AEPi’s future in jeopardy after BMOC performance

The future of a campus fraternity is in question after it participated in “Big Man On Campus” using its name, though it was kicked off campus in January.

Dean of Students Dick McKaig said because Alpha Epsilon Pi does not exist as a campus organization, it cannot participate in campus activities.

“If the organization was participating in a campus event, it’d be a violation of University regulations, which would seriously affect their ability to ever return to campus,” McKaig said.

AEPi came out to BMOC to support junior Ben Smith, who later won the People’s Choice Award. Zeta Tau Alpha President senior Caitlin Johnston said in an e-mail her house was aware of AEPi’s expulsion from campus and thought many of the members of AEPi were given Alumnus Status by their National Organization.

“Ben has personally raised over $3,000 for our cause over the last two years, and his desire to represent his national organization as an alumnus was his decision,” Johnston said in the e-mail. “We did not see this as being problematic for his organization or the IU community.”

Smith said participating in BMOC last year was one of his best college experiences, so he wanted to participate again.

“They’re not going to say someone can’t raise money for breast cancer,” Smith said.

Even though AEPi is no longer a recognized fraternity, Smith said its members are some of his best friends. McKaig said it is common for organizations that are banned to stay connected.

“Clearly there are members of AEPi who are still enrolled,” McKaig said. “Individuals of an organization don’t necessarily stop being members of an organization just because there’s no longer a chapter here.”

Smith said this made fundraising harder because the members are no longer in one location, like their fraternity house last year.

“It was a little more difficult for me to raise money for this year because of the fraternity and how we were all spread out,” Smith said.

Even though Friday’s fundraiser brought in more than $178,000, McKaig said the subject of the campus activity does not affect whether a banned organization can participate. He compared BMOC to the Little 500, which is a fundraiser for scholarships.

“Student organizations are banned and get removed from campus and can’t participate in Little 500, but that doesn’t mean they don’t form different collections of groups and are in Little 500,” McKaig said. “But it’s clearly understood the organization is not in Little 500.”

McKaig said the University will talk with the sponsoring organization of AEPi, and he does not know when AEPi will return as a recognized chapter at IU.

“The organization had indicated an interest to return at some time and the University had indicated a willingness to allow them to return some time,” McKaig said. “Events like this simply put off that time and may put it off for a period of time.”