This is the third of a four-part series.

Part 1: A Fraternity in Crisis

Shock, disappointment, and the choice to step back in.

Part 2: Rebuilding Brotherhood

Recruiting new members, reviving rituals, and restoring accountability.

Part 3: Restoring Pride

Fixing finances, repairing the house, and rebuilding reputation.

Part 4: Sustaining the Legacy

Keeping alumni engaged and ensuring the future of the Alpha Chapter.

Here are links to the first two if you missed them:

Part 1: A Fraternity in Crisis

Part 2: Rebuilding Brotherhood

The series is a product of the last 16 years as an adult volunteer for Phi Sigma Kappa at the University of Massachusetts. It is a story of persistence (always), Brotherhood (at any age), and the connections that bind us.

Several milestone events took place after the first wave of improvements on two fronts: Brotherhood Development and House Corporation Development, and both required Brothers of all ages to step up.

Although the fraternity was founded in 1873, it wasn't until 1898 that the alumni, including several founders, incorporated in Massachusetts as the Phi Sigma Kappa House Corporation with plans to build a facility to house members. 

House Corporation Development

They bought the land, at the time on the edge of campus, but today in the center of campus, and went about raising money to build the house. 

They didn’t lay the cornerstone until 1914, and shortly after the house opened, World War I started and most of the members left to join the military. After the war, things cranked up again and the house was the very best fraternity, by all measures, on campus. 

That was then. Now, in the 21st Century with an almost full house, that same House Corporation, albeit with different members, had some money to put back into the house and did so. Over the period from 2009 through 2024, more than $600,000 of improvements were made.

Eventually these included a new roof, a new deck, a new parking lot, a new gutter system, new restrooms, new flooring, new room upgrades, new ventilation, new landscaping, and of course, new paint everywhere, including some still on the floor from the early Paintbrush Weekends.

One of the measures that seemed small at the time but really aided the house during the pandemic was the conversion of a media room into a full-blown weight room, with machines, free weights, a rubber floor and more. For some recruits, that room made a difference in their selection of a fraternity to join.

Improvements like this continue to this day, all fueled by a full house, a reasonable mortgage, and involved alumni.

Since it was built in 1914 hundreds of men were involved in taking care of this fraternity asset, and as the resurrection continued, there were four people who really made an impact by their unselfish volunteer spirit as members of the House Corporation, carrying on and carrying out the legacy of the founders.

Expanded House Corporation and Dan Carmody



The House Corporation, as the official ‘owner’ of the property was getting stronger. A local past President, Dan Carmody, took over the local vendor management and shared his wisdom as a former member of the House Corporation decades earlier. He was living close enough to the House to visit regularly and follow up on things.

It was after a couple of years of solid progress on the development of the Brotherhood, repairs and maintenance to the House and financial stability, that the House Corporation started to invest in the building with the excess cash that a fully occupied facility generated. Dan’s insight and effort made a huge difference.

Building Upgrades & Matt Young



New bathrooms, new windows, stairway improvements, some carpeting here and there, and some common area improvements were some of the early upgrades. As the President of the House Corporation, Matt led the upgrade and repair projects, and the facility was really becoming something to be proud of. When the Paintbrush Weekend efforts were layered on top of the contracted upgrades, the place was really starting to look sharp.

Some of the improvements were initially funded by the Grand Chapter who may have realized that as the deed holder, they were likely obligated to make certain repairs.

There was a long quest to get a loan to finance additional repairs and get the House back from the Grand Chapter, but it was frustrating because the House Corporation had no real track record of financial stability. Dan Carmody and other members of the House Corporation really demonstrated an incredible amount of persistence to eventually get funding, and years after the quest began, were finally able to succeed.

New Portico & Perry Harris

In fact, Perry Harris, who graduated in 1962 and is still active, actually 'arranged' for a friend to give us temporary initial financing before we moved to a credit union for a formal mortgage.

