Tke
 

I'm in a local, and we've been contacted by TKE about the possibility of chartering. I've never met a TKE, and I don't know anything about the national- anybody want to fill me in?

I can't speak for everyone, as I only know one TKE chapter, and a couple of random Tekes from other chapters...

(I'm a Pi Phi, by the way)

But... all of the Tekes I know are really great guys. Before I went Greek myself, I spent a lot of time at the TKE house on our campus (I was dating one of them) and the one thing I really liked about them was that... Even if they didn't always get along, they always stood by each other. They were always brothers. I loved that. So I made sure that I found the same thing for myself when I went Greek, cos that's what it's about to me. Having that support and having people that you know you can count on.

Now... I have also heard some not nice things about Tekes. But personally, knowing the Tekes that I do... I can say that if I were a guy, I would have rushed TKE.

I'm not sure what their national site is, but you should go to Google and search for Tau Kappa Epsilon, or just TKE, and see different chapters pages and hopefully the national one too. You could also look at the TKE forums on here.

Either way, best of luck with your decision! :)

I love TKE!!! They are a great group of guys.
(I am an AOII)
I have nothing bad to say about that house.
Go for it.

I am a TKE. Pm me if you need any info. Also check out the TKE forum on this board. Thanks everyone for the nice words.

Sounds like most experiences with TKE's have been good...

I'm kind of stumped as to whether I like ours or not.. They are not currently recognized by campus but still interact with other houses. Although all the other houses are 'dry' due to university regulation they flaunt their wetness by having pretty large open parties at their house. They talk a lot about wanting to be friendly with other fraternities but then they have vandalized our house (and I know for a fact the ATO house) several times and even once broken into our house and stole all of our trophies and plaques (then lied about having them until we involved the police)... Individually though the guys I know are decent.

Having met some TKE's on this site though I've got quite a different picture than our local group has given me. I have come to realize that on the whole they're a great group of guys. If you've been contacted by a national organization I'd say go for it! Having the opportunity for meeting brothers accross the country and the support of a national organization can really help your house out! Not to mention being able to have your name on the charter.

Does that benifit them with guys joining? If it does I doubt they would want to be reconized by the campus.

I don't know uch about TKE, but maybe you could check out their (inter?)national website for information?

From what I can see, TKE looks like every other national. My first instinct therefore is not to trust them- the last two nationals that came to visit us tried to talk our members in joining their colonies, and the one before that sent a neanderthal to talk to us, it was insulting. The NIC is batting .000 with us.

I think there are both positives and negatives to it. They do recruit men doing it -- but they've also lost some because of the way the rest of campus views them. A saying that I've heard a lot is "You can go Greek or go TEKE"...

I'm actually all for making it a wet campus. The Sigma Nu house would probably never be wet but I'd rather our house corporation make that decision than the school's administration. We're adults... many of legal drinking age and we're on our own property. I really don't see the problem.

I think there are some negatives for the Greek system in general. We don't begin recruitment until around 3-4 weeks into the semester. The TKE chapter starts throwing huge parties the first day of school. Many freshman that had a certain 'stereotype' of fraternities before only get it reinforced by these events -- this is something I think hurts us all. We're in the Bible belt here (the buckle) and where I'm about as liberal-minded as they come I still see how this hurts us image-wise.

I figure everyone looks for something in their GLO. Part of the reason I joined was to become more involved on my campus. I'm highly involved with student government, clubs, special events, etc... Most other GLO's are the same way. They don't get to have a float in the homecoming parade, don't get to display their letters at football games, basically are not included on the campus. I'm sure there's brotherhood but the GLO experience (at least for me) has given me the opportunity to do so much more outside my house that I couldn't imagine doing it the other way.

It's great that they are doing well (and I think are even about to build a new house). They just seem to have different aims than the IFC-recognized fraternities.

As far as this thread goes though.. I continue my position that this local absolutely should consider TKE's offer. The experience, history and culture of a national organization can bring so much that can help you out -- and I still continue to believe that TKE (apart from SN:D ) is one of the top NIC fraternities around.

