A national fraternity and sorority have begun efforts at starting chapters on the Rogers State University campus.
Representatives from the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity have been on campus this month to meet with prospective students interested in joining the organization.
In addition to meeting with students, the fraternity and sorority representatives have met with administration, faculty and staff to learn more about RSU and its student body. The representatives will spend the next few weeks on campus meeting with students to establish a local colony, which would later become an official chapter once members are officially initiated to the organization.
Earlier this summer, the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents – RSU’s governing board – granted its approval to allow fraternities and sororities (commonly referred to as Greek organizations) to establish chapters at RSU.
Current and prospective students have been interested in seeing Greek organizations on campus as a way to enhance the traditional college experience, said Dr. Michael Turner, RSU dean of students. A student-led university committee met with prospective fraternities and sororities last year and invited Pi Kappa Alpha and Alpha Sigma Tau to establish chapters on campus.
These Greek organizations were selected because they were nationally and internationally chartered organizations with good reputations and a strong presence in Oklahoma and surrounding states, which is crucial to the successful start-up of a local chapter at RSU, Turner said.
Pi Kappa Alpha, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., was founded in 1868 at the University of Virginia. The fraternity has area chapters at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, the University of Tulsa, East Central University, Northeastern State University and the University of Central Oklahoma.
Alpha Sigma Tau, headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., was founded in 1899 at Eastern Michigan University. The sorority has area chapters at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Henderson State University in Arkansas, University of Central Arkansas, St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and a colony at the University of Texas-Pan American.
Students interested in learning more about the Greek organizations are urged to call the fraternity and sorority representatives on campus at (918) 343-7661 or the Office of Student Affairs at (918) 343-7579. The representatives also can be reached after hours by calling: Pi Kappa Alpha, Bryan Benson at (605) 670-0474 or Shawn Hutcherson at (321) 231-2452; Alpha Sigma Tau, Laura Clark or Beth Wood at (918) 343-7809.