2008 Woodie Awards
Fraternity returns to PSU
Mindy Townsend
Issue date: 5/10/07 Section: Campus Life
A new fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon, will soon make a mark on Pittsburg State University. Travis Smith, program coordinator for the Campus Activities Center, says the fraternity wants to establish a chapter at PSU as part of its regional expansion.
Re-establish a chapter is a more accurate description of the plan. The fraternity left Pittsburg State in the late 1980s because the chapter wasn't large enough, according to Smith. However, TKE wants to rejoin the six fraternities already on campus. The Interfraternity Council voted to allow TKE to come back to PSU in the spring of 2008. This allows for the other established fraternities to get most of their recruiting done before TKE moves in.
Smith says he was supportive of TKE's interest in Pitt State, but that the organization will need to prove the new chapter has the support it will need to thrive. Smith says he insisted on having a strong alumni base to help guide the new fraternity through its infant stage. The TKE brass also needed to provide staff to help organize the fraternity. Smith says he encouraged TKE to market to students who are often overlooked by the Greek community - those who are high academic achievers and those who are involved in other leadership positions.
Tau Kappa Epsilon will not have a house for at least the first few years. Smith says the fraternity wants to get settled and have a good base before it looks into building a permanent house.
This all fits well with Smith's long-term goal: to make Greek life valuable again. He says he wants to see many more sororities and fraternities come to PSU, including some that are geared toward minorities.
"I see a growth in the Greek community in the next few years," he said.
Smith adds that he thinks having sororities and fraternities that market toward minorities will keep some minority group members at PSU who might otherwise transfer. Greek organizations can offer resources that the university and the city cannot, he added.
For more information on Tau Kappa Epsilon, go to www.tke.org.
Re-establish a chapter is a more accurate description of the plan. The fraternity left Pittsburg State in the late 1980s because the chapter wasn't large enough, according to Smith. However, TKE wants to rejoin the six fraternities already on campus. The Interfraternity Council voted to allow TKE to come back to PSU in the spring of 2008. This allows for the other established fraternities to get most of their recruiting done before TKE moves in.
Smith says he was supportive of TKE's interest in Pitt State, but that the organization will need to prove the new chapter has the support it will need to thrive. Smith says he insisted on having a strong alumni base to help guide the new fraternity through its infant stage. The TKE brass also needed to provide staff to help organize the fraternity. Smith says he encouraged TKE to market to students who are often overlooked by the Greek community - those who are high academic achievers and those who are involved in other leadership positions.
Tau Kappa Epsilon will not have a house for at least the first few years. Smith says the fraternity wants to get settled and have a good base before it looks into building a permanent house.
This all fits well with Smith's long-term goal: to make Greek life valuable again. He says he wants to see many more sororities and fraternities come to PSU, including some that are geared toward minorities.
"I see a growth in the Greek community in the next few years," he said.
Smith adds that he thinks having sororities and fraternities that market toward minorities will keep some minority group members at PSU who might otherwise transfer. Greek organizations can offer resources that the university and the city cannot, he added.
For more information on Tau Kappa Epsilon, go to www.tke.org.
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