Thursday, January 15, 2015

Lehigh Fraternity Expansion






This afternoon, Lehigh University’s Fraternity Expansion Committee offered Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) provisional colony status in Lehigh’s Fraternity and Sorority community for the spring 2015 semester, effective immediately.

The decision to offer provisional colony status to AEPi was made by the members of the Expansion Committee, which is broadly representative of constituencies across campus (including alumni, students and staff). The decision follows careful consideration and review of the proposals and presentations made by AEPi as well as two other organizations, Sigma Alpha Mu (SAM) and Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT).

This provisional status is contingent upon the following:

1.      Alpha Epsilon Pi must provide OFSA and IFC with a full list of all Alpha Epsilon Pi events, activities and practices, including recruitment and new member education.
2.      Alpha Epsilon Pi alumni leadership, active members and headquarters representatives must familiarize themselves and comply with all Lehigh, OFSA and IFC policies, protocols and guidelines applicable to social fraternity organizations.
3.      Alpha Epsilon Pi must complete an end-of-the semester chapter reflection by the end of the spring 2015 semester similar to Accreditation where the chapter can discuss publicly what they have learned over the course of the semester (please note: the chapter would not be rated in spring 2015 per the Accreditation process).
4.      Lehigh University will work with Alpha Epsilon Pi headquarters to determine the appropriate headquarters staffing support.
5.      Alpha Epsilon Pi Headquarters staff and alumni shall attend the March 28, 2015 Greek Alumni Council meeting to discuss Alpha Epsilon Pi’s history at Lehigh since 2001, including decisions made on recruitment practices.
6.      During the spring 2015 provisional period, Alpha Epsilon Pi will not conduct any recruitment or new member education activities. 

Upon completion of this provisional status, the Fraternity Expansion Committee will reconvene to review the progress made by the organization, and make recommendations to Vice-Provost for Student Affairs John Smeaton as to whether or not full, active status should be granted to the organization. The expectation by the committee is that AEPi student, alumni, and national leadership will demonstrate a positive spirit of collaboration and partnership in working with IFC, OFSA and the broader Lehigh administration.

As with previous non-residential expansion efforts, there is no promise of, or timeline for, a non-residential chapter to become residential.