In a surprise move, the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life decided to accept this university’s newest fraternity, Gamma Delta Iota.
A well-known fraternity that has a presence at nearly every major university in the country, the organization jump-started its Pi Rho chapter this spring.
DFSL Director Matt Supple said the fraternity was added as a result of overwhelming demand.
“Most people thought we already had a chapter anyway,” Supple said.
Indeed, many students said the move was a long time coming.
“GDI? Yeah, I’ve heard of it. I wish I could join,” said senior family studies major John Dorian. “I’ve always just wanted to feel included.”
University Police Lt. Philip Tou, a self-proclaimed friend to all Greeks, said he welcomed the addition.
“When I crash frat parties undercover, they usually kick me out because I’m a GDI,” Tou said. “At least now, I’ll blend right in.”
Founding member Ian Rockafeller was especially excited to start icing initiates — a practice that involves hiding a Smirnoff Ice, usually in someone’s underwear, and forcing them to chug it upon discovery. Rockafeller noted this would not be a hazing violation because “everyone likes Smirnoff Ice.”
Jeremy Van Holden, the chapter’s president, explained that he started the fraternity after seeing how great brotherhood was for some of his friends.
“After hanging out with Greek life so much, I just really wanted to be affiliated,” he said. “Some guys I know in Pike said I seemed like a GDI. They’re from Jersey, so I guess they must know some GDIs up there who are great people.”
He declined to comment on rumors that the new organization was accepting members who had recently been banned from Greek life, as member of fraternities such as Pi Kappa Alpha, which had to remove 80 active members earlier this year as a result of hazing allegations.
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