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.....