DELTA TAU DELTA FOUNDATION of TUFTS UNIVERSITY
The House Corporation
FORMATION
The House Corporation was organized on May 13, 1957 “ To provide housing and educational facilities for students in attendance at Tufts University;….”. The original incorporators included Paul Wren (A57, Wren Hall) and Joel Reynolds who served as Chapter Advisors for many generations of Beta Mu Delts. The new House Corporation received the House by deed dated October 15, 1958 from Beta Mu Corporation of Delta Tau Delta, which had previously received the House by deed from Tufts University. That original deed contained an option which allowed Tufts the right of first refusal and the option to buy the House if found to be in the best interests of the University. Since that option language was not included the Beta Mu deed, on April 5, 1990, the House Corporation entered an agreement with Tufts reaffirming the right of first refusal and option to purchase.
INTERRUPTION AND RECOLONIZATION, 2004-2010
The House Corporation controlled the House on behalf of the Brothers of the Beta Mu Chapter of Delta Tau Delta until 2004 when the Beta Mu chapter was closed by the University and national Delta Tau Delta for five years. At the end of the five years, Nick DeKanter (A76) with the help of other Delts, including Wiff Peterson (A68) of Beta Mu, recolonized Beta Mu. At the same time, a group of Beta Mu alums at a meeting of local Delts formed the idea of rejuvenating the House Corporation.
HOUSE CORPORATION LEADERSHIP
The House Corporation had carried on through the years with various board members but always with the leadership and substantial personal commitment of Steve Chandler (A63). If it were not for Steve’s contributions, we would not have the House and the House Corporation today. During the five year hiatus, various tenants included graduate students from Tufts and finally the AEPi fraternity. Unfortunately, these tenants trashed the House.
RECOLINIZATION & RE-ORGANIZATION
There we were in 2010 with a newly colonized Beta Mu and a trashed House. The House Corporation reorganized and met the challenge. Frank Mairano (A69) was elected President, and with the help of Lee Jenkins (A66) renovations began. Refinancing of the mortgage and financing of the renovations was provided by Boston Private Bank of which Tim Vale, an old friend of Beta Mu and the founder of the Beelzebubs, was President. Mike Holiday (A77), Ray Ewer (A75), Ken Vacovec (A69), and Jon Stearns (A66) helped with the refinancing, budgeting and legal agreements, like leases and mortgage documents for the House. John Hardy (A74), Wiff Peterson (A68) and Eric Gheewalla (A87) helped with other aspects of the renovations and recolonization including getting a kitchen organized and running. George Ryan (A57) and Bob Karp (A69) located and purchased furniture, and Bob led the way on starting Alumni relations for the House Corporation. It was a team effort, and in the Fall of 2011, the House was re-occupied by the Beta Mu Chapter of Delta Tau Delta.
RE-CONSTRUCTION & LOCAL CHALLENGES
The fraternity and the House corporation worked smoothly for several years, continuing with renovations and building capital reserves in the House Corporation coffers. Then on May 31, 2015, when the House was to be occupied during the summer by a few brothers with no guests, one of the brothers invited a friend into the House, as well as her two friends who were students at other universities. During the evening, those two men stabbed each other, and the University closed the House for one year. Dick Reynolds (A67), the then President of the House Corporation, carried out negotiations with the University. The capital saved over the years carried the mortgage and operating expenses during this shut down. As the House Corporation was preparing to reopen in the Fall of 2016, the Mayor of Somerville announced that he would not allow the City to issue the needed lodging license. Negotiations with the City and the University began. The University leased the House for the year which saved the House from defaulting on the Mortgage. Bill Richardson (A70) flew to Boston and along with Ken Vacovec (A69), they had lunch with the Mayor who set out what he needed from the fraternity and the House Corporation before he would allow the lodging license to be issued. The deal was struck and the fraternity began community service and charity work for the City while avoiding any controversies on campus or in the community. The House reopened in the Fall of 2017.
CURRENT RESPONSIBILITY & FUTURE CHALLENGES
The House corporation carries on today with a new set of challenges. Tufts University, in response to student activism against the Greek System, began a study of student life on campus. One of the results was not allowing freshmen to pledge fraternities and not allowing sophomores to live in the House. The resulting reduction in participation in food service income and the difficulty in filling the beds in the House has presented a significant financial challenge to the House Corporation. As in the past, a challenge the House Corporation and the Beta Mu brotherhood shall meet.