http://www.kansan.com/stories.asp?id=200208300006
ATO forced to close chapter at the University after debt, member loss
By Todd Rapp
Kansan staff writer
Low membership and debt will result in the loss of a fraternity at the University of Kansas.
Alpha Tau Omega was notified yesterday morning by the national chapter that they would no longer be an operating chapter at KU.
Wynn Smiley, chief executive officer for Alpha Tau Omega, said the fraternity lost its charter but it would not be officially announced until September after the Alpha Tau Omega Board of Directors´ meeting.
Financial debt and a trend of diminishing new member classes forced the fraternity to move out of its house, 1537 Tennessee St., last May. The Richmond Property Group took possession of the house and leased it to Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
Bob McKenney, program assistant for fraternity and sorority life, said the fraternity was forced to remove 30 members from the house in 1997 because of a hazing incident.
In 1994, the house underwent renovations costing more than $1 million. Because of the loss of members, the house was not able to afford payments toward the remodeling debt. Since then, the chapter has experienced problems recruiting enough men to keep up with the payments from the renovation.
Smiley said, despite the efforts of a few dedicated undergraduates, the lack of new members was the main reason for the loss of the charter .
“Unfortunately, there is a large group of men who were not willing to or couldn´t put forth the effort to recruit new members,” Smiley said.
Smiley said that the Alpha Tau Omega´s national headquarters was planning to renew it´s charter at the University in about five years.
Hoffman said even though Alpha Tau Omega would no longer be a member of the Interfraternity Council at KU, the members of the house were planning to get together in the next few weeks to discuss future courses of action.
Alpha Tau Omega - University of Kansas
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