Ah, but the three NIC fraternities we dealt with were supposedly excellent examples of what a national should be. From my evidence, treating potential chapters like crap seems to be a membership requirement in Indianapolis. And every national says they're nothing like the other nationals, they all say they're the special case. So I naturally don't believe any of it, and I know my brothers don't either. But I know everyone will keep an open mind, and we'll just have to watch and see what TKE actually does. But I'm not going to automatically think they're well-intentioned- fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

As to wet vs. dry campuses......a wet campus is useless if you're irresponsible, and everyone here is. We're a "moist" house- we have alcohol in the house, but we don't have open parties. Theta Chi is in theory a dry house- but in reality, they follow the same rules we do. Everyone else has huge open parties every weekend. IFC membership is half what it was ten years ago, and the houses are shells of their former selves. It's sad. Honestly, I'd rather the school made us go dry- there needs to be a sea change here, or things aren't going to improve.

I'm assuming you're going to UMass Amherst? Not Amherst College?

I find that saying hardly works from keep guys away because if you see the guys in that chapter its easy to tell or not if its true or not. It might work in some caes I guess because every fraternty has their bad chapters.

Amherst College banned fraternities in the 80's, so that's a pretty good guess. I don't like admitting where I go to school- it's embarassing.

I don't know how much you are really wanting to become nationally affiliated, but if you are, I suggest looking into some of the fraternities that WERE at your campus in the past. They may still have some alumni support in your area, including your own, and you could build from there.

Either that, or you could just start a Beta Theta Pi chapter. :)

Best of luck!

:

ktsnake
 

If the campus doesn't recognise them,how can they operate and initiate? Why didn't their Headquarters pull their charter? And while the Tekes I've met were okay, I'd have serious doubts about an organization that doesn't oversee their college chapters any better. Strange.....

Re: ktsnake
 

TKE IHQ will keep chapters open even if the campus doesn't recognize them if they disagree with the charges against them if they are in trouble. If they are a new chapter and they feel the campus is unfairly keeping them off the will open the chapter anyway. The University of Tennesse is an example of that. But if there is a time the campus will recognize them then IHQ wants them to get recognized. Thats what I like about TKE they will defend and help their chapter the best they can.

TEKES raise hell
 

All of my guy friends are TKEs. There international frat was founded on the idea of love, charity,esteem. There motto is "not for wealth rankor honor, but personal worth and character." I think that's particularly cool. They traditionally don't want to fit the mold but make it. The ones at my school were the party boys. Rumor has it the movie "Animal house" was based on a TKE chapter, but that my be urban legend.They are also the largest international fraternity. Being part of something that established is nice. It's a nice honor that they've contacted you. They definitely don't need more chapters because they are so huge, so that must mean you are pretty special!Whom ever you chose, good luck!

Re: TEKES raise hell
 

It is an urban legend. To the extent that it was based on any particular fraternity, it was the Dartmouth chapter of Alpha Delta Phi.

I'm partial and all about this..but go TKE! All the chapters I have met up with are great guys who stay in touch w/their alumni and are great guys over all. C'mon, they've been around since 1899, so they have to be doing something right! :) It's a very respectable fraternity and I wish you all the luck with them!!! :) :)


...and remember..."TKE, making men and pleasing women since 1899." :p

OnePlus69,

It sounds like you had a really crummy experience with the other national fraternities who tried to colonize at your school, but that doesn't mean TKE will be the same. Now, I don't know any TKEs because they're long gone from my school, but I'm a big fan of giving chances so why not just get to know a little more about them and see if you like what you find out? If you go into this letting your previous experience color your opinion, you'll find plenty of faults with this group, too, so just keep your mind open. Who knows...you might be glad you did!

But my question is--do you really want to go national? It sounds like you're a little iffy about it.

While you have had Bad Experencies with Groups talking about Affiliations, I say go for it!

As Far as the TEKES, there are good and bad, just as there is of any Greek Org.

The TKE Advisor worked to help me go campus and LXA as I was not totally satisfied at the campus that I was on.

I always liked to do new things!

