Grand Valley disowns its TKE chapter
 

Sounds like a bunch of crap. Oh well they lose campus recognition big deal. I am sure IHQ still supports them and the chapter will still exist, just not with campus recognition...

http://www.lanthorn.com/news.asp?type=NS&aid=1756

"Merkle explains that in the event of a suspension or probation the group can not carry out any meetings or do any activities."

Doesn't this violate a constitutional right of association?


"Must get rid of all references of Tau Kappa Epsilon"

Freedom of Speech?

Bring on the lawyers
 

Altho I've never heard of this campus, it has 18,600 students and is located in western Michigan near Grand Rapids. It must be a public college if it is that large.

I do't know what TKE Intl's current view is, but this would seem to be a case to turn the lawyers loose.

Let the school administrators know that TKE and TKE members have rights, and also have lawyers to enforce them.

Fraters,

Grand Valley is actually a very popular college up here in MI, one of our alumni (Rho Epsilon - Northwood University) has been working with IHQ staff for the last couple of years, and helping them "deal" with situations around this region. He mentioned that grand valley had been but on probation by IHQ and asked them not to draw any attention to themselves. so i guess they were shut down because they didn't take IHQ's warning seriously, so they aren't recognized by either Grand Valley University or TKE.

that's all i really know about it, but if anyone wants me to ask i can probably find out some more info about it.

but, i do feel sorry for those guys, and i hope they can work things out soon so they can re open the chapter

Brian E. Gardner #206
Vice Chair Philanthropy/Fundraising
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Rho Epsilon Chapter
Northwood University
Midland MI

If the chapter is closed and they are still doing well maybe IHQ should reconcider and reopen them.

I can tell you about the former TKE chapter at Grand Valley State U. They were put on probation by your HQ, and by GVSU (regarding an incident of violence). They had been warned by TKE not to draw any undue attention to themselves, and had GVSU's Greek Council breathing down their necks. Then, another incident at one of their parties brought criminal complaints against them, and GVSU suspended TKE for a number of years, effectively kicking them off campus. At that point, TKE HQ pulled that chapter's charter. As for the "no meetings" and "not identifying" themselves as TKEs, that's part of the GVSU Student Code. They may not belong to any student organization that is banned from campus. If they openly associate themselves, or hold meetings as a GVSU Student Organization, the student(s) involved are subject to expulsion. Any questions, please ask!

So if I transferred there and wore Alpha Phi letters, I could be expelled?

I'm assuming your IHQ made these fraters alumni. So the school could keep them from wearing letter shirts, even if they aren't having meetings and functioning as a campus organization?

I would guess no, unless A Phi is expressly banned from the campus.

It's one thing to do this to a local - the school has the final word in that case - but when it concerns a national org, I wouldn't think the school would have a leg to stand on unless TKE HQ kicked the individual brothers out as well.

TKE HQ did not make the guys alumni. They are no longer TKEs at all. Not only was the TKE chapter kicked off campus, but TKE pulled the charter and disassociated the members. The thing about not wearing TKE letters has to do with the fact that they were specfically kicked off campus. Any non-student could wear any letters they want because they're not subject to the GVSU student code. But, a GVSU student is not allowed to wear TKE letters because they are signifying that they belong to an expelled organization, which is a violation of the Student Code. Most colleges and universities have similar clauses in their student codes as well.

As general policy IHQ will either suspend your charter or revoke it if you lose recognition by your university. This is probaly due to the fact that rogue chapters are too much of a liability.

Well, say a sorority had its charter lifted by its nationals because they didn't make numbers or some such relatively benign reason. Schools usually follow the national HQ's lead and derecognize the GLO. Technically, this GLO is expelled - are you saying these women wouldn't be allowed to wear letters??

If so, that's a gross violation of free speech rights, especially considering it's a state-sponsored school. I went to a state school in PA and if the school had even tried to keep any of the members of closed chapters from wearing letters, they would have found themselves faced with a lawsuit.

If the ex-bros aren't wearing letters by direction of TKE, that's fine. But I would be very very careful about investing the school with powers it simply does not possess.

I don't understand the whole "violation of free speech" thing. GVSU gives each new student a copy of the student code, and each student signs a contract stating they understand and WILL ABIDE by the student code. If they don't agree with it, other arraingements are made regarding the part in questions, but that usually doesn't happen. So, these guys VOLUNTARILY signed a CONTRACT saying they would abide by the code. The code says that no student may openly affiliate him or herself with a student life organization that has been expelled from the University. I also don't get why GVSU being a state school matters. State schools aren't allowed to have rules?

Since TKE was EXPELLED, the former members are not allowed to OPENLY affiliate themselves - and wearing letters would be openly affiliating themselves. It's different if a national organization simply pulled a charter (which TKE did by the way). But TKE at GVSU was expelled. And the members fully knew and understood what that meant. And they signed contracts stating that they would abide by the code, and if they didn't the understood the penalty was anything upto and including expulsion. I would be surprised however, if the University simply expelled the students. They would probably get a warning, or maybe Student Life probation the first time around.

I don't think this is genrally true. I can name about 5 or 6 chapters that are still recogined by internationals and not there campus. I think it all depends if they believe the reasons the campus didn't recogonize the chapter was just or not.

I think it also needs to be said that the TKE chapter at GVSU was not abitrarily expelled, nor was its charter revoked simply because they were kicked off campus.

The TKE chapter at GVSU had a history of problems. They had numerous fights break out at their parties, most of which were severe enough to involve Police, there were caught for underage drinking (not saying that it is unusual to have underage drinking, just that they got themselves caught), and various other incidents. The chapter was warned by TKE IHQ, GVSU, and the IFC here at GVSU that they were being watch closely. They were put on probation by IFC and TKE as well. Then, this fight which GVSU was threatened with a lawsuit with happened, and it was simply a matter of too many incidents in too short a time span.

Yeah my chapter is not recognized by the school. The entire Greek system here is not recognized. We never have been and it's unlikly that we will be any time soon.