College re-recognizes Zete, ends colony status

By Madeline Zeiss, The Dartmouth Staff

Published on Friday, January 6, 2012

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Correction Appended

Following collaboration between students and alumni, the College formally re-recognized Zeta Psi fraternity on Nov. 22, 2011, ending the organization’s colony status, Greek Letter Organizations and Societies Director Wes Schaub said.

Zete was permanently de-recognized in May 2001 for the publication of “sex papers.” The internal newsletters, distributed secretly within the house, included lewd references to sexual acts between brothers and named female students. The newsletters also promised the publication of date rape techniques, among other topics.

In winter 2007, the chapter’s alumni association and the College agreed on a set of terms for re-recognition. The terms included a “dark period,” in which the physical plant had to be vacated and renovated to comply with building codes. The fraternity ceased its operations — which had been continuing unofficially since it was de-recognized — for two years and made extensive repairs to the physical plan.

Zete resumed campus involvement in fall 2009 under colony status, beginning the two-year College-mandated process that is required for any Greek organization seeking re-recognition.

Representatives met with former Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman, former GLOS Director Deborah Carney and various alumni bodies in fall 2009 to determine a plan that would set the house on the path to re-recognition, according to former GLOS Director Kristi Clemens. The plan included agreements to keep up maintenance of the physical plant and to recruit new members. The fraternity participated in men’s rush in fall 2009 for the first time in eight years after having fulfilled the College’s requirements to begin the re-recognition process.

Groups must prove that they can function as a stable organization before being granted additional privileges, including hosting social events with alcohol.

In December 2010, the Interfraternity Council recommended that the College re-recognize Zete.

During the re-recognition process, the organization and the College had a misunderstanding regarding the billing charges associated with roadway repairs that occurred during construction, Schaub said.

“There was some information from Zeta Psi that was outstanding, and until it was not outstanding, they could not be officially re-recognized.” Schaub said. “We’ve had a whole series of requirements that Greek organizations must complete, and it took Zeta Psi that long to complete those requirements.”

Schaub said Zete’s re-recognition does not grant the organization new rights, but instead “legitimizes” the fraternity’s presence on campus.

“It is definitely not going to change our day-to-day activities, but it’s nice to be a more permanent fixture at the College,” Zete president Travis Cramer ’12 said.

Cramer said that Zete’s re-recognition was the result of a joint effort between current students and the alumni association.

“The undergrads have been working for a bit, and the alumni have been working for a long time, so it will mean a lot to them,” Cramer said. “All the memories that happened for them aren’t gone.”

T. Clark Weymouth ’79, the president of Zete’s alumni association, said the alumni worked closely with undergraduates to do “everything the College needs done,” and that this collaboration was necessary to achieve re-recognition.

“It’s been a good five years since the alumni started on the process,” Weymouth said. “We’ve worked very closely with the College to make sure that this happened in a way that complied and was consistent with the College. From our perspective, it was the achievement of the goal we set out on, so obviously we’re very happy, and I’d like to think that the College appreciates our efforts.”

The original version of this article attributed statements to GLOS Director Wes Schaub that he in fact did not make.