Led by Chi Phi National Office staff members Bre Berris (Director of growth and Alumni Services) and Michael Azarian (Executive Director), the fraternity made an expansion pitch to the student body at the University of Tampa on Wednesday, March 18^th. Also in attendance were the Delta Zeta Chapter Alpha and Beta, Corey Irby and Nathan Drass respectively, The DZAA President, David Ebner and the DZAA Technology Chairman, Clinton Millsap. Two distinguished alumni were also present as incoming Grand Alpha Ron Frank and Alpha Delta Chapter Alumnus and longtime Delta Zeta supporter, Andy Shultz Sr., were able to join.

The presentation delved straight into why Chi Phi would be a great fit at the University of Tampa. Bre Berris showed recent Chi Phi stats that would make it hard for any campus to say no to bring the fraternity to the school. Here are few of the statistics from the last five years:

• Chapter sizes have increased from 30 to 42.
• 15 Chapters have been started and re-founded.
• Only 1 of the 15 have been closed in that time. This represents one of the lowest ratios in the industry.
• The Initiation rate raised to 90%, again one of the highest for a fraternity in the country. This is a sign that hazing and poor recruitment methods are dropping.
• Overall growth in membership is 61%.

Michael Azarian spoke to the fraternity’s Risk Management efforts and announced that Chi Phi has the lowest possible insurance premium in our purchasing group. In fact, Brother Ebner noted that the insurance premium is the same now as it was when he was a new member back in 2007. What other insurance premium do you have that hasn’t increased in 8 years? He also noted that although Chi Phi hasn’t needed it, we have an $11 million liability policy and a $1 million cash reserve if the time ever comes. His reasoning for why we have so much insurance, “It’s really cheap. Why not protect our members and our future to our best abilities, especially when we can for such little money?”

In the end, Brothers Frank, Shultz, Ebner and Millsap pledged the support of the Tampa Alumni to help advise and nurture a Chi Phi group at the University of Tampa, which went a long way with the students present. The group then talked more over dinner at Acropolis in Ybor. The night ended with a feeling of success, regardless of which fraternity the University of Tampa decides to invite to expand, Chi Phi poised itself to eventually start another Chapter in Tampa.