Graphic by Grace Bruton and Em McPhie

Campus Life announced the addition of a new fraternity chapter, Delta Chi, at Washington University to fraternity and sorority leaders, Sept. 7.

Delta Chi, a national fraternity with over 100 chapters, will be colonizing on campus spring 2020 with no physical location on or off campus. They will rush and initiate their inaugural pledge class at the same time as the other eleven fraternities, a choice that Interfraternity Council (IFC) president senior Jimmy Abraham says aims to “integrate them as much as possible.”

‘Colony’ is the term Delta Chi uses for nascent chapters that are still building infrastructure on campus. According to Delta Chi’s national website, “When a colony acts like a chapter, it becomes one.” The average time for a Delta Chi colony to officially become a chapter is 12 to 18 months.

Abraham believes that the social fraternity community should expand. For him, that doesn’t just mean adding a new chapter.

“It made sense to grow…individual pledge classes and organizations themselves,” Abraham said.

Abraham sees potential benefits like lower collective dues and a higher percentage of students receiving bids as another reason to institute a new fraternity chapter.

Delta Chi was one of two organizations that approached the University late spring 2019 about establishing a chapter on campus. Sigma Alpha Mu (SAMU) aimed to reestablish their presence on campus after losing recognition amid allegations of drug abuse, hazing and other infractions in 2012.

In response to the organizations’ inquiries, a committee comprised of IFC officers, alumni and Campus Life staff was formed to pick “both of them, none of them [or] one of them,” according to Abraham.

Program Coordinator for Fraternity/Sorority Life Molly Bennett said the committee “spent over two months listening to different organizations and hearing from their staff,” as well as soliciting student feedback before finally offering a spot on the IFC.

“We felt like their [Delta Chi’s] approach aligned with our strategic vision, and we’re excited to welcome them,” Bennett said.

Abraham says he was struck by Delta Chi’s desire to mold their new chapter to the character of the University.

“They emphasize that they want to learn what our IFC and school want out of our fraternities and kind of be the model for that, which I really appreciate,” Abraham said.

SAMU’s past misconduct was not a “major factor” of the expansion committee’s decision, according to Abraham. The time elapsed since SAMU’s dismissal meant the committee was obligated to consider the fraternity as new to the University.

Bennett declined to discuss why SAMU’s pitch failed to win the committee over, saying it was more a matter of “why we wanted Delta Chi, rather than didn’t want another organization.”

After the expansion committee reached a decision, Abraham informed the IFC board and council of fraternity presidents. Some presidents had misgivings, including whether an on-campus fraternity would be displaced. But Abraham said once he told the council that Delta Chi wouldn’t have a house, and then further elaborated on the benefits of a new chapter, they warmed up to the idea.

The presidents’ council had a choice to either accept the decision of the expansion committee, or, as Abraham put it, “get into a full-blown conversation about it.” The 11-member council ultimately decided to approve the expansion committee’s decision almost unanimously.

Delta Chi currently has no presence on campus, but plans to start recruiting “founding fathers,” or brothers who will head up the new colony, as soon as spring semester starts.

Alpha Delta Phi president junior Matt Bitner-Glindzicz says the addition will help make the fraternity system “more accessible.” The number of rushees who receive bids has been stuck at around 50% for several years.

“I’m just glad that they’re finally taking steps to improve recruitment numbers,” Bitner-Glindzicz said.