In the peak of Fraternity and Sorority life expansion, Fraternity and Sorority Life welcomes back the fraternity Theta Chi after leaving campus in 2010.
Theta Chi is currently colonizing again on Oregon’s campus after leaving due to minor conduct violations, according to Darien Key, a Theta Chi field executive.
According to Emerald Archives, Oregon’s Theta Chi chapter was forced to leave campus in 2010 because of multiple noise complaints, multiple minor in possession citations, furnishing alcohol to minors, hazing and accumulating a bill of $10,000 worth of damages at Odell Lake Resort during a fall retreat.
Key says that he has talked with the Vice President of Student affairs who was involved with the process and says that it wasn’t anything too serious, just minor conduct violations accumulated over time. Key said he has implemented the right recruitment tactics to effectively attract new members. He said he is meeting individually with perspective members, and that all members will have to have a minimum 3.0 grade point average.
“We don’t just go and pick any student on campus we think could be a good fit. We go through multiple different meetings with them, find out what they’re involved with, what their GPA is and those things I think are going to set them apart,” Key said.
The high grade point average requirement could be what ensures the success of the fraternity this time around.
“I know that (Key) set a minimum GPA in order to even be considered for joining a colony,” Chase Salazar, President of Interfraternity Council, said. “Usually when you get people whose grades are better than average, the type of individuals that you bring in are going to be more successful at starting the chapter.”
In addition to recruiting men under stricter guidelines to ensure the longevity of the fraternity, the fraternity has also started a new initiative called “Sacred Purpose” — where the fraternity deals with minimizing problems often seen on college campuses associated with fraternity life.
This includes educating members and the community about the issues of sexual assault, mental health awareness and drug and alcohol abuse, Key said.
As of now, the colony does not have a house. However, when Theta Chi was previously on campus, members lived in the house which is currently leased to UO fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha.
“Currently we own the Lambda Chi Alpha house. They are leasing out to us and have been really good tenants,” Key said. “We’ve been really glad to have them there.”
Currently, the fraternity has no plans to take back its house, but it is possible that in the future it could experience similar dilemmas like that of Phi Gamma Delta and Alpha Epsilon Pi.
“We won’t take over this year, maybe not even next year,” Key said. “It’s really dependent on the group.”
Overall, the FSL community looks forward to the fraternity coming back and believe that it will be successful this time around.
“After meetings with their field consultant, I think that he is going to do a fine job to get the right men,” Salazar said.