a priority for us all. If you’re one of our sisters who has not yet given, please consider a gift to this campaign – one that will help us make the difference in remaining a campus leader at UT for the long-term, and help other sisters – both present and future – experience all the joys of AOII that we had . . . joys, friendships and experiences that continue to make such an impact on our lives.
Giving is simple. Just go to www.omicronhouse.com, where you can download a giving form, which has all of the instructions for making your gift or pledge. Or, you can also call UT directly, (865) 974-2115, and just be sure you make your arrangements with UT where Alpha Omicron Pi is the designee. You can make a significant gift by pledging an amount that you pay over time, in increments that are convenient and manageable for whatever your budget is. Planned giving and bequests are also welcomed. In whatever way you choose to give, please take action . . . do it now. As an alumna, you will be proud of what this house will stand for in representing AOII at UT. But it won’t happen without support. Thanks so much!
