The ISU Interfraternity Council decided to hold off on plans to bring a new chapter to campus so it can concentrate on the existing ISU chapters.

Two national fraternities – Chi Phi and Kappa Alpha Order – toured the ISU campus this fall, but neither chapter will be added to the greek lineup this year.

“Right now, the Iowa State greek community wants to focus their attention on chapters we have here,” said Andrew Wrightsman, IFC president.

Chi Phi and Kappa Alpha Order were chosen as the two chapters Iowa State was looking at to come to campus in the future. Chi Phi representatives visited campus in early September and Kappa Alpha Order was on campus later that month.

Committee members in charge of selecting a new fraternity felt that neither Chi Phi nor Kappa Alpha Order brought any unique qualities to the greek community that Iowa State doesn’t already have, said Alisa Frandsen, interim assistant dean of students for greek affairs.

“We were looking for new qualities to broaden our aspect of what we could do to improve our greek community,” she said.

The formal invitation process started almost a year ago, Wrightsman said. Since then, things have changed in the greek community and around the world, he said.

“Events have come up to make us wait on the expansion,” Wrightsman said. “And events such as Sept. 11 have also made us think twice about bringing a fraternity to campus right now.”

The IFC will look at expanding again in the next couple of years, he said, and most people in the greek community are supportive of the decision.

“It’s not that we are not expanding within our community, but we didn’t offer either fraternity a formal invite to Iowa State,” Wrightsman said.

The IFC now will focus its attention on strengthening the greek community and strengthening recruitment for the future, Frandsen said.

Kappa Alpha Order was unavailable for comment on the decision.

Michael Azarian, Chi Phi national director of undergraduate services, said he was “pissed off about the decision,” but he said the organization will keep open the option of a future ISU chapter.

“One thing [Chi Phi] really enjoyed about Iowa State was the sense of the unified campus,” Azarian said. “And Iowa State is definitely one of the more friendly schools around the country.”