An alcohol-free fraternity is considering opening a chapter at UW-Madison this fall, despite recruitment problems at the campus' lone alcohol-free house.
While Phi Delta Theta looks at the feasibility of a fall opening, Theta Chi is exploring ways to reverse its declining membership. According to Chapter President Tom Woods, the fraternity has not recovered from a sharp drop in membership since it went dry in 1996. Woods said the chapter's low membership is due to a lack of aggressive recruiting and not its position on alcohol in the house.
Fraternity and Sorority Adviser Ed Mireckia, said many fraternities go through periods of low membership. However, Mireckia admitted the policy could add to its recruiting problems and Theta Chi is not the first alcohol-free house to have problems at UW-Madison.
Phi Delta Theta previously had a chapter on campus, but the house shuttered its windows in 2002 after a sharp drop in membership when the organization adopted an alcohol-free policy.
\I wholeheartedly believe that there are students on this campus who would be looking for this type of experience. When you try to change policies mainstream, that's when you have problems."" Mireckia said. ""I think from what I've seen, when a new group gets started and those expectations are there from the beginning, there is a great probability of success.""
He noted there are hundreds of examples of alcohol-free fraternities across the country, including the entire University of Iowa Greek system.
Jacob Heuser, Phi Delta Theta's director of expansion, said his organization fills a niche on college campuses and they have opened 11 new chapters in the past year. Despite Phi Delta Theta's past failure on the UW-Madison campus, Heuser is certain the new start will be successful.
""We want to be at the University of Wisconsin. We think the quality of students is among the highest in the country and we are excited to have the opportunity to return,"" Heuser said.
Eliminating alcohol, Heuser said, allows chapters to focus on the personal development of its members both academically and professionally, which brings the fraternity back to its original purpose.
""Fraternities were started with the purpose of creating a home away from home and to add support for individuals and that is what we try to develop,"" Heuser said.
Members of Phi Delta Theta are not required to eschew alcohol entirely. They often go to bars on weekends like their fraternity brothers. However, when they come home, Heuser said, they are guaranteed a quiet night.
""When a fraternity is done the right way, it benefits the students. When a fraternity is done the wrong way, it is a detriment to students,"" Heuser said.
