SDSU’s InterFraternity Council acknowledges the fraternity as a legitimate student organization by a landslide vote By Lydia Osolinsky, Senior Staff WriterA cheer erupted in the Aztec Center Thursday as members of theSan Diego State Phi Kappa Theta fraternity heard the news: By a 13-1vote, the InterFraternity Council of SDSU decided to once againrecognize the group as a legitimate student organization.
“It’s everything we asked for,” Joshua Sommer, president of PhiKappa Theta, said. “It is so rewarding to see my brothers’ faces.They are just so excited.”
In April 2003, the fraternity had its IFC and universityprivileges suspended after a man living in its apartments wasarrested for selling marijuana. When the fraternity’s nationalorganization withdrew its charter that summer, it was no longerrecognized by the university.
Though its national affiliates allowed it to return last spring,the IFC at SDSU did not. Phi Kappa Theta was turned down by a 12-2vote.
It is not uncommon for a fraternity to lose its charter in thisway.
According to Doug Case, coordinator for the Center of Fraternityand Sorority Life, five of the 15 fraternities that sit on thecouncil have had their charters withdrawn by their nationalorganizations at one time, and four others have been suspended by theuniversity.
But what was unusual was the determination Phi Kappa Theta had toreturn quickly. When a fraternity’s charter is withdrawn, the intentis the men will disband, and once they graduate, a new chapter canstart over.
But Phi Kappa Theta decided not to wait. Instead, it scaled downits roster from 69 members in Spring 2003 to its current 24 members,removing those who had been problems and any members it felt weren’tcommitted to Phi Kappa Theta’s new goal.
“We can’t go back down that road,” Brian Ascencio, Phi KappaTheta’s vice president of external affairs, said. “All the guys knowthis is a new deal, and repercussions could affect us as a houseagain.”
The Phi Kappa Theta members have not only completed therequirements put on them by the IFC, they did more than was necessaryto show good faith. Since their initial sanction, they have completed1,500 hours of community service, attended all IFC meetings on theirown accord and paid back their debt to their national fraternity, afeat unheard of in the organization.
“I commend them,” Case said. “It’s a rare breed of people thatwould take that route. It obviously meant that they wanted fraternityexperience and believed in what the fraternity stood for. They willbe an asset to the university when they come back.”
Because of IFC sanctions, Phi Kappa Theta has not been allowed torecruit new members since Fall 2002.
Ascencio said watching the rush activities pass them by waspainful.
“It hurt a lot of us to see guys wearing pledge pins,” he said.”It was like, ‘That should be one of our guys. We should be involvedin this too.'”
In order to boost its numbers, the fraternity plans to begin itsown recruitment as soon as Vice President of Student Affairs JamesKitchen ratifies Thursday’s vote. If all goes in its favor, Phi KappaTheta will hold nightly events throughout the week at its house onthe corner of Lindo Paseo and Campanile Drive.
“Our house is graduating, and we can’t have a house without peoplein it,” Sommer said.
Though they are delighted by the IFC’s decision to let themreturn, the Phi Kappa Theta men do not see their work as complete.
As presented to the council, they have put together a five-yearplan that focuses on community service and brotherhood as majorpriorities for the organization.
The men hope their efforts will eliminate any stigma that remainsfrom their past problems.
“People know Phi Kap and they know the name,” Ascencio said.”Maybe now it will have a better connotation. It is all in the past,and this is a new page in the chapter.”
Although the past year-and-a-half has been hard for the men,Ascencio is thankful for the re-organizing and believes hisfraternity is stronger for it.
“There’s a purpose behind all of it,” Ascencio said. “If you’renever challenged, you will never grow as a person.”
