The Interfraternity Council (IFC) Senate issued a resolution Tuesday night denouncing Dean of Students Blaine Eckles’ decision to add a no-housing requirement to the expansion of Alpha Sigma Phi and Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternities.
Eckles said he fully respects the views of IFC and looks forward to continued conversations with them. He declined further comment.
“The University is not currently approving additional housed Greek chapters in light of our current enrollment and the anticipated number of incoming and continuing students who may wish to live in a Greek house in relation to the capacity and membership needs of our current Greek housed chapters,” Eckles said in his decision to the houses’ directors of expansion.
IFC also said in the resolution Eckles lacked timely decision making, saying it took Eckles nearly five months to make a final decision on the expansion of the two houses.
IFC unanimously decided on Oct. 30 to approve expansion of Alpha Sigma Phi for spring 2021 and Tau Kappa Epsilon for spring 2019.
Eckles approved the expansion of both Alpha Sigma Phi and Tau Kappa Epsilon on March 29 as unhoused chapters.
TKE first received approval from the university to return to campus in 2015 but deferred the expansion to a later date while participating in an expansion review process a second time after another recommendation for expansion by UI students.
The UI Fraternity and Sorority Life expansion procedures note the ability to build a chapter facility at the University of Idaho campus as part of the expansion request.
“This restriction is a gross violation of a private organization’s right to own and operate a chapter facility and the Interfraternity Council is adamantly opposed to any undue restrictions added on fraternity expansions at the University of Idaho,” the Senate said in an IFC news release.
UI Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Shawn Dowiak declined comment for this article.
Ellamae Burnell can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Ellamae Burnell