Hello!

It has come to our attention that students who were affiliated with the organization previously recognized as Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) have been engaging in fraternity-like activities, including hosting off campus social events and trying to recruit potential new members.  I want to make it very clear this group is no longer affiliated with the Vanderbilt Interfraternity Council or the DKE national fraternity and is not a recognized student organization at Vanderbilt University.  The group was sanctioned for numerous violations of University policy, including hazing, alcohol at new member or bid night activities, violations of new member education policies, fraud, hosting a gathering in violation of COVID-19 protocols, and failure to abide by COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

We strongly discourage any potential new members from affiliating or participating in activities with this group.  Unrecognized groups like this operate without the advising, oversight, training, and health and safety education provided by the University and national organizations, and involvement in such groups can put students at serious risk.  In addition, the individuals organizing and participating in the group — not the group itself — will be subject to disciplinary action individually for any violations of University policy that occur as part of the group’s activities.  It is critical to understand that neither DKE nor any potential future iteration of the organization will exist or be recognized on Vanderbilt’s campus as long as an unrecognized off-campus group operates.

Finally, it is our understanding some students may have been led to believe that students who associate with this unrecognized group will be part of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) re-establishment effort in the spring of 2023.  We have spoken to the SAE expansion staff who will be making these decisions and they have confirmed students who associate with this unrecognized group will not be part of the SAE re-establishment effort.  They also re-iterated there are no students on our campus at this time who can speak on behalf of SAE.  See attached letter from SAE.

We hope this helps provide clarity on this matter.  If you have any questions, please let me know.  Thank you.

Kristin Torrey
Director of Greek Life