New fraternity will be announced May 1 after discussions
Brittany Smith / News Editor
Men at Elon will soon have the opportunity to join a new
fraternity. After listening to much discussion and debate,
Smith Jackson, vice president and dean of Student Life, will
extend an invitation to Delta Tau Delta, Phi Kappa Tau or
Sigma Phi Epsilon May 1.
“Last spring, about 40 men approached the
InterFraternity Council and asked them to add a new
fraternity,” said Carrie Whittier, director of Greek
Life. After evaluating the interest, an expansion committee
was formed to start researching and discussing which
fraternity would be invited to campus. The committee consists
of 15 people that include Greek and non-Greek students,
Student Life staff and administrators appointed to help
coordinate the process.
“The committee decided to expand for two
reasons,” said Ben Brundred, expansion committee chair.
“First, 50 percent of undergraduate men had not found
their place in the Greek community and the administration is
always looking for new ways to attract more men and present
them with more opportunities to get involved.”
The committee sent letters to all the eligible fraternities
affiliated with the National Interfraternity Council. Of the
68 national fraternities, 14 applied to colonize at Elon. The
committee then spent over two weeks going through the
different packets the fraternities submitted. After sifting
through all the information and discussing which groups would
potentially fit the university and the group’s needs,
the committee selected three finalists.
Each finalist spent a day at Elon making presentations,
meeting with interested students and getting acquainted with
the university. When visiting, the group ate breakfast with
the committee, met with various administrators, students and
members of student life. Near the end of the day they dined
with the committee for dinner and made a formal presentation,
said Nick Palatiello, non-Greek member of the committee.
Presentations made by the fraternities included information
about the services of the organization, how they will enhance
the Greek community, details of membership development,
policies, pledges, financial resources, support, commitment,
alumni support and colonization and chartering.
The committee is looking for fraternities that can offer
something that is not already currently offered at Elon.
“The environment should be small and intimate, with
personal connections to the national office,” Brundred
said. “Student experience is the top priority. We want
students to be able to enjoy the benefits of their efforts as
new members.”
The new fraternity will also help the other fraternities to
grow and benefit as well. “History shows that a new
organization will help other organizations by making them
adopt higher standards and creating more competition to
recruit harder. Brundred said, “The other organizations
will have to go to students instead of making students come
to them.”
As a non-Greek, Palatiello expects the same. “Pi Kappa
Phi raised the bar as a new organization and I expect the new
fraternity will do the same,” he said.
The committee and Greek Life hope to have the new fraternity
on campus by October so they can start recruitment in the
fall of next year. The new colony would ideally have a
minimum of 30 new members, but hopes to have at least 50
since the average established fraternity on campus has an
average of 45 to 60 members.
Contact Brittany Smith at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247.
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