Phi Taus returning to campus

Plans are under way to bring Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity back to IU after almost a decade of absence. The fraternity will begin rebuilding its Beta Lambda chapter in spring of 2003, according to a news release by the fraternity.\nThe colonization process will attempt to entice students to rebuild the defunct fraternity through a series of awareness and recruitment campaigns.\n"We're confident it is an experience that can be successful at IU," said director of Phi Kappa Tau's chapter services Mike Gabhart. "We have a national fraternity involved that is committed to holding our fraternity accountable. That's the only reason we want to be there -- to do it right."\nBeginning the first week of classes during the spring semester, the fraternity will start an intense five to 10 day awareness program in which they will work with student groups and organizations in trying to find men who reflect the values of their fraternity. From there, they will contact those men in a two to three week recruitment period to see if they would be willing to recolonize the fraternity. \nGabhart said they would look at the size of other fraternities during their recruitment process to see how many men they would need to restructure Phi Tau.\n"We want to start the guys out on an even playing field," Gabhart said. \nPhi Taus' nationals will rent a house near campus where their staff will live for about two months to help recolonize at IU. There will be three staff members on campus the entire time.\nThe fraternity is attempting to return to campus amid the exit of many IU fraternities within the last three years. With the recent removal of fraternities like Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi and the recent one-year suspension of Delta Chi, Gabhart said he wasn't worried about the future of Phi Kappa Tau, but it was definitely something he has thought about.\n"We're aware of the problems around why those chapters were removed from campus, but we look at it as an opportunity," he said. "The change that the fraternities are trying to succeed in, in trying to address a culture here...we want to be a part of that change."\nThe fraternity spoke with the Interfraternity Council in November, where IFC and the fraternity expansion committee unanimously voted to allow Phi Taus to become a colony.\n"Expansion is certainly always a positive thing," said IFC President Evan Waldman. \nHe said the fraternity's presentation was "remarkable" and said they are dedicated to becoming an asset to the community.\n"That's definitely something that other groups have lacked early on," Waldman said. "It's important to start off on the right foot."\nStan Sweeney, the associate director of student activities for Greek affairs, said he believes Phi Taus are committed to high standards and values and are looking for well-rounded men to recolonize the chapter.\nThe fraternity has no less than three months and no more than two years to meet the University's requirements as a colony, which includes membership standards along with the long-term goals of the fraternity.\nFounded at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1906, the fraternity began IU's chapter in 1949. The fraternity was removed from campus in 1993 because of issues concerning membership and risk management.\nAfter close to ten years, Gabhart said Phi Kappa Tau is ready to return to IU.\n"We are very excited to become a productive member of the Greek community," he said.