Theta Xi fraternity members have removed the letters from their house, and a chapter may not resurface at Ball State until 2006. Ben Tietz, Interfraternity Council president, said the fraternity was expelled because of hazing.
Tietz would not specify the nature of the hazing, but said the act was reported by a disaffiliated member. An interview process of current and former members made up the investigation leading to the expulsion, Tietz said.
Doug McConkey, vice president for student affairs, and Kay Bales, associate vice president for student life, investigated the allegations, Tietz said.
Tietz said he was unsure of when the report was made, but the fraternity was suspended Jan. 17.
However, Thursday's IFC meeting, when IFC adviser Rob Turning announced the expulsion, was the first meeting of the semester that a Theta Xi representative was not present.
As for the possibility of a Theta Xi chapter returning to Ball State, Tietz said Aug. 21, 2006, is the earliest date one can be started.
"It is usually standard to wait three years or until all members of the chapter graduate," Tietz said. "No member will remain when a new fraternity is recognized."
The fraternity house is owned by a private housing corporation of the fraternity's national headquarters.
"It's up to the national headquarters what happens to the house," Tietz said.
Meanwhile, Thursday's meeting featured more than the announcement. IFC and the Pan-Hellenic Council held a joint meeting, an event that has not taken place in two years, said Ali Kearns, Pan-Hellenic president.
The partnership began because Kearns and Tietz work together.
"We get along really well and we wanted to show greek members how much can be accomplished by working together," Kearns said.
Kearns said the example showed IFC and Pan-Hellenic Council members the importance of working with their greek counterparts.
Tietz said the two organizations would hold a joint meeting twice a semester in the future.
President Blaine Brownell, a guest at the meeting, told greek members about his experience in greek life. During Brownell's senior year of college, he started a week-long symposium of speakers called Contact, sponsored by his school's Interfraternity Council.
"That symposium has been offered every single year since 1965," Brownell said. "Of all of the things I have ever done in life, that was the longest-lasting."
Brownell said the greek system has evolved and come under a lot of recent scrutiny due to initiation practices and hazing. Brownell told the greek members they were in a whole new era of college life which included challenges he did not have to deal with.
"We do not want these organizations to put you in danger," Brownell said.
Brownell was asked about his impression of Ball State's greek community. He said it was positive.
"Clearly some organizations are healthy and have strong membership," Brownell said. "Other organizations are struggling. The university would like to see them be successful."
Brownell encouraged the greek members to set goals for how they would like the greek system to be at Ball State.
"Make it the way you'd like it to be when your sons and daughters come to Ball State," Brownell said.
Tietz and Kearns said they were pleased with Brownell's remarks.
"I think he worked to dispel some rumors that the administration did not like the greek system," Tietz said.
Tietz said the meeting left him optimistic about the future of Ball State's greek community.
"I feel that all that was started in this meeting is still very possible," Tietz said. "The fact that (the expulsion) occurred will not deter us from obtaining that goal."
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