ATO makes plans to return to campus, old house

After a two year hiatus, the fraternity Alpha Tau Omega is coming back to campus, and its members are reclaiming their old house on Third Street from the fraternity Delta Chi.

In 2010, ATO lost its housing charter and was ushered off campus amidst rumors of hazing, drug use and alcohol violations. Eighty-five percent of the members were kicked out, leaving only 26 students in the fraternity.

“They just had too many infractions stacked up against them over a small amount of time,” said Josh Vollmer, vice president of communications for the Interfraternity
Council.

At that point, Delta Chi moved into the former ATO house.

“We were pretty insulted at first,” said junior Michael Brocious, former ATO president and current social chairman. “But we got over it. We just came to reality with the circumstances and accepted.”

But now the members of ATO are making plans to return to campus in fall 2012, and they said they hope to bring a new image into their old house.

Brocious spearheaded the efforts to get their house back.

“I improved our relationship with the housing board — forced the housing board to trust us again” he said.

Brocious approached IFC Vice President of Risk Management Corbin Frye, who is in the process of working with ATO to update its risk management policy.

Frye worked with them while they were an off-campus fraternity as well.

Frye also said this involves different security measures. For example, there’s no “back door or sign-in sheet” at parties, he said.

“They took a lot of initiative that a lot of off-campus chapters don’t have to take,” Frye said.

As for Delta Chi, it may soon be in ATO’s position from this past year — living off campus. The fraternity has yet to find a new house.

“We are currently exploring several different options for housing next year, both on and off campus,” Delta Chi President Willy Hernandez said via email.

“Our No. 1 goal continues to be living in a fraternity house on campus
next year.”

Brocious said his ATO brothers and he are excited to reclaim the house. And Hernandez said Delta Chi will miss the house.

“This house changing hands is the end of one chapter in IU Delta Chi’s history, but it also signifies the beginning of a new beginning for us,” he said.

For the past year, Brocious has been living with fraternity brothers in an apartment off campus, but he plans to move into ATO’s house on Third Street for the 2012 school year.

“If everything works out, I’ll be there,” he said. “It’ll be a good senior year. Hopefully not as crazy. I don’t want to go back to the same situation as my freshman year.”