Student input sought on “limited membership” clubs

SOU students are being asked to weigh in on a proposal - prompted by a request from a group interested in bringing the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity to campus - to allow "groups that have limited membership" to be recognized as student clubs. The student government, Associated Students of Southern Oregon, is offering question-and-answer sessions through Thursday, May 9, and is circulating an email survey this week. A May 14 vote on the matter by the ASSOU Senate is scheduled.

Current ASSOU policy requires recognized student clubs to be open to all students, but TKE membership is limited, based on gender and membership dues.

"There are many different types of organizations that might have limited membership," ASSOU President Brayden Clayburn said in an email to students last week. "For example, an honors business fraternity that has membership limited by GPA and major. A religious organization that has membership limited by religious beliefs. A political organization that has membership limited by political affiliation.

"This vote will impact several different types of groups beyond Greek Life."

The ASSOU has held listening and question-and-answer sessions on the proposal each day for the past week, and plans three more this week: Today, May 7, from 5 to 6 p.m. in Stephenson Union Room 319; Wednesday, May 8, from noon to 1 p.m. in Stephenson Union Room 319; and Thursday, May 9, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at The Hawk dining commons.

The student government has scheduled an email survey to be sent May 8 on the question of whether limited-membership groups should be recognized as student clubs.

A TKE chapter at SOU was founded in 1962, according to the fraternity's website, and it remained active at least through the mid-1970s. It has been inactive for many years.