Delta Tau Delta to lose house due to numbers
Samuel Flood
Issue date: 5/15/09 Section: News
The Lawrence chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity will no longer have its house in the fraternity quad as of next year. The house, in the southwest corner of the fraternity quad, either will be converted to general lottery housing or will be taken over by another group, as the former Phi Tau house was several years ago.
The reason for the loss, as explained by both Delt president Ray Tucker and Associate Dean of Students for Campus Life Amy Uecke, was an inability to meet the requirement of 100-percent occupancy for next year.
Tucker added, "We were unable to meet this rule for multiple reasons. We did not have enough members to compensate for members studying abroad, transferring out of Lawrence and leaving for personal reasons."
The effects of this loss for the Delta Nu chapter may be widespread. Tucker said that his biggest concern was recruiting, problems with which could lead to an eventual loss of the fraternity charter if the fraternity is unable to keep membership at levels acceptable to the national organization.
As to why membership has dropped recently, Tucker pointed to the stereotype of notoriety the fraternity has picked up, undeservingly. "We're not rapists and drunks," he said. "This stereotype is untrue, and I hope that the loss of our house will help people learn that fabricated stereotypes are detrimental to the community."
In moving forward, Uecke stressed that the "Delts are not being pushed out of the opportunity for group housing just because they couldn't fill their current house. They had the opportunity to apply for another, smaller house on campus, and chose not to."
In formal group housing, any group may apply for any of the open houses on campus.
Recently, the Phi Kappa Tau and the Phi Delta Theta fraternities followed this mold, as they applied for and were granted smaller houses on campus when unable to fill their larger quad houses. For the Delts, this will be an opportunity "to step back and look at what Delta Nu is all about," Tucker said. "Even though this is a difficult challenge, losing the house will help us evaluate that."
First created in 2001, formal group housing was an initiative by the administration to create the opportunity for any officially recognized student group to enjoy the same benefits as the fraternities and co-op houses, which at the time were the only groups eligible for group housing.
"When formal group housing was first instituted," Uecke said, "the members of the board, consisting of members from the fraternities and co-op, decided that housing on the quad and elsewhere was a privilege, and that the privilege should be extended to the rest of the campus community."
At that time, the current set of rules governing application eligibility were established. Tucker, referencing the Delt's loss of house as well as the Phi Tau and Phi Delt's loss, said he thinks that the "rule needs to be re-evaluated if multiple fraternities are struggling to meet this rule and have hence lost their houses and are struggling just to keep their charters."
The reason for the loss, as explained by both Delt president Ray Tucker and Associate Dean of Students for Campus Life Amy Uecke, was an inability to meet the requirement of 100-percent occupancy for next year.
Tucker added, "We were unable to meet this rule for multiple reasons. We did not have enough members to compensate for members studying abroad, transferring out of Lawrence and leaving for personal reasons."
The effects of this loss for the Delta Nu chapter may be widespread. Tucker said that his biggest concern was recruiting, problems with which could lead to an eventual loss of the fraternity charter if the fraternity is unable to keep membership at levels acceptable to the national organization.
As to why membership has dropped recently, Tucker pointed to the stereotype of notoriety the fraternity has picked up, undeservingly. "We're not rapists and drunks," he said. "This stereotype is untrue, and I hope that the loss of our house will help people learn that fabricated stereotypes are detrimental to the community."
In moving forward, Uecke stressed that the "Delts are not being pushed out of the opportunity for group housing just because they couldn't fill their current house. They had the opportunity to apply for another, smaller house on campus, and chose not to."
In formal group housing, any group may apply for any of the open houses on campus.
Recently, the Phi Kappa Tau and the Phi Delta Theta fraternities followed this mold, as they applied for and were granted smaller houses on campus when unable to fill their larger quad houses. For the Delts, this will be an opportunity "to step back and look at what Delta Nu is all about," Tucker said. "Even though this is a difficult challenge, losing the house will help us evaluate that."
First created in 2001, formal group housing was an initiative by the administration to create the opportunity for any officially recognized student group to enjoy the same benefits as the fraternities and co-op houses, which at the time were the only groups eligible for group housing.
"When formal group housing was first instituted," Uecke said, "the members of the board, consisting of members from the fraternities and co-op, decided that housing on the quad and elsewhere was a privilege, and that the privilege should be extended to the rest of the campus community."
At that time, the current set of rules governing application eligibility were established. Tucker, referencing the Delt's loss of house as well as the Phi Tau and Phi Delt's loss, said he thinks that the "rule needs to be re-evaluated if multiple fraternities are struggling to meet this rule and have hence lost their houses and are struggling just to keep their charters."
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 13
R Stocchetti LU'70 & PKT '68
posted 5/15/09 @ 8:05 PM CST
I find it interesting that Delta Tau delta did not raise a fuss when PKT was the first to lose their house. I agree group housing is better than huge dorms that is why I chose to join a fraternity n the first place. (Continued…)
Brendan Falls DTD '05
posted 5/18/09 @ 12:12 PM CST
Im sure all the Delt alumni will be falling over themselves to give money to LU now.
The fundraising people should really consult with the student life office from time to time. (Continued…)
maggie
posted 5/18/09 @ 9:40 PM CST
I don't particularly understand why anyone would stop giving money to an institution just because his favorite glorified club did not muster the membership to apply to keep their large house and did not bother to apply for a smaller one. (Continued…)
Jonathan, '03
posted 5/21/09 @ 7:45 PM CST
Equity, while important, is not the be-all-end-all consideration. I would lament the fraternal membership trend as a symptom of the continued decline in social capital, as discussed in the book "Bowling Alone" (reading material for at least one LU class, the last time I was in Conkey's). (Continued…)
jedewards
Jonathan, '03
posted 5/21/09 @ 7:48 PM CST
Equity, while important, is not the be-all-end-all consideration. I would lament the fraternal membership trend as a symptom of the continued decline in social capital, as discussed in the book "Bowling Alone" (reading material for at least one LU class, the last time I was in Conkey's). (Continued…)
keshav_joshi81
keshav joshi
posted 5/23/09 @ 7:13 PM CST
It is sad to see that fraternities are losing their houses on campus. having said that, the rules to keep the houses have been clear fro the get go. i was the recruitment chair for the sigep house the first year that FGH was brought in. (Continued…)
diddledoo
posted 6/16/09 @ 3:59 AM CST
Rules are rules. Delt didn't have enough commitments for housing to satisfy the rules, and that's the end of it. If certain alumni chose to be sore losers and refuse donations to the University because their followers in the Lawrence Delt chapter failed to recruit members and keep their image under control, that is their choice. (Continued…)
Ted Beranis '57
posted 9/12/09 @ 3:12 PM CST
As Sig Eps we are saddened to hear of any of the quad frats 'dying'. Inevitable, we know, but what a long and for many decades respected and important social engines at LU. (Continued…)
Ted Beranis '57
Ted Beranis '57
posted 9/12/09 @ 3:29 PM CST
As a Sig Ep '57 I am disappointed to hear that another "iconic" (overused adjective, indeed!) Lawrence frat has "died out". Inevitable, I believe, considering the decline of fraternity ideals and civil conduct since the '70's. (Continued…)
Post a Comment