The Guys at the TKE House were Great. I Had many Freinds there!
Unforntionally they are no longer there but hope to see them again in the Future!

The Stronger Greeks Are On Campus, the better We all are!

The very best in your Quest. !!!!!!!!!

actually, we've contacted all the groups who used to be here who we thought we might like to affiliate with. none of them want to come back- most of their chapters were closed under fairly bad circumstances.

We're all iffy about going national, and I'm especially iffy. I've honestly never seen a national fraternity that did anything useful for its chapters. They seem to mostly take money and complain back. Sorority nationals on the other hand, they rock- wicked involved and organized. Although my view is mostly based on what happens here, and here is very strange, at least Greek-wise.

Eh, we'll see. I've heard good and bad about them, which means they're probably just people, and we'll have to judge whoever it is on how he acts when he gets here.

Re: Re: ktsnake
 

I think that is a good policy and I wish Theta Chi would adopt it.

Re: ktsnake
 

doubleble&gold. Do you think a national should pull a charter every time a university has a petty disagreement with a chapter?

Every TKE I have come in contact with has been really great so.....I would say go for it.

OnePlus -

This is just my random observation, but I think TKE is much better than some of the big nationals (I think I know who you might be talking about) as far as letting the chapter keep local history, and giving the chapter autonomy. And as zntke discussed, they don't automatically pull chapters if the school admin is being a bunch of cheese dicks. That gives me more respect for them than the nationals who automatically go with whatever the school wants to do without investigating whether it has merit.

I would try contacting the TKE chapters near you at similar schools and asking them what their experiences have been.

I'm sure the national fraternity is great, as are all fraternities in my oppnion. I have issues with TKE's chapter on my campus. They're not very .... umm, greek. They're all about partying and not about philanthropy, or honor, or all the other things we all cherish, and things which I'm sure their national encourages.

the motto here is "if you can't go greek, to Teke"

People that party are not greek? I am sure the must do something because if all they did was party I am sure they would be in trouble with IHQ.

Re: Re: ktsnake
 

So does Sigma Nu... Florida State for example. But it seems that there may be some kind of issue when (at least as far as I know) there isn't one TKE chapter that is recognized in our state -- but they operate as far as I know at all of our major schools...

But I'll agree with your statement before... Every fraternity has chapters that aren't considered model chapters. We all have areas we need to improve on.

As I said before I still think for the most part TKE is a great organization. I like the TKE's that I've met (how could you not like Ronald Reagan?) I actually wouldn't mind the TKE's on our campus getting their acts together. We're about to be the only 2 houses on our side of the campus and we'd damned well better start getting along.

Listen, I don't know what to tell you because I can't see the difference between all the large national fraternities at such a level. Every TKE will tell you how his fraternity is so great and the general public will tell you TKE is just like any other fraternity. If it was any worse then it'd fade away, and if it was better than all the other fraternities, then they would fade away.

Most fraternities that I know also don't simply pull charters if the school has a crappy reason so I consider that a bit of BS to say that's what makes TKE special. So I say that when you're done with rush and don't want any pledges stolen, to then seek national affiliation with a fraternity. If none of the old fraternities from your campus want to come back then see what fraternities are at other nearby schools. You can observe the chapters for similarities and pick a good chapter where you would have strong regional support.

-Rudey
--Unbiased

Damn Rudy...

Never thought of it like that... We got lots of regional support during our colonization process. The other SN chapters in my state (at major universities have mostly been there between 80 and 90 years -- considering Oklahoma has been a state less than 100 years that ain't bad).

That's great advice though.

I feel that it is getting to the point, that many Nationals are getting tired of what some schools are doing to Greek Chapters!

I know at this point in time, that LXA and TKE are reopening chapters that have been closed for infractions to the International aspect not the schools!

We both are not only looking at going back on Campuses but exploring new venues! A hand in glove thing so to speak!

The stronger The Greek Community is on a campus, the better we will all be!

All one has to do is to look at the % of Greeks Compared to Non-Greeks! Look at what Greeks do on campus in the same light!

Who does and who does not!

We all take a bum rap for things done by a few!:o