Minnesota Greek Alumni Partnership

Were You A Girl Scout?

Since 1912, nearly 45 million women across the country have been Girl Scouts. Today’s leaders in science, sports, government and business are yesterday’s Girl Scouts. Chances are, you still cherish your Girl Scout experience- the friendships, the adventures, and of course, the fun! Did you know that Girl Scouts can be just as much fun for adult women as it is for girls?

If you are a former Girl Scout, Girl Scout Leader, volunteer, camp counselor or staff member- it’s time to reconnect! Girl Scout Alumni can help by sharing their experiences, commitment, talent, time and financial support.

How do you rekindle the unique experience of Girl Scouts? Go to the council website at www.girlscoutsmpls.org, look at the list of Quick Links and click on “Were You a Girl Scout”. Then simply fill out the form. We will then add you to our Alumni Registry for future Alumni Reunions, special events, as well as volunteer and gift opportunities. Act now to get reconnected with the largest female organization in the world!

MGAP Happy Hour

MGAP Happy Hour

Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006
The Local, Downtown Minneapolis
931 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Look for the maroon and gold balloons!

The Capital Fraternal Caucus (CFC)

The Capital Fraternal Caucus (CFC) launches its new Web site! The CFC Web site is intended to harness the collective voice of nine million fraternity and sorority members nationwide. You will find this Web site has a variety of resources that will encourage you to get involved in the  CFC Greek government relations program.      

http://www.fraternalcaucus.com

Happy Hour Anyone?

Join us down at Lyon's Pub for some fun networking & socializing!

When: Thursday, May 11

Time: 5:00-8:00

Location:  Lyon's Pub, 16 South Sixth Street (across from City Center) Minneapolis, MN 55402, Phone: 612-333-6612 http://www.lyonspub.com/

"The friendly neighborhood pub in downtown Minneapolis".

TCAPA Annual Meeting

The Twin Cities Alumnae Panhellenic Association (TCAPA) will be hosting their annual meeting at the Campus Club on Thursday, May 11 at 6:30PM.

They will be holding our annual meeting to hear nominations and elect the officers for next year!  They will also be discussing preliminary budgets and calendars.

Please bring your ideas, goals and nominations to this event!

Additional nominations can be sent to the current TCAPA President, Erika Loen [email protected]

To RSVP, please follow the evite link:

http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/[email protected]/tcapa

Alumni Greek Awards

Congratulations on all of your achievements this year!

MGAP Alumni of the Year

Paul DeBettignies

Delta Kappa Epsilon

Lorna Fox

Alpha Chi Omega

Chapter Advisor of the Year

Matt Atkinson

Sigma Nu

Jessica Cramer

Alpha Omicron Pi

House Director of the Year

Mary Ann Cope

Alpha Gamma Delta

Congratulations to all of the Alumni of the Year Nominees

Paul DeBettignies - Delta Kappa Epsilon

Michael Loehrer - Beta Theta Pi

Craig Strong - Sigma Nu

Mary Buschette - Lambda Delta Phi

Micah Ebert - Alpha Chi Omega

Kelly Erskine - Kappa Alpha Theta

Lorna Fox - Alpha Chi Omega

Pat Funk - Alpha Gamma Delta

Meg Sisk - Alpha Omicron Pi

Carol Warren - Pi Beta Phi

Gloria Ray Wicks - Alpha Chi Omega

Alumni Connections

In the coming weeks and months MGAP will be working on social and professional networking opportunities for the Greek community.

The first event is April 2, which is the Alumni BBQ in coordination with Greek Weekend. The location and time are still being worked out.

MGAP has recently formed a group on LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com, an online professional networking web site. More information on LinkedIn and an invitation to join will be sent to the MGAP and Greek Alumni Network (through the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, UMAA) in the next two weeks.

We are working with the UMAA to have updates of the GAN membership in an Excel spreadsheet. The new list of Greek alumni is 600+ and we will be sending them an introduction to MGAP.

Partnership Board Recruitment Committee, Innova Presentation

On January 25^th, 2006 100+ Greek undergraduates, advisors, house corporation board members and university staff attended a presentation with the results from the Greek community communications audit and proposal.

Innova Campus Direct was retained to do an audit of the Greek community communication practices to include web, email, general public relations and recruitment materials.

As part of Innova’s presentation they gave recommendations on what should be done for the 2006 and 2007 calendar years and a project proposal should we decide to work with them.

The audit and proposal were sent out to all undergraduate chapter presidents, house corporations and advisors.

Response to the proposal has been overwhelmingly positive. Both governing undergraduate councils have voted in favor of moving forward with the proposal.

International Badge Day

The Twin Cities Alumnae Panhellenic Association (TCAPA) celebrated International Badge Day on Sunday, March 5^th at The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis. This is an annual event during which sorority women everywhere honor their Greek affiliations by wearing their badge

The theme this year was “Wear Your Badge with Pride."

International Badge Day recognizes the contributions of sorority women and promotes the value of Greek membership ... both as a collegian and an alumna. 

The celebration featured updates from TCAPA, The University of Minnesota Panhellenic Council (UMN PC), and MGAP.  Approximately 25 attendees were treated to a speech by Barbara Laederach, Minnesota Collegiate NPC Advisor, on “Speaking Up for Sororities.” This speech was formerly given to the National Panhellenic Council. 

Additionally TCAPA donated $300 to UMN PC for a Panhellenic Scholarship.

Congressional Lobbying Effort

Carol Warren, MGAP VP Collegiate Relations, is Pi Beta Phi’s NPC Delegate and has been heavily involved in lobbying members of Congress to support “The Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 1548/S.713) Preserving the Future of Not-for-Profit Student Housing.”

Material will be sent to house corporation presidents in the next week, which will include sample letters to send to Senators and Congressmen in support of these bills. What follows is some of the material that will be sent.

The current tax code hinders modernization and safety of some student housing. The federal income tax code allows colleges and universities to use tax deductible contributions for infrastructure improvements to classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, meeting areas and dining facilities, but forbids contributions to fraternity and sorority foundations to be used to make similar infrastructure improvements to student housing, meeting areas and dining facilities.   

Fraternities and sororities are the nation’s largest not-for-profit student landlord. We own and manage $3 billion in student housing at no cost to the American taxpayers. We house 250,000 students a year in 8,000 facilities with a replacement cost and capacity that universities cannot afford to bear.  Our houses operate almost exclusively on student rents and we do not have the ability to raise tax-deductible funding for important life-safety capital improvements. 

In the 108^th Congress, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act was included in the Charitable Giving Act of 2003 that passed the House by a 408-13 margin. The 2005 version of the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act is the same as the language within the Charitable Giving Act of 2003 that passed the House in the last Congress.   

Passing the Collegiate House and Infrastructure Act would encourage new charitable contributions to improve current collegiate housing, thereby preserving and upgrading existing housing capacity and helping construct the new housing capacity needed to accommodate rapidly growing student populations.

The result would be safer student housing by enabling fraternities and sororities to fund the installation of modern life safety equipment such as fire sprinklers, smoke detectors and alarm systems.