Although the potential return of a Greek organization sponsored by Dartmouth alumni of Beta Theta Pi fraternity has sparked controversy on campus, other fraternities derecognized by the College have previously returned to the College without significant controversy.
On Jan. 9, the College announced that Beta alumni would be permitted to form a student interest group that can apply for College recognition as a Greek organization. Beta, which was permanently derecognized by the College in 1996 for violating the terms of its previous probation, is not the first permanently derecognized Greek organization to return to campus.
Zeta Psi fraternity was permanently de-recognized in 2001 after two issues of "The Zetemouth," an internal newsletter detailing the sexual exploits of various brothers and other Dartmouth students, were made public. Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman determined at the time that in publishing the newsletter, the fraternity had violated a College standard of conduct related to harassment.
Although the terms of Zeta Psi's derecognition specified that the decision was permanent, Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America never revoked the chapter's charter or took other disciplinary action related to the newsletters. Organization officials told The Dartmouth in 2001 that the College's definition of "harassment" infringed on students' rights to free speech.
The College announced last spring that it would permit Zete to apply for re-recognition in the Fall term of 2009 if the organization agreed to stop unauthorized recruitment on campus and occupation of its physical plant on Webster Avenue.
This decision was met with little student response.
Phi Delta Alpha fraternity's return in the Winter term of 2003 was similarly met with little student protest. Phi Delt was derecognized in spring 2001 after allegations that the organization had permitted freshmen students to rush and had violated drug and alcohol policies, as well as charges that some members had attempted to burn down Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity. Although Phi Delt's agreement with the College permitted the organization to apply for re-recognition in the Fall term of 2002, the fraternity did not return until the following term.
The agreement further allowed Phi Delt to return to Dartmouth as a local fraternity, despite the College's moratorium on new local Greek organizations.
Jud Horras, executive director of Beta national, said he was not personally familiar with his organization's original decision to derecognize Dartmouth's chapter of Beta. Horras could not confirm whether the national organization had revoked the chapter's charter -- a permanent decision -- or disbanded the group, which serves as a suspension of the charter.
Under current guidelines, Horras said, derecognition by a university is often grounds for repercussions from Beta national.
If a chapter commits a minor violation that results in derecognition by the institution for 60 days or fewer, Horras said, the national organization does not generally derecognize the chapter. In the case of a longer or permanent derecognition the national will likely match the institution's actions.
"When we lose recognition on a campus, our policy is that we pull recognition as well," Horras said.
The nature of the violation also plays a role in Beta national's decision, Horras added.
"We derecognize 100 percent of the time over something relating to risk management," Horras said, noting that the transgressions committed by Dartmouth's chapter "definitely" fell into that category. Horras declined to comment on the specifics of those violations.
Horras said that Beta national has not yet made a decision regarding re-recognition of a new group at Dartmouth.
"We have been working with them, and we're very interested in going back to Dartmouth, but under our guidelines," he said. "The sticking point is that the alumni base doesn't agree with all of our structure and rules."
In a previous interview with The Dartmouth, Horras said that the chances that Beta national would re-recognize a new Dartmouth chapter were "slim to none."
The matter will be decided by the national organization's Board of Trustees, who will vote on the issue this weekend.
If the Dartmouth Beta alumni's request for national re-recognition is denied, the College will still permit the organization to participate in next fall's recruitment period, but the group will eventually be required to affiliate with a different national organization.
Dartmouth Beta alumni from a range of graduating classes will conduct next fall's recruitment events in much the same way Phi Delt alumni organized recruitment functions when their organization returned to campus.
The Beta alumni will hold information gathering sessions on campus beginning Jan. 27.
