Phi Kap loses nat'l charter

and Riz Shavelle After being held on probation by its national office for three years, the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity lost its charter this summer and was forced to vacate its house on Locust Walk. The Delta Delta Delta sorority is moving into Phi Kap's house at 3539 Locust Walk, making it the first sorority to be located on the Walk. Phi Kap's suspension, which took place on June 10th, closes the Alpha chapter of the fraternity, the founding chapter which was originally established in 1850. According to Executive Vice President of the national office Alan Preston, the charter was suspended because the chapter didn't meet certain standards of operation. Standards set forth by the fraternity's national office include "responsible risk management practices, achieving certain scholastic goals, participating in community and University service projects, and maintaining safe and desirable living facilities," according to a statement issued by the national office. Preston would not comment on what specific standards were not met by the University chapter, but Phi Kap national Executive Board member Ghery Pettit said the fraternity's standards have always been high. "We have high standards," he said. "The bottom line is that we're going to maintain our standards even if it means an embarrassment to the local chapter." Phi Kap Vice President and College senior Woody Paik said this is not the first time the national office has complained about the chapter's performance. "They haven't been happy with our chapter for a number of years," Paik said. "There was a disparity between what we thought they wanted us to do and what they did want." Keith McCardell, a 1994 College graduate said many factors led to the decision to suspend the fraternity's charter, but he admitted that, "we've pretty much been hellraisers for a couple of years." Pettit said that many chapters which are suspended by their national offices often return to campus after three years. He added that the national office intends to "re-establish the chapter when conditions are better." According to former Greek Alumni Council Chairperson Andrea Dobin and Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup, the fraternity was in good standing with the Interfraternity Council and was not on probation with the University. "It was a completely internal matter," Dobin said. "As far as the University knew at the time of suspension, there was nothing identifiable as the cause." The suspension and loss of the house will leave 33 brothers without a place to live in the fall, Paik said. He added that the 21 men who pledged the fraternity but were never initiated will have the option of pledging another fraternity when they return to school. According to Tri-Delt President and College senior Melissa London, a three-year lease was signed by the housing corporations of Tri-Delt and Phi Kap after several weeks of negotiations. For the next year, the sorority will own two houses -- the new one, located at 3539 Locust Walk, and their original house at 4044 Spruce Street. London said that both residences will be "official Tri-Delt houses." Eighteen sisters in all will move into the house on the Walk -- nine will move from the Spruce Street house to the Locust Walk house and nine more agreed to break their leases at other residences to live on the Walk, London said. About 20 sisters will remain in the Spruce Street house. Tri-Delt House Corporation President and 1991 College graduate Allison Goff said the sorority does not yet know if it will be able to maintain both houses for more than one year. "We're still sorting things out -- nothing is definite at this point as to what is going to happen," she said. "There are a lot of different options that are being investigated." Phaup said the loss of Phi Kap should not have a large effect on the Greek system at the University, with the recent addition of Pi Kappa Phi and the potential returns of Pi Kappa Alpha, Theta Xi or Psi Upsilon. "It's just as strong," she said. "I don't think it will affect they system at all -- it's definitely not going to weaken the system." IFC President and College senior Hayden Horowitz and Phi Kap President and College junior Craig Rutenberg were unavailable for comment.