The Phi Kappa Psi fraternity is re-establishing itself at Iowa State.

The fraternity, established in 1913, was active at Iowa State until 1999, when it closed due to low membership.

Eric Parker, director of expansion for Phi Kappa Psi, and Ben Nicol, educational leadership consultant for Phi Kappa Psi, have been working to reintroduce the fraternity to Iowa State since the summer of 2003.

Parker said he believes the fraternity will gain members because it is new.

“Students have the opportunity to make it their own,” he said.

Parker said the focus of the fraternity will be giving back to the community.

Parker and Nicol are on campus every day meeting with faculty or student organizations that may know of students interested in joining Phi Kappa Psi.

Shawn Eagleburger, junior in interior design and president of the Interfraternity Council, said he is happy to see the fraternity return to the area.

“This is an exciting time for the greek community, because expansion means that your community is healthy,” he said.

For the fraternity to be reestablished at Iowa State, a series of steps must be taken.

Currently, Parker and Nicol are working to create an interest group. This is the first step for a fraternity’s re—establishment, said Alisa Frandsen, director for Greek Affairs.

There is no set number for this group, as long as it has a president, treasurer and adviser, Eagleburger said.

Once there is an interest group, a petition to the Interfraternity Council is initiated. A letter of recommendation from the Interfraternity Council is sent to the University Committee of Fraternities and Sororities for final approval of the fraternity. This is a group consisting of faculty, staff, administrators and community members who aid the Interfraternity Council in the decision-making process.

After the fraternity is approved by the University Committee of Fraternities and Sororities, it must gain more members. When additional members join, the fraternity will become a colony, the classification before becoming a chapter. After the fraternity is classified as a colony it can become a full-fledged chapter.