2008 Woodie Awards
Phi Delt returns to campus after suspension in Jan. '05
Meghan Weiland
Issue date: 8/24/07 Section: Campus
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In 2005, Phi Delta Theta was forced to close their doors when a suspension was finalized by their national headquarters.
According to House Corporation President Gregory Wagner the chapter was sanctioned after an anonymous e-mail was sent to their headquarters and told them material was sent across the listserv that was inappropriate.
"In January of 2005 before rush had even started, some boys were joking around online about tying pledges to a sled and pulling them around campus," Wagner said. "The university saw this as condoning hazing and suspended us. They knew it wasn't the best decision so when we came back to negotiate for a lighter sentence if we just shut down, they allowed it."
The house was empty for two years until this year's move-in weekend.
"We were issued a charter to be reinstated second semester of last year," said sophomore Josh Shaffer, public relations officer and member of the chapter. "All the kids originally kicked out of the fraternity are gone and we have an awesome new group of guys."
Phi Delta Theta recruited already active member Kyle Schnurbusch to transfer to Miami and combine with general headquarters to lead a re-founding colony and recruit about 25 brothers, most from the sophomore class. They then recruited several first-year students last semester as well.
"We're now about 50 members strong and the original class is in their junior year," Shaffer said. "Everyone's looking forward to formal recruitment."
According to Shaffer, the national chapter of the fraternity put $500,000 into renovating the house on the corner of Tallawanda Ave.
"It really needed the renovation," Shaffer said. "The former Phi Delts just lost a sense of ownership once they learned they were being dissolved and treated the house badly."
The house was renovated over the summer, finished Aug. 4, and open for move-in Aug. 12.
"We didn't do anything structural," Wagner said. "The house was built in 1956 and was soundly built. We modeled it after the Marriott Hotel because Marriott was a Phi Delt."
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