Page 1 - Eta Survey - Spring 2018

ETA SURVEY

Winner of the
Donald C. Wolfe Award for Eta Chapter of Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity | University of Illinois | www.kdrillinois.org | Spring 2018
Outstanding Chapter
Newsletter
Alumni Spotlight: LAWRENCE JAGNOW ’63

A Letter from the
Alumni President Editor’s Note: For this edition of the newsletter, we’re shining the
spotlight on Larry Jagnow ’63. From the hometown of Moline,
Illinois, Larry graduated with a degree in journalism, and later
Brothers: joined the US Army in April 1966. Commissioned a second lieu-
n my last letter, I dis- tenant, Signal Corps, in March 1967, he served a one-year tour
I cussed the challenge in Vietnam, October 1967–’68, and retired from the Army in May
that we and other Greek 1969. A career in public relations and journalism kept Larry’s cre-
houses in Champaign are ative side alive and well. An accomplished writer, Larry recently
published his second Richard Silk detective mystery, The Unitar-
facing with the property- ian Murder. He also stays busy in his community as a volunteer
tax reassessment that took with Clinica Amistad, a free health-care clinic serving the under-
place. You might recall that our taxes dou- served in the greater Tucson area. Larry and his wife, Anne, have
bled, which places a significant financial been married for 55 years now, and they share two children, Lau-
burden on our organization. This issue is a ren and William. In his free time, Larry enjoys spending time with
major focus for the board right now. Here his grandchildren, Veronica and Joshua. He also enjoys painting,
is an update. working on his model railroad project, and playing golf. Larry outside his home in Tucson, AZ.
Unfortunately, the tax appeal route was
not a viable option, because a small group What was the chapter like when you the University of Illinois and being a member of
of Greek houses sold property in the cur- joined? ΚΔΡ helped me become who I am today. My
rent market and benefited from the higher When I pledged ΚΔΡ in the fall of 1961 education was great; the entire Illini experience
property values. Thus, we could not show as a junior transfer, Eta Chapter had a very was something I treasure and will never forget.
that the reassessed value was out of line successful pledge enrollment. If I remember
and the appeal became a dead end. correctly, our pledge class totaled 22 mem- After graduation, how did you apply
On a positive note, the Greek Alumni bers. Pledges and actives were very enthu- your Journalism degree?
Corporation Board Association (GACBA), siastic, having a number of events, such as I applied my Journalism degree immedi-
through contacts in the Illinois legislature, dances and social gatherings. ΚΔΡ also par- ately out of college, joining a weekly news-
was able to get some discussion going ticipated in every intramural sport. Back then, paper chain in Grayslake, Illinois, as sports
among lawmakers about the need to keep we also had an active-versus-pledge touch- editor and page-one editor. From there, I
student housing affordable and how the football game in late November, and upset of went to a trade magazine in Madison, Wis-
large tax increases negatively impact this upsets, we pledges won the game. consin, as an associate editor. After join-
objective. One possible solution would be ing the US Army and serving as an officer
a law that eliminates property taxes for Why do you remain involved as an in Vietnam, I went into public relations for
qualifying non-profit student organizations, alumnus today? Western Electric Company. I dropped out of
including Greek housing. Indiana already I remain involved as an alum with the local LAWRENCE JAGNOW
has a law similar to this. The GACBA is Tucson Illini Alumni Club, because attending (continued on page 3)
working with the university to gain its sup-
port too. Having such a law would be huge
for us and would help control the cost of
student housing that a non-profit organiza-
tion like ours provides. URGENT!
Those alumni who are registered to vote
in Illinois can help out with this effort by
contacting their respective legislators and We need Kappa Delta Rho alumni Corporation Board has engaged Illinois
expressing the need to address this issue. to contact their Illinois State Legislators legislators to consider modifications to the
Should this move to a point where a bill is today regarding the cost of student housing, existing statute. We are pleased to share that
presented and more organized assistance is including fraternity and sorority houses. several state legislators prepared a draft bill
Alumni President As you might know, property taxes (HB 4914), proposing to eliminate property
(continued on page 4) for fraternity and sorority chapter houses taxes for qualifying non-profit student orga-
have skyrocketed over the last several nizations, including greek housing. This
years. Assessments have gone up anywhere draft is a start to the conversation.
Visit our website: between 100 to 300 percent. Not sure who your legislator is? Find
As a result, the Illinois Greek Alumni them here: http://tiny.cc/ILreps.
www.kdrillinois.org