Greeks add Phi Kappa Tau
ISSUE: 02/28/07 > News > greeks add phi kappa tau
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| Photo by Chris Speed Students party at Phi Kappa Tau’s “Get Your Rave On” in the Curb Cafe after the women’s basketball game against Gardner-Webb on Feb. 24. |
On the 100th anniversary of the Greek fraternity Phi Kappa Tau, the Belmont University colony met requirements to become an official chapter.
Currently, Belmont’s Zeta Alpha chapter has 36 total members with 28 initiated brothers and eight associate members.
Four years ago, Phi Kappa Tau didn’t exist at Belmont.
In the spring semester of ’03, the school had two fraternities and three sororities. The Student Affairs Office wanted to increase Greek life at Belmont and saw the need to add another fraternity. It chose Phi Kappa Tau out of numerous national fraternities.
At first, only a handful of guys joined the group, but gradually it grew.
“Before we got our charter we were just a colony,” chapter president and sophomore music business major Jared Black said.
“We weren’t considered active brothers. We were considered pledges or associate members. No one was initiated into the brotherhood of Phi Kappa Tau.”
Certain requirements must be met in order to be an official chapter. The group has to have an excess of 30 members, involved alumni support and financial stability.
Phi Kappa Tau’s national president and CEO came to Belmont Nov. 4 for the official installation ceremony. The guys went through the rituals, learned the secrets of the brotherhood and all signed the official chartering document.
“We see ourselves as a diverse group with many personalities,” Black said. “We have a broad group of guys, which I think is something that could be attractive to all types of people. Anyone can fit with what we’re about.”
Despite the diversity, sophomore music business major Matt Reynolds, who is also a Vision music writer, values the bond he has with other members.
“I think one of the things we pride ourselves in is the fact that there’s a strong brotherhood within the group,” Reynolds, the Phi Chancellor, said. “I have 36 brothers I know ten times better than my other friends.”
Some of Phi Kappa Tau’s activities include last year’s “Bowl in the Wall” fundraiser. For this event, Belmont students bowled at a nearby bowling alley and half of the money went to Phi Kappa Tau’s national philanthropy. Also, shortly before spring finals, some of the members helped at The Painted Turtle Camp in Los Angeles.
“We have a broad group of guys, which I think is something that could be attractive to all types of people.” -
Jared Black |
Additionally, the guys try to better the overall social life of Belmont by having parties and social events on campus. This past Saturday night, after the basketball game, they hosted a dance party in the Curb Café.
Reynolds said they concern themselves with “trying to better each other.” One way they do that is by holding each other accountable for their grades. The fraternity’s average GPA last semester was 3.24.
“Our goal given by national headquarters is to be .10 above the average men at Belmont, and we were .15 above that,” Black said.
All of this work resulted in the fraternity receiving the Fletemeyer Prize at last summer’s national convention, which recognized the most outstanding Phi Kappa Tau colony. They also received the Order of the Star Community Service Award and Tim Holman got the Outstanding Colony Adviser award.
Phi Kappa Tau was first founded in 1906 at Miami University in Ohio. There are currently 88 active chapters and seven colonies. Their mission statement is “To champion a lifelong commitment to brotherhood, learning, ethical leadership and exemplary character.”
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