The Beta Theta Pi International Fraternity, Inc. had its charter revoked early in the summer by the General Fraternity, the fraternity's international governing body, for failing to comply with the General Fraternity's regulations.
The chapter subsequently lost its membership in the University's Inter-Fraternal Council.
The fraternity has been working with its alumni, the University's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and the General Fraternity to determine the change of its status at the University, said Chris McGill, assistant dean at the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Although no determination has yet been made, General Fraternity Chapter Counselor Garrett Smith said there is a reasonable chance of success for the fraternity to regain its charter when it appeals next summer if the conduct of the chapter members meets expectations over the coming year.
Smith said the General Fraternity feels the fraternity's performance fell short of requirements.
Some of the incidents the General Fraternity did not approve of at the U.Va. chapter involved alcohol intoxication, said Emore Kennedy, vice president of Beta Theta Pi.
Smith said, though, the dissatisfaction occurred with other imposed standards, for example, regulations regarding the documentation of activities.
"The chapter, as I understand it, did comply with the IFC and the General Fraternity restrictions on the use of alcohol at chapter functions last year," he said.
Kennedy said Beta Theta Pi is dedicated to building its program called "Men of Principle."
"They want us to be a model fraternity with the best, gentlemanly guys with the most class and the least amount of drinking," Kennedy said. "It's almost like taking away what fraternities are about -- People getting together and having a good time, and most times it involves drinking."
Kennedy said the fraternity is going to continue to operate but that they can no longer consider themselves members of Beta Theta Pi, Inc. Because its charter has been revoked, the fraternity now will exist as a local chapter without an umbrella organization and will not be able to use the Beta Theta Pi name until it regains charter status.
IFC President Ross Kimbel said it is a long and difficult process for a local fraternity without a charter to become part of the IFC.
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