Delta Tau Delta Closes U. of Virginia Chapter

[exlurker]

Delta Tau Delta has closed its chapter at the University of Virginia for multiple risk management violations, according to an article in the August 23, 2006 Daily Progress. The article indicates that the violations included hazing. Delta Tau Delta might return to the university in the future, but not until the former active members (who are now alumni, except for those who have been expelled from the fraternity) have graduated.

http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet...922&path=!news

[DeltAlum]

Another dead chapter banner to come off the wall at the next Karnea.

Our Arch Chapter has very little tolerance for this kind of thing.

A chapter can only hide for so long.

Too bad this one allegedly didn't change its way in time.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

Another dead chapter banner to come off the wall at the next Karnea.

Our Arch Chapter has very little tolerance for this kind of thing.

A chapter can only hide for so long.

Too bad this one allegedly didn't change its way in time.

Couldnt agree with You more!

But, some seem to not understand who is the real losers here!

[DeltAlum]

At one point -- which I backed away from as quickly as possible -- there was rumbling about asking me to be one of the alums who investigate alleged hazing and alcohol violations, etc. and then making a recommendation.

That would have been very hard.

[Kevin]

DA,

I can't imagine anyone being crazy enough to take a job like that. It would be an honor to be asked, but to actually do it? I fully understand your decision not to.

[Tom Earp]

D A, an honor to be asked, but a smart move on your part!

No sense of being a nice gentleman like you to have to play the Big Bad Wolf role.

Breath a sigh of releif and carry on!

[WVU alpha phi]

Delts also just closed their chapter here at West Virginia.

[Tom Earp]

Sadly We all have Chapters closing for one reason or another.

1.R M

2. Low numbers

3. Debt owed to HQs

I continue to say it again, who are the real losers here? The possiblity of Men and Women who may have joined and never will.

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by WVU alpha phi

Delts also just closed their chapter here at West Virginia.

I didn't know that, but it won't the the first time for us at WVU.

I saw a video tape showing the nearly complete destruction of the inside of one of our houses -- which turned out to be the West Virginia House.

While I don't know the details of this closing, if this situation is anything like our experience at Colorado, the WVU Chapter may be hard pressed to ever recolonize.

Fool me once, shame on you -- fool me twice, shame on me -- three stirkes and you're out. To coin a phrase.

I can't speak for the Fraternity and that's not an official rule, just what I've seen happen before.

There is another thread on whether national organizations take this kind of thing seriously.

We do.

[Coramoor]

We had a few legacies from the WVU Delts become brothers at my chapter. Their fathers put hundreds of thousands into that house after the first destruction back in 94 (I think). Then it got messed up again...and needless to say the Delts there lost a lot if not all of their alumni support this time.

It's a shame because it is such an old delt chapter and had a great location and strong alumni. Thrown away.

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by Coramoor

We had a few legacies from the WVU Delts become brothers at my chapter. Their fathers put hundreds of thousands into that house after the first destruction back in 94 (I think). Then it got messed up again...and needless to say the Delts there lost a lot if not all of their alumni support this time.

It's a shame because it is such an old delt chapter and had a great location and strong alumni. Thrown away.

If you go back to the very early days, it was one of our first chapters. In the official hisotry, the chapter is mentioned as one of the chapters present at the very first national gathering. It had been closed and then recolonized.

The alumni loss of support is much like the situation at Colorado. Local alumni had refurbished the really grand house to the tune of $1.5 Million. It was trashed within months, and the charter was pulled again.

Many local alumni have no interest in recolonizing at all.

That shouldn't surprise anyone -- but somehow it always does.

ETA This is also too bad since our next Karnea will the the 150th Anniversary of the Fraternity and will be held in Pittsburgh, not far from WVU and will include a pilgrimage to Bethany College, West Virginia, where we were founded in 1858, (formerly Virginia when Delt was founded) to the Founders House which still stands as a shrine to Delta Tau Delta.

[Coramoor]

Delts were at WVU before it was even WVU. It was called the Morgantown Academy.

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by Coramoor

Delts were at WVU before it was even WVU. It was called the Morgantown Academy.

Right. That's the school named in the history I spoke of.

Since I knew of the change in names, I tansposed them in my comments so as not to confuse anyone who might read them.

I hate to see any chapter of any greek letter society close, but it's obviously worse for me when it's one of ours. However, whether a Delt chapter or some other, in the long run, this is necessary for the survival of the fraternity system (including women's fraternities) as we know it.

The "good old days" are gone, and if organizations don't adhere to the rules and laws, we're history. Between the liability issues and more and more invasive legislation, I'm not optimistic about the Greek System if everyone doesn't receive a wake up call.

Tradition is important, but those who hide behind that word to continue hazing, etc., in my opinion, are being selfish and not looking at the welfare of their organization and future of their brotherhood. The rationalization that "we only haze a little and don't hurt anyone," doesn't cut it. Laws are laws and rules are rules -- even when they're ill conceived and, frankly, unfair. If you drive 1 MPH over the speed limit, a police officer can ticket you if he/she really wants to. Few will, but some might -- for whatever reason. The same applies to even very selective hazing.

The whole situation, on all of the sides of the argument, is sad.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

The alumni loss of support is much like the situation at Colorado. Local alumni had refurbished the really grand house to the tune of $1.5 Million. It was trashed within months, and the charter was pulled again.

Many local alumni have no interest in recolonizing at all.

That shouldn't surprise anyone -- but somehow it always does.

This is an issue I have seen play out more than once in the last few years.

Getting a charter pulled is bad- but usually there is room to come back.

Piss off the alumni, and you have a much tougher long-term problem.

It is tough to convey to the undergrads that there is a fine line between having a "guy's house" and needlessly destroying property that is paid for by others.

Seems like you have to graduate and enter the real world to appreciate just how expensive it is to buy and maintain a Greek House- and just what kind of income an alum has to have in order to be able to donate thousands of dollars to any cause, to say nothing of the millions needed to buy and maintain a house at many campuses.

It all goes back to recruitment I think. Why are people pledging? What do they hope to get out of the fraternity? What role does it play in their lives?

The guys who stay drunk through college and tear up the house are not usually the ones who are going to make it big in the real world and have the resources to pay for the next generation to destroy the place all over again.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Sadly We all have Chapters closing for one reason or another.

1.R M

2. Low numbers

3. Debt owed to HQs

I continue to say it again, who are the real losers here? The possiblity of Men and Women who may have joined and never will.

Tom & DA;
Well said and all too true.....