Perry got involved in the project when his granddaughter was interviewing to attend UMass, and as they passed the House and saw the state of the entrance, he was too embarrassed to let her know this was his home for four years. He contacted Ed Szupel, a PSK past president he went to school with and that he knew could get things done.

They lightly twisted the arms of the Brothers that lived in the house during the late 50’s and early 60's and were able to raise funds to recreate a new Portico. Perry and a carpenter friend actually constructed it according to the original design.

Now the alumni effort, started by guys from the 70's, enhanced by guys from the 80's and 90's also had real leadership from the guys from the 50"s and 60's. I think at this point it could be classified as a 'movement.'

But the best was yet to come.

100th Anniversary Celebration

We planned the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the House, and the unveiling of the portico, for early June of 2015 to maximize attendance. We had more than 120 past brothers, family members and undergraduates in attendance and did a dramatic shroud drop to unveil the portico. 

There were speeches and networking and lunch. 

Seventeen past Presidents showed up to share advice with the current leadership. As much as the portico changed the image of the house, adding Perry Harris to the House Corporation was a bigger deal. His experience and familiarity with everything associated with facility ownership was a huge benefit. Taxes, construction, materials, banking, finances, contractor management-you name it, he was an expert.

However, as excited as we all were with the progress and results, there was an uneasy backdrop to the situation because the House was still technically owned by the Grand Chapter. The debt was theoretically in excess of $300,000, counting the money they provided to make repairs and the ten years of property taxes they had paid. 

Disputed Agreement & Bryan Cohen

The money they gave to repairs may not have been technically an obligation of the House Corporation since the Grand Chapter was the 'official' landlord, when the money was spent, but being honorable men, we knew we’d want to pay it back. Note: there was NO signed agreement for the repair money.

There were a couple of interesting milestones that, looking back, were 'touch and go.' 

One January during a conference call with the Grand Chapter Directors, things took an unusual turn: we were told that unless we paid back our debts right away, they would take the house and sell it to another organization. 

Bryan, the House Corporation Treasurer, Bill Rose, another member and an attorney, and I had read the small print of the document that had been negotiated when they took possession of the house when it was condemned and we both knew that they could not do what they intended. 

• We pushed back.
• They pushed back.
• We pushed back again, and so did they.

The relationship between the Grand Chapter and Alpha Chapter had been very solid, so this was a big surprise to us. So, we did what any Alumni group would do in this situation. In papers drawn up by Bill Rose, we sued them, hoping that would jump start new negotiations.

Shortly thereafter talks resumed, and we reached a final agreement.

The Alpha Chapter paid back the real estate taxes, the improvement money, and voluntarily added our estimation of the interest for both, and in one fell swoop: the 100+ year old fraternity house was returned to the local House Corporation.

Sure, there was persistence, savvy negotiations, skilled alumni, and utilization of resources like friends and contacts, but the real reason that the return of the house was a success story was the Brotherhood of the House Corporation members.

A half-dozen guys, ranging in age from 30 years old to 80 years old, men who graduated between 1962 and 2002, were united by their common affiliation with 510 North Pleasant Street and the wonderful memories and friends attached to the fraternity.

These guys were committed to doing the right thing, the right way. Perhaps in the belief that their fraternity demanded of them a life of faith and purpose, they were going to get it done.

Each member of the alumni effort, from those who played a large role, to those who played a small role will tell you something like 'Phi Sig changed the trajectory of my life, so I am simply giving back.'

Brotherhood Development

The Phi Sig Rituals, Chapter Meeting format, elections, recruitment and new member training all took on a higher standard.

But, what happened next surprised almost everyone, except those closely involved. The Chapter was on the way to being an award-winning enterprise, built on the foundation of undergraduate leadership who 'got it.'

Next Week

Resurrecting Alpha Chapter: A Phi Sigma Kappa Story

Part 4: Sustaining the Legacy

Keeping Alumni engaged and ensuring the future of the Alpha Chapter