A lot has changed in the past year for the DZAA – a new website, regular outings every third Thursday, a golf tournament, an anniversary celebration, a re-dedication to buying a house, and so much more. It has been exciting to see this Alumni Association come back to life in so many different ways. And, as we continue grow, we’ll continue to see changes as we try new things – to see what works and what doesn’t, and ultimately, to find those things that best serve the Alumni and our Chapter.

And with growth comes change.

One change is our Association’s fiscal year. Previously, the fiscal year has always run from April 1^st of each year through March 31^st of the following year. In order to avoid any conflicts with major events (such as the Founders’ Weekend, which takes place each year in April), and also, to coincide with the fiscal year of the Chi Phi National Office, a vote was taken at the last meeting of the General Membership of the DZAA to change the fiscal year to July 1^st through June 30^th. This will help streamline the financial flow, particularly with two major events now occurring each year – Founders’ Weekend in April and the USF/Chi Phi Scholarship Scramble in October.

Another change is the addition of two new members added to the Executive Board for the DZAA – the Technology Chairman and the Archivist. Brother Clinton Millsap has already brought so much to the table in his “unofficial” capacity with the Board, but at the last General Meeting, the membership voted to make the Technology Chairman an official member of the Board, to be appointed by the other members. The other new member, the Archivist, has yet to be appointed by the Board.   The Archivist will maintain all of the DZAA records and history, and the Board is currently looking for someone to fill that position.

One more change that will come into effect on July 1^st is the amount of dues that Alumni will pay to stay an active member of the DZAA. Previously, the cost of annual dues was only $25 per year, which amount has not changed in a long time – however, with the increased number of activities now being offered throughout the year, as well as the additional benefits (such as t-shirts provided to all paid members for the annual Scarlet vs Blue softball game), it was determined that the best way to maximize the Association’s ability to continue offering activities and benefits to the Alumni at no charge or discounted rates was to increase the cost of annual dues. Thus, beginning with the 2014-15 fiscal year, the annual dues for each member will be $50, which become due as of July 1, 2014. But, with the increased membership dues comes more benefits and activities that the Alumni can look forward to!

Change is afoot, fellow Alumni, but it’s good change that will only lead the DZAA to bigger and better things!