Western Michigan TKEs Looking for New Home

Frat Plans to Move

By Patrick W. Connelly
Co-Editor, The Frat Boy News

After a barrage of complaints filed against them to police and city officials, brothers of Western Michigan University's chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon say they plan to move.

"They're making it more painful to be here than to not be here,'' Tau Kappa Epsilon President Joel Rowden said.

Neighbors of the house and city officials say they are sick of the fraternity's raucous and borderline behavior. Police have cited the fraternity twice for noise violations.

Thirteen brothers live in the chapter's house. Tau Kappa Epsilon moved into the neighborhood this past summer and aren't yet sure when or where they'll move.

"We're civil individuals. We're all just college students. They make it sound like we're Satan's spawn,'' the fraternity's president said.

TKE Brother Merv Griffin Dies at 82

Frat Guy of the Week: Tau Kappa Epsilon's Merv Griffin

A brother of Tau Kappa Epsilon who created the popular game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune passed away Sunday at the age of 82.

Longtime television personality and entertainer Merv Griffin dies Sunday after a battle with prostate cancer.

Griffin, who attended San Mateo Junior College and the University of San Francisco, broke into the entertainment industry in 1953 with the number-one hit "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts."

Griffin went on to create a plethora of game shows and was host of the syndicated talk show "The Merv Griffin Show."

Initiation Hazing Won't Get Criminal Charges

No Criminal Charges in Alleged Hazing

A district attorney no longer plans to pursue criminal charges in an alleged incident of hazing at an initiation ritual of the University of South Alabama's chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon in December of 2006.

"The allegations are it ended up in pledges being dragged around," John Furman, an assistant district attorney told a local newspaper. Furman also said that pledges at the initiation were blindfolded and given paddles and told not to let go of them.

The brothers were then said to have tried to steal the paddles from the pledges, where one pledge thought he had injured his spleen.

Florida TKE Senior Dies in Car Accident

UF Students Mourn Senior Who Died in Car Accident

A University of Florida senior and brother of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity was lost his life in a weekend car accident

Mario Pino was a passenger in the car with two others that veered off the road and flipped over several times, police said.

"You were honestly one of the most genuine and sincere people I know. We will all always remember you and you will forever be one of my brothers," Andrew Majka, a fraternity brother, wrote on Pino's Facebook wall.

It is unclear whether Pino had graduated this spring, or was just heading into his senior year.

Long Beach TKE Brothers Have Ugly Relationship with Camus Administration

Tau Kappa Epsilon Hits a Sour Note

The brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon said the administration of the California State University in Long Beach treated members unfairly when they weren't allowed to hold a campus event last fall because their fraternity was suspended in 2004.

TKE had planned to sponsor a music festival in Long Beach with a radio station, but brothers were prohibited to participate if using the fraternity's name because of the suspension.

"Although (the campus life office) maintains that it's only for people having official events with TKE, it can't be denied that members of TKE that are regular students and members of the campus community are being discriminated against just because of one of their many associations," a spokesman for the university told its student newspaper.

The fraternity is suspended until 2010 at the campus for having parties and failing to meet academic standards.

Greeks at St. Norbert College Don't F*ck Around When it Comes to Community Service

St. Norbert Students Shed Party Image With Good Deeds

Members of St. Norbert College's eight fraternities and sororities are trying to move away from the stereotypical Animal House-image of Greek Life by trading in their togas and beer bongs for community service participation points.

"We feel very strongly about helping others," Katie Laurinaitis, a sister of Epsilon Xi, told the Green Bay Press Gazette. Last weekend, the sorority held a benefit walk for a sister who died several years ago after a struggle with epilepsy.

The girls of Theta Phi sorority recently picked up litter and did yard work for an elderly woman and the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon are planning a fundraiser for Alzheimer's charities in the fall.

Brother Dies at Shawnee State TKE House

Shawnee Student Dies at College Frat House

A student at Shawnee State University died this past weekend after what police said may have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house.

Travis Ralston, of Rome, Ohio, was a brother of the fraternity. The university president released a statement about the student's presumed suicide and the college has offered counseling for TKE brothers, students and friends of Ralston.

"We are in contact with the school and are letting the investigation go through the proper channels," said Tom McAninch, TKE spokesperson. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. The university has done a good job of giving students access to grief counseling."

New Brothers Trying to Revive TKE at Athens State

It's All Greek To TKEs

Brothers of Athens State University's Tau Kappa Epsilon colony are hoping to gain enough new members to officially become a recognized fraternity.

Before closing the university's previous TKE chapter in 1995, the frat was one of the most popular on the campus. However, brotherhood numbers dwindled, and the frat was forced to close.

Last spring, a newly organized group started the task of bringing the frat back to Athens State. The recruits for the new edition of the chapter range in ages from 21 to 45, and even include some guys with full-time jobs. Athens State frats face difficulties because it is only a 2-year college, and students must transfer to earn a 4-year degree.

Phi Tau Evicted at PSU, TKE Also Facing Suspension

Frat Forced Out of House

The borough of State College evicted its first Penn State fraternity based on violations of borough ordinances and state laws. After failing to reach an agreement with the borough about numerous property violations, Phi Kappa Tau was evicted from their house this week for at least 6 months, officials said.

For the time being, the Phi Tau brothers will move into the empty Alpha Kappa Lambda house. The State College borough manager announced the Phi Tau must move out, while Tau Kappa Epsilon, who also faces suspension, is permitted to stay. Both frats were called "nuisance properties" by the borough last fall after for receiving rental permit violations, including disorderly conduct and excessive noise, and had there rental permits suspended Nov. 1.

After an appeal process failed, Phi Tau was notified they were being forced to move out earlier this month. TKE will be evicted ir further violations with the borough occur.

TKE Basement Bar Busted at SUNY

Frat House Busted for Underage Drinking

Four brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon at SUNY - New Platz were arrested for having what police called a "sting operation" in the basement of their house.

After having several complaints of underage drinking, undercover police officers entered their house. The officers were charged an admission fee to enter a party. In the house the found "a commercial style bar constructed in the basement at which beer was provided to persons under the age of 21."

Mark Zamzam, 20, Adam Cady, 21, Sean Tinker, 23, and Jeffrey Lindenbaum, 19, were arrested and released on bond for $100. The brothers of TKE will appear in court next month.

TKE National Official Says No Hazing Took Place at South Alabama

Official of TKE Doubts Hazing

A representative from Tau Kappa Epsilon's national office is sticking up for his boys at the University of South Alabama, saying that he doesn't believe any form of hazing took place during an incident where a pledge suffered a ruptured spleen.

The representative said brothers did blindfold the pledges and did other things which are prohibited, but the act of hazing never took place.

University officials disagree, sticking to their original stance on the incident. Four other fraternities at the college had face hazing violations in recent years.

No brothers have been charged in the incident as of yet.