“Beware of One-Tracked Minds” 

    How wonderful it is to come out of the winter doldrums and be looking at the new, nearly complete, Beta Epsilon house at Arkansas State. After ten years of talking about how to get it done; and now, nearly three years of intense preparation, our common dream is about to become a reality. By mid-summer, our new facility will be finished and occupied. The official dedication ceremony is slated for August 6, 2005. But, are we too focused?
    Obviously, the focus of all of our attention has been to complete the task of providing new and improved housing for our undergraduate brothers. As glamorous and exciting as a new house can be, we must also keep a watchful eye on maintaining the chapter as well.
For this adviser, it can all be overwhelming. ARGHHHHHH!!! Where does it all end? The answer is that it does not. With the addition of our new asset, the business of proper chapter management will only intensify. The need for meaningful alumni-undergraduate relations will grow exponentially. The need for alumni support in real numbers at meetings/events, etc., must grow to share the burden of chapter management; and not to merely rest the responsibility on the shoulders of the few who live in Jonesboro.
    Realizing that we have a tremendous group of undergraduate AGR brothers in the chapter to support, the alumni group must not become mere landlords of a nice property. The chapter must reflect and realize how we have arrived at this point in our chapter’s history.
    First, it starts with one. One alumni or one undergraduate determined to make the chapter a better place for those brothers yet to come (our most valuable asset). That one member who dares to jab his stick in the soil and say with one loud voice... “From this point forward.....I’ll be a better member;” or, “Things will be different because I’m going to make them that way... by myself, if I have to.” Yes, it’s true, our chapter has endured some truly dark times....personally, I am glad that they are gone forever. We must dedicate ourselves, each one of us in his way, to insure that we NEVER revisit the dark ages again.
The second reason (and more-than-likely the principal reason) that our chapter has been so successful is our investment in membership education with the National AGR organization and ASU. Our chapter’s members are better informed and knowledgeable of the workings of AGR than we were when I was noble ruler. We have invested the dollars over the last 8+ years to send our younger brothers to Leadership Seminars, Recruitment Schools, National Conventions, etiquette dinners, etc. Not only are they better members capable of leading the chapter to a better situation; but also, they are better men. Hey, wait a minute. Isn’t that our purpose? “To make better men; and, through them, a broader and better Agriculture . . .”
    The addition of our new investment, the house, will require all of our income resources leaving little for membership education. The thought that the house will maintain itself since it is new is a misnomer. Without the rock foundation that strong educational opportunities provide, our new house will surely crumble upon the sand. We must financially support our building effort while at the same time continue the additional support of our membership educational initiatives.
    Over the next few months with all the celebration and monetary donation towards the completion of our new chapter house, let’s remember not to forget the investment in our existence beyond the glitz and glamour. Just because we support the building does not necessarily mean that we are supporting the chapter. The house is just a shell that we must continuously fill with opportunities to succeed.
    Let’s all work to invest our time, energy and monetary support for the other portions of our new chapter. Those investment dollars will insure that our new house will be filled with the sounds of hundreds of new Beta Epsilon brothers well into the future; and, that we will never revisit the ‘dark-times’ that we all remember! To find out how you can individually help insure the future of the chapter beyond the building, ASK! There is always something that can be done if there is a willing ‘can-do’ spirit that refuses to be extinguished!

Fraternally,

James E. Hagar,
Chapter Adviser & Beta Epsilon Alumni Vice President (05-06)

This article was written for the Beta Epsilon Spring Crescent. Thank you to James Hagar for use of the article.

Arkansas State Chapter Welcomes New House

     The Beta Epsilon Chapter at Arkansas State will soon dedicate a new house to their history. The house has been under construction since the summer of 2004. The members will be able to move into the house at the beginning of the 2005 fall semester. Each room will be completely furnished, wireless intranet and satellite TV included, with the furniture that was delivered June 25. Members completed the landscaping, taking advantage of their agricultural talents. Every member is overly excited about the process. The dedication Ceremony date has been set for August 6, 2005 at 3405 Aggie Road, Jonesboro, Arkansas.

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