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.