Fraternities to elect new IFC president

InterFraternity Council members will elect a new president next week, replacing Tau Epsilon Phi early alumnus Bruce Forman who stepped down last month when his fraternity was suspended. Zeta Beta Tau member Stuart Elkowitz, Sigma Alpha Epsilon member Brett Barth and Delta Kappa Epsilon member Jeffrey Blount announced their candidacies for president this week, and are now readying for the Tuesday election. Current IFC president and SAE brother Jim Rettew will conduct the election as his last official act in office. The need for the new election arose last month, when president-elect Forman stepped down as a result of TEP's impending suspension. TEP has since been removed from its house for at least one semester. Rettew explained that TEP will not be participating in the elections, but that newly recogonized Delta Tau Delta is now a voting member of the IFC. Rettew, who is candidate Barth's fraternity brother, also said that all three of the candidates are currently officers-elect of the IFC. On Tuesday, one of their board positions will be left open. Although he is not sure what the IFC constitution requires, Rettew said that the person elected will probably appoint someone to the vacated position. He said the appointee will have to be confirmed by the IFC. Rettew added that he is "totally impartial on all the candidates." Each of the three candidates said they have a different agenda for the future of the IFC. "I am definitely running for president," Elkowitz said. The ZBT brother and Wharton junior is currently the IFC's vice president-elect, and will assume that position if he loses the election. He said that the IFC "discussed many options on how to handle the presidency," during the December meeting called by Forman which resulted in the Wharton junior's stepping down. Elkowitz declined to comment on the charges that resulted in Forman's leaving his post. Also running is Deke's Blount, who said he has looked at the past and the future of the IFC and feels he is qualified for the presidency. "In all honesty, I see the role of the president as the person who needs to bring the different ideas and views of the different fraternities into a [cohesive] plan," he said. The Wharton junior is currently the IFC treasurer-elect, and will become treasurer if he loses the election for president. SAE candidate Barth is the judicial administrator-elect. He said he did not run for president in the initial election because he "didn't see the need to run." The Wharton junior noted that he is the president of SAE, and that that experience will aid him as the IFC's leader. He also said that he thinks his friendship with fraternity brother Rettew will enhance his performance as IFC president. "I think it's helpful to know him and to talk to him about what the position entails," he said. "I have a lot of plans for the future." Stephen Rice, the ZBT brother and College junior who opposed Forman in the first election in November, was unavailable for comment this week.

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