What is the timeline for tearing down the house and rebuilding the new one?

As we embark on the exciting journey of constructing a new house, our Corp Board and fundraising cabinet committee want to provide as much transparency as possible about the many steps and considerations involved in the process. While we are eager to move forward, several key factors and critical decision points influence the timeline for both tearing down the existing house and completing the new build.

Key Steps in the Process:
1. Fundraising & Financial Commitments: A project of this scale requires significant financial resources. We must secure $12 million in donor commitments and finalize bank financing for approximately $4 million. It’s not necessary that we have the full $16 million in the bank before we move forward in the process, but we want to have significant progress and momentum toward reaching the final goal of $16 million before we take the major steps in the process – and our Theta national organization will require this as well. Every gift and every member matters. We understand that not every alum will be able to donate a large amount. We want to see every alum contribute at a level that is meaningful to her and her personal financial situation. We can do this!

2. Provide Active Thetas Ample Notice: Out of respect for our active Thetas living in the house, we are committed to giving them at least one year’s notice before the existing house is torn down. This ensures they have ample time to secure alternative housing. Our facilities advisors will be helping and guiding this process, and they are already working ahead on these plans. Until we have secure financing (donations and construction loan) and a firm construction timeline in place, we will not issue the one year’s notice.

3. Approvals: Our plans must be approved by Theta National, which we are working on now, as well as financial institutions. When we get closer to tear down and re-construction, we will also be working with local permitting authorities and OSU. Each of these steps involves coordination, documentation, and potential revisions, all of which contribute to our overall timeline.

4. Economic & Market Conditions: Several external factors will influence the construction timeline and costs, including but not limited to labor & material expenses, and shifting market & economic conditions such as interest rates, inflation and tariffs. These factors require careful evaluation to determine the most strategic time to begin construction.

5. Hiring Contractors & Preparing for Construction: Once approvals and funding are in place, we must select a contractor, finalize construction plans, and establish a project schedule. This process takes time, as we want to ensure the best outcome for our new home.

Looking Ahead:
While we cannot yet provide a firm date for demolition and construction, we want to assure our members and alumnae that we are actively working to make this vision a reality. We remain committed to careful planning, responsible financial decisions, and transparency throughout this journey. We appreciate your support and patience as we navigate this process. Together, we will create a beautiful new home that will serve generations of sisters to come.

Can i make a donation spread over multiple years?

The answer is YES, we have flexible giving options! Building our new house is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we need your support to make it happen. To help donors contribute in a way that best fits their financial situation, we are offering flexible giving options.

You can make a one-time donation or pledge your support over 2, 3, 4, or 5 years, allowing you to spread your gift over time while making a lasting impact. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a beautiful new home for generations of sisters to come. Every gift and every member matters. We understand that not every alum will be able to donate a large amount. We want to see every alum contribute at a level that is meaningful to her and her personal financial situation.

Join us in shaping the future — your generosity will help lay the foundation for this incredible project! To make your gift or learn more about your donation options, please click the “How to Give” tab at the top of this page.

If you are interested in making a pledge and would like to do so annually or monthly, the easiest way to do that is to call our fundraising team. You can contact Bailey Gordon (BZ ‘04) or a member of her team at 405-871-8763.

Do you accept stock donations and/or RMD distributions?

YES! In addition to one-time donations and multi-year pledges, we also accept stock donations and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts.

Stock Donations: Donating appreciated stock will make a meaningful impact on our campaign.

RMD Distributions: If you are required to take minimum distributions from your retirement account, you can direct a portion of it as a charitable gift to the Theta Education Fund.

These giving options provide flexible ways to support our fundraising campaign. To learn more about the Theta Education Fund, scroll to the bottom of this page and it will be the last option to click on. To make a gift of stock or RMD distribution, please contact our Theta Education Fund representative.

Ashley Boileau Hudgeons, BZ ‘98
918-399-0100
boileauashley@gmail.com

Can you give a brief Explanation of why we’re building a new house? why not just renovate the house?

