It was a sad day in 1996 when the Iota chapter of Delta Tau Delta, struggling with finances and low membership, was shut down by its national chapter and members were kicked out of the house they had occupied for about 30 years.
For three years there was nothing - no recruitments, no philanthropies, no parties. Its house on Harrison Avenue was leased by its national chapter to Tau Kappa Epsilon.
The outlook improved for the MSU Delts in 1999 when the chapter recolonized with about 30 new members in October and several more a month later. However, they were still missing something.
“We didn’t have a house last year at all,” said Chris Braverman, a business junior and the chapter’s internal vice president. “We had our meetings at the Union - we had no official place.”
That changed in August when the brothers moved into a house at 526 Sunset Lane. Though it was a step up, members were still far away from their old house on Harrison Avenue.
But now, 43 members strong, they’re preparing to pack their bags and move back into their old house at 330 N. Harrison Ave.
“We knew from the beginning that nationals owned the house and that (we would move in) sometime in the future and we’ve been thinking about it since we started,” Braverman said.
Chapter President Mark Touhey signed the lease for the house last month and the members will begin relocating there in August.
“It’s a culmination of the past year and a half that we’ve been recolonized back at State,” the business and German junior said. “It’s part of the process of us coming back to State.
“We’re going back to the original house with hopes of becoming the same chapter that was here back in the late ’70s and ’80s.”
At least 30 members will make the move into the 25-bedroom house on Harrison Avenue.
Haslett resident Terry Braverman was a Delta Tau Delta member in the 1950s, when the chapter house was located at 139 Bailey St., the current house of Theta Delta Chi. He graduated in 1960, a year or so before the house on Harrison Avenue was built.
Braverman’s son, Chris, is a member of the recolonized chapter.
And now Terry is ready to visit the house he never got to live in.
“I feel good about it,” he said. “One of the things that a fraternity should do is allow your alumni to come back and reconnect.
“We’re all going to like it.”
But before the older Braverman can visit, the Tekes have to move out.
“I don’t think anyone’s too happy about it, but it gives us an opportunity to look for a new house and see the strength in our fraternity,” said Brian Massoll, a Tau Kappa Epsilon member. “A roof over our heads isn’t everything.”
Massoll said they have their new house pretty much decided upon, but he couldn’t comment on its location because the deal isn’t yet finalized.
And though Delta Tau Delta members say they’ve heard rumors of unhappiness from the Tekes toward their chapter, Massoll said he’s not blaming the Delts at all.
“I think leasing the place put us in a bad position to start,” the food industry management senior said. “It just happened to be their place. We’re ready to move on and try someplace different.”
