The percentage of social fraternity and sorority members at UW-Eau Claire is far below that at many comparable universities, said Rob Heaton, a California State University-Fullerton alumnus and an expansion consultant from the Tau Kappa Epsilon headquarters.

He said TKE, the world’s largest social fraternity, , is coming back to Eau Claire.

“Eau Claire has a lot of potential as a campus for a large Greek community,” Heaton said. The university’s large number of on-campus and nearby residents provides a solid student base. Another reason for re-colonizing, he said, is that Eau Claire used to be home to a TKE fraternity.

“One of the places we always look is at the universities where we used to have a group,” Heaton said.

Fraternities, or colonies, close down for different reasons. Hazing and low membership are among them, he said.

“I believe we shut down (in Eau Claire) due to low membership,” Heaton said.

Senior Claire Jadin, president of Alpha Xi Delta, said a colony’s national headquarters decides when it should open, close or become re-established.

Heaton has been on campus for about four weeks and plans to stay through Dec. 11. He’ll maintain contact with the Eau Claire colony via telephone and return next semester.

“I’m constantly in contact with the groups,” he said.

The expansion team, he added, currently is working with two other groups.

Heaton said it will be difficult for TKE to establish a house on campus its first semester; however, he expects members will move in together.

“We do encourage the alumni board to locate housing for the group,” he said.

There currently are 20 men interested in TKE, Heaton said. The group hopes to recruit a total of 25 new members, he said.

TKE has been recruiting Eau Claire members for three weeks, he said. He added best way to recruit is not to host a party, because the “wrong kind of members” attend. He said he’s collecting referrals from faculty, other Greek fraternities and sororities and student groups.

“The whole campaign is redefining frat,” Jadin said. ” … They’re being selective (because they want) quality candidates. They want to make sure their chapter lasts.”

Heaton said candidates are given information and interviewed to determine if they are what he called good candidates. Members need to be active in one student organization, as well as maintain a GPA of 2.5, or of 2.8 if the member is an officer.

Jadin said TKE consultants asked AZD members what qualities they would look for in fraternity members. She said the response was that members should be respectable and smart, among other qualities.

“We’re helping out just as much as the other sororities and fraternities, but they asked our members to help them get some contact names on campus,” Jadin said. ” … We’ve also hosted an event with them to … bring people down to the house to involve new members.”

Heaton also contacted senior Amber Weeks, president of Delta Zeta, he said. Potential members attended mixer events, including a battle of the sexes activity with AZD members and a “Sex and the City” activity with Delta Zeta.

TKE does service projects and generally acts as a support group for the campus and community, Heaton said. When Ronald Reagan, former president and TKE, contracted Alzheimer’s, the fraternity adopted the Alzheimer’s Association as its philanthropic cause.

Heaton said men should become TKEs because joining a fraternity can provide networking after college and enable them to develop personal skills and campus connections.

“We provide benefits that go beyond the traditional frat experience,” he said. They include biennial conventions undergraduate members are invited to attend so they can meet and work with alumni. Alumni typically are members of a program called Life Loyal TKE.

“We get together and have big gatherings of alumni for networking purposes,” said Heaton, a Life Loyal TKE who also works on the Collegiate Advisory Committee. He said many alumni are involved as volunteers, as TKE is a volunteer-based support organization.

“Our fraternity is a frat that promotes lifelong memberships, so when you join the frat, you really join for life,” Heaton said.

Students interested in joining may contact Heaton at [email protected].