Quite simply, we have outgrown our home; it’s expensive to maintain; and we need to stay competitive.

1. We have outgrown our home: The house cannot fit the entire chapter at a time, rendering it unusable for formal dinners and chapter meetings. As the freshman class at OSU grows, we also have an increasing need for large gathering spaces for philanthropy events, sorority recruitment, and parent weekends. The house’s outdated technology does not support the needs of our current membership.

2. It’s expensive to maintain: Due to the house’s age, even minor issues require a major investment for both maintenance and repair costs.

3. We need to stay competitive: We are not unlike many other sororities on campus who need to update their aging chapter houses. Chi Omega, Pi Beta Phi and Alpha Delta Pi have already rebuilt their houses. Zeta Tau Alpha’s new house is under construction now. Alpha Chi Omega has plans for a major renovation. We will likely hear about other houses’ plans soon.

The Corp Board consulted with engineers and architects to assess the existing house and renovation possibilities. With the age, floor plan and engineering of the house, a remodel would be extremely expensive and would be near the cost of a full rebuild. To meet the goals and space requirements of the chapter, a new house must be constructed. To view the new house plans, you can select the "The Plans” tab at the top of this page.

who owns the theta house? is the theta national organization assisting financially with the new house?

Our Beta Zeta chapter house at OSU is fully owned by the Beta Zeta Corporation Board. The Corp Board, as you may have heard it called before, is governed by a board of directors who manage the property and control all maintenance and operations. The Corp Board is comprised of BZ Theta alumnae who are elected, unpaid, and serve a multi-year term. Owning the house locally by a Corp Board – versus being owned by our national organization – is a great opportunity for local administration and leadership, but it also comes with a financial responsibility for the upkeep of the house. The Corp Board collects rent from the active Thetas and uses the money to maintain the home and save for larger, occasional expenses such as carpeting, furniture, appliance/HVAC repairs, roofing etc. The Corp Board does not have enough savings on its own to fund construction of a new chapter house, which is why the Corp Board has started a fundraising campaign – Building Beta Zeta. The Theta National organization is not funding the new build. It is up to all Beta Zeta Theta alumnae to raise the funds needed to construct and furnish the new house.

how many alumnae does our chapter have? how will the construction for the new house be funded?

We have approximately 2,600 living alumnae. Approximately 75% of the funding for the new chapter house ($12 million) will need to come from private donations from our alumnae. Approximately 25% of the funding ($4 million) can be funded by a loan with interest. The Corp Board would like to minimize the loan amount as much as possible.

who is in charge of fundraising for the new house?

The Corp Board initiated a campaign in 2024 to raise capital funding for construction of a new chapter house. They are overseeing the general campaign and have hired a professional fundraising firm to assist in their efforts. There is also a central campaign committee that meets regularly with the fundraising firm to discuss fundraising operations, progress and strategies. The volunteer committee is comprised of BZ Theta alumnae from various pledge classes and geographic regions. A full list of campaign committee members is available on the “Contact Us” tab at the top of this page.

is my campaign donation tax-deductible?

Beginning in 2025, campaign donations below $25,000 will be considered a donation to the Corp Board’s Building Fund and are not tax deductible. Donations of $25,000 and above are eligible for full tax-deduction through the Theta Education Fund. The Theta Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization, created in 2022, to support the construction and ongoing education-based expenses of the new chapter house to the extent allowable under the IRS 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Code. At this time, the Theta Education Fund is allowed to fund approximately 50% of the new chapter house because approximately 50% of the new house will be considered educational space as defined by the IRS. Thus, approximately 50% of the Building BZ donations may be tax deductible. Any additional funding raised by the Theta Education Fund will go toward furniture to fill the education areas, 50% of utilities, 100% of internet, academic scholarships and financial aid for active Thetas as well as educational and leadership development opportunities benefiting the chapter. The Theta Education Fund is not affiliated with the national Kappa Alpha Theta organization or its associated Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation. Read more about the Theta Education Fund by clicking “Theta Education Fund” at the bottom of this page.