The member organizations of the Interfraternity Council (IFC) voted last Monday to approve the return of the Beta Epsilon chapter of Delta Tau Delta (DTD) fraternity, which was suspended in 2008, to campus in late January 2015. Megan Janasiewicz, director of Sorority and Fraternity Life, informed the DTD national office of this decision in a letter notifying the fraternity they can return to campus.
In the letter to DTD nationals, Janasiewicz wrote that "the long history of Beta Epsilon at Emory and the strong national reputation of your organization were two important factors in making this decision [to bring DTD back to Emory's campus]."
Janasiewicz went on to say that "we believe that your organization will help advance the fraternal movement here at Emory ... We look forward to a successful colonization process and adding many more years to the Beta Epsilon charter."
The recruitment process will begin after Emory's formal recruitment in January 2015, but there will be informational sessions throughout the fall semester, according to Janasiewicz.
"There is a great deal of excitement from both the IFC community and the greater Emory student body," Janasiewicz said. "We hope to collectively capitalize on this energy to ensure the success of this colonization."
DTD national headquarters suspended Emory's chapter in 2008 after a "steady decrease in membership, failure to submit paperwork for Emory's Greek Life Advancement Program and the chapter's low chance of becoming nationally accredited," according to a February 8, 2008 Wheel article.
"It was in everybody's best interest to go ahead and suspend the chapter," Michael Deal, then-southern division vice president for national DTD, said in the 2008 article. "It's an agonizing decision."
According to the article, DTD had 12 active members in fall 2007.
The old DTD house at 4 Eagle Row was demolished in summer 2007 as part of the realignment of fraternity row and was previously located where the Evans residence hall is currently located.
According to the 2008 Wheel article, the decision to demolish the house came after a two-year discussion between fraternity members, University officials and DTD's housing corporation.
After peaking at 54 members in 2004, DTD averaged 11 members its final three years on campus and wasn't able to participate in recruitment, the article stated.
DTD was founded in 1858 at Bethany College in West Virginia, and the Beta Epsilon chapter of DTD was established at Emory in 1882.
– By Stephen Fowler, Assistant News Editor
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