Brothers at the Meet the PIKE’s Event Photo by Ashley Velaquez
The story was co-written with Mary McCay
After being absent from campus for 5 years, the Zeta Xi chapter Pi Kappa Alpha, known as PIKE, is returning to Western Carolina University’s campus. After being suspended for hazing accusations in 2015, the new 2019 “colony” of the Zeta Xi chapter of PIKE is coming back with strong goals for a better chapter and image at WCU.
The term new colony is used to describe the organizations period of time before receiving an official charter from the International Headquarters.
To introduce themselves back to the campus they held a Meet the PIKE’s event earlier in March in the Ramsey hospitality room. At this event, Expansion Consultants, Raymond White, and Rick Seal introduced the new Zeta Xi members and new advisors. During the introduction, they provided background information, current progress, and future goals. For this event, PIKE sent invitations to officials and Greek organization leaders to attend where they gave recognition to them towards the end of the program. The event lasted about two hours.
Some Greek organizations have mixed feelings about PIKE coming to campus.
“We hope that things will be different this time and we will not see the same actions repeat themselves as they did six years ago,” said Alpha Sig member, Brice Green.
“It is not the most [well] received thing going around due to everything that made them get kicked off campus, but so far our interactions have not been too bad,” said Sigma Phi Epsilon member, Zachary Kessinger.
To help address concerns about PIKE returning to campus, Ron Shidemantle, the Director of the Greek offices at WCU, wrote in an email: “The national organization and local alumni association have committed to a return that is in alignment with all national Risk Management policies and practices.”
To support that there will not be a repeat of the past, The Greek Student Engagement and Development Department (GSED) says that they are going to continue working closely with the organization’s members and alumni. GSED will focus on new member education and risk management practices as they develop as a colony and later into an official chapter on WCU’s campus.
White and Seal are confident that the new PIKE will have a positive mindset and determination.
“We are transparent with our plans for this new colony and are open about what has happened in the past with former PIKE’s when the incident occurred,” said White.
In addition, the new PIKE members are to have little communication with the ones that were on campus six years ago.
PIKE was suspended from WCU campus in 2010 because members failed to meet the grade point average requirements and uphold policies at social events. The chapter was forced to leave and make an improvement plan to get re-evaluated in 2014. They were suspended again due to hazing allegations in 2015 after a student reported to university police that he was forced to cite the Zeta Xi preamble while water was poured down his throat. WCU does not tolerate hazing and the potential harm to other students.
Consultants Rick Seal and Raymond White Photo by Ashley Velazquez
The new colony already has around 35 members as of this March and around 25 of them have officer positions. Alumni of the Zeta Xi chapter that go as far back as the late 1960s are advising the colony’s new members.
“We do this because we want to ensure that no men who resemble the same characteristics of the ones from six years ago are involved in our colony,” said Seal.
The new members are required to sign a contract that outlines what they can and cannot do and a social media contract. While the public cannot receive copies of these contracts, the Expansion Consultants Seal and White are positive that these men will hold up to the standards presented within the documents. There will be a Sergeant of Arms who is appointed and will help maintain order, dignity, and accountability in and outside of meetings. There will be someone appointed from every grade level that will hear cases and reprimand them accordingly based on the actions.
The Zeta Xi chapter is focusing on upholding their values in the recruiting process. The International Headquarters have four main values that they look for in their men that are referred to as SLAG: Scholars, Leaders, Athletes, and Gentlemen.
“The first being men who take their academics seriously and has a strive to be successful, leaders on and off campus, guys with a competitive mindset and drive, and finding true gentlemen,” said White.
In order to show to the WCU community that their organization is working hard to be better, the men have to participate in greek education and the Fraternal Health in Safety Initiative which is an organization that focuses on members through character and strength building. Also, they have had more than 70 alumni sign a contract stating that they will not allow hazing and that they will supervise social events when the time comes.
Not only are they trying to show the WCU community that they are serious about changing, but they are also trying to find ways to show the Jackson County community that they are changing as well. This is important because even though the organization will be on a WCU’s campus, there is a big part of WCU that influences Jackson County described White.
“We have already reached out to Homebase on campus to help and we have goals in the future to reach out to the Children’s Miracle Network or something that helps with brain cancer,” said Seal. Along with this, Seal said they are also going to possibly reach into Jackson County programs such as the Community Table and Community Garden.
The Zeta Xi chapter is excited to start this new colony and find men who share the same values as them.
