Adam Kochman, the President of the newly founded fraternity Pi Delta, talks about the challenges behind establishing a Greek organization and his hopes for the fraternity’s future.
In the spring of 2015, Tufts watched what was formerly known as Alpha Epsilon Pi unanimously decide to disaffiliate from its national organization due to differences in principles. For the two-week limbo period during which the letterless brothers worked to establish a new Greek organization, they called themselves the “Brothers of 45.” After the brothers decided on a name, the Tufts Interfraternity Council recognized the new organization and replaced the name “Brothers of 45” with Pi Delta.
To make the process of forming a fraternity run smoothly, the brothers were split in to several committees, each concentrating on a different key aspect of forming the new organization. For example, one committee had been given the responsibility of establishing bylaws, and another committee’s job was to reach out to alumni to form an alumni board. What was useful, as Kochman points out, was mimicking ATO of Massachusetts’s disaffiliation from its national organization. Even though ATO kept its letters after disaffiliating, this co-ed fraternity can only be found at Tufts. To function like a fraternity without a headquarters, ATO and Pi Delta had to file as Massachusetts corporations, which gave them necessary insurance and legitimacy.
Pi Delta already had a recognized group of brothers when the new fraternity began, and all of the brothers are working hard to establish their ideal fraternity. When asked about Pi Delta’s goals for the future, Kochman states that its number one goal is to “continue longevity and be functioning.” Moreover, he wishes to maintain Pi Delta’s aim to give bids to anyone, as long as the potential brothers have an “appropriate moral compass” and are “productive members of the Tufts community.” Kochman emphasizes how Pi Delta is not looking for one set of characteristics. Instead, what is important is whether the potential brother exemplifies the four pillars set by the founding brothers: honor, brotherhood, perseverance, and diversity.
As a new Greek organization, Pi Delta has control over how the rest of campus perceives them. The brothers hope to foster an image of nice, genuine people who create a comfortable space for Tufts students to relieve stress, have fun (responsibly), and generally be happy.
As an ending note, Kochman wants collegiettes to know that above all, Pi Delta brothers are just a group of campus cuties ready to mingle.