March 11, 2021
Justin Warren, Director of Media Relations
Beta Theta Pi Fraternity
justin.warren@archive.beta.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beta Theta Pi Fraternity Closes Chapter at Southern Illinois University

OXFORD, OHIO, March 11, 2021 – Today Beta Theta Pi is announcing the closure and disbandment of its Zeta Omicron Chapter at Southern Illinois University.

This difficult decision comes after years of operational, financial and recruitment struggles. The added difficulties presented by COVID-19, which essentially split the already dwindling membership between on-campus and remote learning, made these struggles insurmountable under current conditions. At the time of closure, chapter size totaled only four active brothers.

“I want to express on behalf of the Fraternity’s leadership our shared disappointment in this news," said Fraternity General Secretary S. Wayne Kay, Virginia Tech ’73. "Our primary mission as an organization is to develop young men and build strong Beta chapters across North America. As it stands now, our chapter in Carbondale is not providing the robust Beta experience the Fraternity, its members and the university community deserve.”

Founded in 1999 in Carbondale, Illinois, Zeta Omicron is home to some 215 living alumni. The chapter’s charter will remain suspended and in care of the Board of Trustees throughout this period of disbandment.

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Beta Theta Pi is a college fraternity committed to developing men of principle for a principled life. Founded in 1839, today Beta serves more than 10,000 undergraduate members on 138 campuses across North America, 138,000 living-alumni members and 1,800 volunteers. The Fraternity’s Administrative Office is located near its founding site at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

 

Press Contact

Name:                 Justin Warren
Position:              Director of Media Relations & Senior Writer
Email:                  justin.warren@archive.beta.org