WSU's Tau Kappa Epsilon loses university recognition

The Washington State University chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity has lost university recognition, virtually assuring closure of the house.

The WSU conduct board determined chapter members held an open bar and served alcohol to minors on at least two occasions, and house leaders failed to seek help in controlling the situation, according to an announcement made by WSU today.

The TKE chapter was not on probation for previous violations. Members could not be reached for comment.

The fraternity will be on probation until the end of the semester and will lose university recognition on Dec. 22. The fraternity has the option to appeal the ruling.

Such sanctions usually mean the end of a chapter on campus, said George Bettas, dean of students.

"Generally, the house will be closed," he said.

Without university recognition, freshmen will be prohibited from living in the house. The fraternity cannot recruit new members or use university services and facilities, Bettas said.

"They're very dependent on the university," Bettas added.

While members may continue to live in the house if the national TKE organization allows it, the fraternity can no longer function as an organized living group.

"Basically, they're suspended," Bettas said. "They cannot represent themselves as TKEs."

The national TKE organization will likely "re-colonize" at WSU, meaning they will wait for the existing members to leave and start the house from scratch, Bettas said.

The chapter may apply for reinstatement in the spring of 2002, but must hire a live-in house advisor with approval from the university and develop an approved risk management plan. If the chapter regained recognition, it would still be on probation for at least one semester after reopening.

Bettas said the conduct board, which is comprised of students, staff and faculty, must have felt the violation was very serious.

"This is a very severe sanction," he said, noting no previous violations are necessary before the house can be suspended.

Two other fraternities, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Delta Theta, are currently without university recognition at WSU for repeated conduct code violations.