After housing one of the largest hazing controversies in university history, 3 Fraternity Row has new tenants.

Tau Kappa Epsilon was selected by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life to fill the house occupied by Delta Tau Delta until March 31, when the fraternity was expelled after violating the university’s hazing policies. Just three years after returning to the campus, Tau Kappa Epsilon has found its way back to Fraternity Row.

“We weren’t expecting to get a house,” chapter president Matt Zambrotta said. “When this came up, we were pretty surprised.”

Only two fraternities applied for the house, the other being Phi Kappa Psi.

Despite a troubled past with the university, Tau Kappa Epsilon was still awarded the house. The fraternity had its charter revoked by the university and was kicked out of its fraternity house in September 1995 for violating hazing and alcohol policies. When the fraternity re-formed at this university in 2005, all ties, including any means of contact, were cut with the members of the expelled chapter.

Tau Kappa Epsilon applied for housing in 2006, after Beta Theta Pi was expelled. Delta Chi was awarded the house at 6 Fraternity Row, but Zambrotta, a senior finance major and founding member of the re-formed chapter, said the experience of going through the application process taught his fraternity a lot.

“It showed us that, at the time, we really weren’t ready,” Zambrotta said.

He noted that since the initial application, Tau Kappa Epsilon has organized its budget much better, kept clear documentation of all fraternity events and improved its standing with the OFSL. He also noted that the Washington-area Tau Kappa Epsilon alumni group is the largest in the country and helped lobby for the chapter to get the house.

With 55 of 70 current members returning next year, Tau Kappa Epsilon has already filled the newly acquired house. Because of the late announcement, many of the members had already signed leases, but 30 members still signed up to fill the house’s 33-resident maximum.

Assistant Director for Greek Facilities Bob Nichols and Interfraternity Council President Marty Bock both praised Tau Kappa Epsilon for its quick turnaround and community involvement.

“TKE had a couple-year jump in their development, and that really was a deciding factor,” Nichols said. The OFSL is responsible for selecting the fraternity best suited for an available house.

Phi Kappa Psi, the only other fraternity to apply for the house, currently has just 36 members. Chapter President Andrew Vimini said his fraternity will look to use the experience in the future.

Vimini, a sophomore economics major, said Phi Kappa Psi – one of the newest fraternities at the university – wants to “maintain the integrity of the chapter.” And, he admitted had the fraternity taken the house this fall, it would have needed to take on undesired boarders.

Still, Vimini admitted a sense of disappointment at the final decision.

“I’m not going to lie, we were a little bummed about it,” he said. “We are growing really fast.”

For Tau Kappa Epsilon, the growth process should only get easier. Zambrotta said recruiting and alumni relations will be easier with a house, which will provide a regular location for meetings and fraternity rituals.

“Everybody was extremely excited,” Zambrotta said. “We’ve always said that if we get a house, it will help us immensely.”

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