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Fraternity based on Jewish ideals seeks recognition Ana Tantaris
Staff Writer There has always been an implication of exclusivity when it comes to Greek life, especially in the South. Sure, there are various multicultural sororities and fraternities, but they are largely underrepresented in comparison to IFC or Panhellenic chapters. Yet just last month, IFC voted on whether or not to include Alpha Epsilon Pi, a fraternity based upon Jewish principles. The UT AEPi chapter was originally founded in 1949, but like many fraternities, has oscillated between being on and off
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campus. In the fall of 2014, Jacob Geltzer decided to kick-start his freshman year by trying to resurrect the chapter. As a founding father and current vice president of AEPi, Geltzer researched chapter requirements, networked and ultimately orchestrated the initial call to action to bring back the fraternity. “Geltzer texted me one day and asked if there was an AEPi chapter here on campus, would I be interested in joining? I said totally, and by that point, he had already contacted AEPi headquarters about our interest,” Jake McCoy, current president of Alpha Epsilon Pi, said. Before they could be recognized as a colo-
ny, the men of AEPi had to create a structure for the entire framework of the fraternity. This includes writing and implementing a constitution, finding an advisor, organizing a schedule of meetings and constructing a hierarchy of elected positions, all to help the organization run like a well-oiled machine. “So that’s when I went to AEPi’s website and submitted a form to get into contact with the head of chapter services from AEPi nationals in Indiana,” Geltzer said. “We needed to get a group of guys and plan out programs that would show AEPi nationals that we have what it takes to be an AEPi colony.” Beyond the general structural and organizational aspects of starting AEPi, Geltzer said brotherhood is at the forefront of the
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chapter, especially since so many of them were involved in its re-colonization. “A strong brotherhood doesn’t spontaneously appear but has to be built and grown organically over time by working and growing together,” McCoy said. “It’s a lot of hard work, and we’ve come far over our year and a half here in Knoxville.” The AEPi men have extensive plans for the chapter and are eager to put those plans in action in the coming years. Geltzer said they are looking forward to participating in and contributing to the local community as well as the Greek community and the university as a whole. See FRATERNITY on Page 3
Friday, April 22, 2016