It’s been nearly a year since the doors of the ISU chapter of Delta Chi, 405 Hayward, shut and there are still no immediate plans for a re-entry into the greek community.

The chapter was forced to fold at the end of the 2001 school year, when only nine of 13 members were living in the 44-person house.

The house, a symbol of a 78-year legacy that reached back to the early 1920s as one of the first Delta Chi chapters in the nation, has been empty for nearly 11 months now. No attempts have been made to reopen it, said Interfraternity Council President Zach Mitchell.

Delta Chi will face a nearly complete turnover in the next year or two. Mitchell said although recruitment remains an issue, it left in good standing.

It was Delta Chi’s good financial standing, despite problems leading to its demise, that supported the voluntary decision and may help to pave the road for re-entry, he said. Reviving the ISU chapter is a decision, however, that is up to the national organization.

“It wasn’t a decision made by the Greek Affairs staff,” Mitchell, senior in art and design, said. “I don’t think there’s anybody that would be opposed to it. We hate seeing fraternities and sororities go.”

Members said surrendering the charter was in the best interests of Delta Chi’s future said former secretary of the house Grant Nelson.

“It was kind of unique in that we surrendered our charter,” said Nelson, junior in marketing. “Not a lot of houses are willing to do that.”

Josh Beck, former president of Delta Chi, echoed the wisdom of shutting down a seemingly impossible situation.

“I’m proud to say that we kept afloat and didn’t go into debt,” said Beck, senior in microbiology. “It was good that we stopped and weren’t chased around by creditors or the national organization or anything like that.”

Members said more than the house was vacated when Delta Chi was forced to shut down.

“It was kind of a difficult situation,” Nelson said. “We don’t see each other every day – we’ve had a few get-togethers here and there, [but] it’s not the same”

For the moment the house remains empty, nearly all of the furniture moved out. And it may be a while before it is again full of Delta Chi members.

Nelson said he thinks Delta Chi will wait a few years before starting another ISU chapter, so students will cycle through the university, giving time for the atmosphere around the chapter to change.

“I hope it will open back up again and new students would experience what I have and enjoy what I have and help it grow to what it used to be,” Nelson said.

Although there is usually an interim of at least five years they would be welcomed back, Mitchell said.

“Now that there is a spot open, Delta Chi would be up there pretty high on the list because they were just here,” said Mitchell. “They would probably be given preference.”