U., students disagree over PiKA status

Calling themselves Pi Kappa Alpha, the men of 4033 Spruce Street consider themselves a fraternity and, to this effect, conduct Greek life as usual. But, while PiKA may be alive and well according to these students, University officials tell a different story -- one of a fraternity with no members. This semester marks the end of a two-year suspension of the fraternity for hazing incidents. In June 1992, the organization was removed from the InterFraternity Council, thereby denying it official University recognition. The agreement also placed all current brothers on early-alumni status and prohibited them from living in the PiKA house during the suspension. Pi Beta Phi currently occupies the fraternity's house. This semester marks the first chance for members of the fraternity to petition their national chapter for re-recognition. But, according to Jason Shrensky, president of the off-campus PiKa, preliminary attempts to pursue this course of action have resulted in irreconcilable differences. "We applied in the spring to get the national behind us, and it didn't work out, because basically the national and our group saw things differently," he said. The national office could not be reached for comment. But Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Tricia Phaup said efforts will be underway to return a new PiKA to campus. Phaup added that her office does not recognize the off-campus PiKA, and does not include them among Greek organizations. "They are not members of the Greek system. They are not recognized by our office," she said. "Whoever has joined this group will not be PiKAs. They may have thought they were rushing PiKA, but they weren't. "Organizations have the right to affiliate, and if they want to be XYZ group, we can't stop them from the right to associate," Phaup added. "But they will not be recognized as a fraternal organization." Shrensky said he believes only a formality separates his organization from a recognized fraternity. "Because we're not recognized by the University, those individuals that come with us do not have to sign a piece of paper," he said. "We still conduct business as usual. We have a pledge class every year, we hand out invites for parties, we still have events," Shrensky added. College junior Evan Weiner said he sees the lack of affiliation with University administration as a positive thing. He said the lack of IFC recognition did not discourage him from joining the Spruce Street cohort. "It's just the quality of the people in the house that really matters," Weiner said. "The only differences I can see [between us and an on-campus fraternity] are positives as far as not having to deal with the University." Off-campus PiKA Treasurer Andrew Finkelstein agreed. "I could have been in a house on campus," the College sophomore said. "I don't think I missed out on anything."

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