Phi Kappa Tau fraternity is back on campus and ready to restore itself in fall 2012.
Founded at the University of Idaho in 1947, PKT left campus in 2007 and has returned to reclaim its original home fall semester. Matt Marone, national PKT expansion consultant, is in charge of selecting the founding fathers and recruiting new members. He said the group hopes to be nationally chartered as a chapter within a year to a year and a half.
“We shut the group down (in 2007), knowing we could bring them stronger several years later,” Marone said. “Our group was not focusing on the values as a national fraternity and our membership really dwindled.”
Marone said few people want to join a group that doesn’t focus on the right values.
“It’s college,” Marone said. “People are going to have fun, but we don’t want to let the parties and the social aspect be what PKT is known for.”
Marone said PKT will instead be known for striving to be “grown men.”
Advertising and business major, Chris Behrens is running for PKT president. He said the group of 12 founding members is not comprised of stereotypical frat boys, but fraternity gentlemen.
“We believe in staying close to each other, (we believe in) respect and we will not ask anything of a member that conflicts with their beliefs, values (or) morals,” Behrens said.
To keep members accountable, Behrens said members will keep in constant contact with each other and create an environment that is conducive to the PKT motto. Marone said all events that include alcohol will be approved by a PKT alumni advisory group.
The PKT men will move into their originally chartered house in fall and the Steel House women, who currently inhabit the residence, applied for a bond issue that was recently approved by the Moscow City Council for a house located at 503 Taylor Street. The PKT residence will house 32 members.
“The positive to having a smaller house is that our members aren’t required to live in the house,” Marone said. “I don’t see why living in a house should be a requirement to being in a fraternity.”
Behrens said members will have to sort out who lives in the house, but said the group wants the executive board members to live in-house as leaders of the home.
“You can contribute (to the fraternity) in other ways, than just being in a bed,” Marone said.
Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Matt Kurz said fraternity houses on campus generally house between 30 and 60 members.
“Lamda Chi Alpha (for example), has 50 or 60 members, but their house does not hold that many,” Kurz said. “It offers a new and unique style to our campus.”
Community service hours and philanthropic requirements are set by the national PKT organization to ensure charter approval.
Marone said the group plans to co-sponsor a philanthropic dodge ball event after spring break and will partake in a Habitat for Humanity project, put on by ASUI. Kurz said PKT has also hosted educational events including the discussion of masculinity stereotypes.
Nationally, Behrens said PKT supports the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, for sick and disabled children across the world. While Behrens said the group was busy with year-long recruitment, he said tabling will happen in the near future for PKT sponsorship support of Hole in the Wall.
The group will have to recruit a qualifying number of members for national approval by April 1.
“We really try to work collectively,” Behrens said. “Our main focus is that we’re not just simply still a house. If we do everything right, the house will excel.”
For more information on PKT visit facebook.com/idahopkt or uidaho.phikappatau.org.
“It’s great to make the Greek Vandal family whole again,” Kurz said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what Phi Kappa Tau will bring to the community. These members are going to determine the direction of the new fraternity for the next 100 years.”