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Frequently Asked Questions
» When was Phi Kappa Tau founded?
» Who founded Phi Kappa Tau?
» Was the Fraternity always called Phi Kappa Tau?
» What campuses does Phi Kappa Tau exist on today?
» What is the Creed of Phi Kappa Tau?
» What is the mission of Phi Kappa Tau?
» What are the purposes and objectives of Phi Kappa Tau?
» How does Phi Kappa Tau rank compared to other Fraternities?
» Who are the most prominent members of the Fraternity?
» What is Phi Tau’s growth rate compared to other fraternities?
» What sets Phi Tau apart from other fraternities?
» What is the leadership consultant do?
» How does Phi Kappa Tau help strengthen the local chapter?
» What is the purpose of Leadership Academy?
» What leadership programs are currently offered by Phi Kappa Tau?
» What is service learning?
» What is our relationship to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps (HITWG)?
» What is Phi Tau doing to reestablishing closed chapters?
» What is Phi Kappa Tau doing about alcohol and substance abuse?
» What is Phi Kappa Tau doing about hazing?
» How are chapters with reported alcohol/substance abuse and hazing incidents dealt with?
» What does Phi Tau offer its alumni?
» Why should alumni get involved?
» How do alumni participate in leadership programming?
» How many scholarships does the Foundation provide?
» What have scholarship recipients done since receiving money from the Foundation?
» How do I get more information about Phi Kappa Tau?
When was Phi Kappa Tau founded?
Phi Kappa Tau was founded on March 17, 1906 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
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Who founded Phi Kappa Tau?
Phi Kappa Tau’s four founders are Taylor Albert Borradaile, Clinton Dewitt Boyd, Dwight Ireneus Douglass and William Henry
Shideler.
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Was the Fraternity always called Phi Kappa Tau?
Phi Kappa Tau originally began as the Non-Fraternity Association in 1906. On March 9, 1909, along with groups from Ohio
University, Ohio State University and Centre College, the name Phrenocon Association was adopted. After much dismay over becoming a Greek letter organization, the group
adopted the name Phi Kappa Tau at its seventh National Convention and the group at Miami was invited back as the Alpha chapter.
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What campuses does Phi Kappa Tau exist on today?
Please click here for a list of the campuses
on which Phi Kappa Tau chapters exist.
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What is the Creed of Phi Kappa Tau?
The Creed of Phi Kappa Tau reads:
Phi Kappa Tau, by admitting me to membership, has conferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in the spirit of brotherhood for which it
stands. I shall strive to attain its ideals, and by so doing to bring to it honor and credit. I shall be loyal to my college and my chapter and shall keep strong my ties
to them that I may ever retain the spirit of youth. I shall be a good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the
fact that I am a fraternity man.
Roland Maxwell, Southern California ’22
November 19, 1950
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What is the mission of Phi Kappa Tau?
The mission of Phi Kappa Tau is to champion a lifelong commitment to brotherhood, learning, ethical leadership, and exemplary
character.
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What are the purposes and objectives of Phi Kappa Tau?
Purposes
- To instill the fundamentals of wholesome living and vigorous thinking
- To provide energetic participation in all collegiate activities: scholastic, social, athletic, and forensic.
- To provide opportunities for close association with individuals of diverse backgrounds and personalities thus advancing
human relation skills.
- To offer undergraduate members experiences in management of their living environment as valuable preparation for post
fraternal life
- To bind chapters into a National Fraternity so that a synergistic integration is formed
- To be supportive of and cooperative with the goals of the educational institutions where chapters of Phi Kappa Tau are
located
Objectives
- To develop and maintain membership programs which compliment the mission of universities and colleges where chapters are
located
- To assist new students in their orientation to the demands of higher education
- To furnish a living and learning experience in a democratic setting
- To expose members to the importance of social awareness and to assist them in learning proper conduct in everyday
situations
- To provide an opportunity for men to live, work and think with other men toward worthwhile pursuits
- To keep open the lines of communication between undergraduates and alumni members
- To encourage the "total man" concept, encompassing spiritual, mental and physical well-being through Fellowship
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How does Phi Kappa Tau rank compared to other Fraternities?
"Ranking" Phi Kappa Tau-or any fraternity, depends on any number of variables. Typically, the question begs to the issue of how
many chapters the organization has and/or how many alumni are on the record books with good addresses.
There are presently 66 men’s social fraternities that are members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference. In terms of
numbers of active chapters and total living alumni, Phi Kappa Tau ranks in the top 25 of the NIC member groups.
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Who are the most prominent members of the Fraternity?
Phi Kappa Tau has several notable alumni. Some of the most prominent include:
- Paul Newman, Ohio ’43, Actor and Philanthropist
- Gen. Carl Mundy, Jr. (Ret.), Auburn ’55, Former Commandant of the Marine Corps
- Hon. Mitch McConnell, Louisville ’61, U.S. Senator
- Hon. George Voinovich, Ohio ’56, U.S. Senator and former Governor of Ohio
- Patton Oswalt, William & Mary ’89, Actor and Comedian
- Nick Davatzes, St. Johns ’60, President/CEO, A&E Television Network
- Bill Mallory, Miami ’54, Retired Head Football Coach, Indiana University
- Frank Rudy, Case Western Reserve ’48, Inventor of Nike Air Sole
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What is Phi Tau’s growth rate compared to other fraternities?
Phi Kappa Tau has witnessed a near 15 percent increase in undergraduate membership over the past three years. This is compared
to a zero to one- percent growth in the member fraternities of the North American Interfraternity Conference. We only expect that growth rate to further increase.
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What sets Phi Tau apart from other fraternities?
Three areas set Phi Kappa Tau apart from other social organizations.
- Support
-Through the volunteer and staff structure Phi Tau provides more frequent, more effective and better quality support than anyone. Chapters have the resources
to be successful.
- Programming
-The Foundation enables Phi Tau to provide better educational programming and more educational dollars per member than any other men’s Fraternity.
- Philanthropic efforts -The opportunities available through Phi Tau’s involvement with the Hole in the Wall
Gang camps are second to none. The hands-on interaction with these chronically ill children provides a powerful service-learning environment that builds better men.
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What is the leadership consultant?
Consultants fulfill two different but distinct roles with the undergraduate chapters: pro-active education and structure
facilitation. Consultants proactively provide education to undergraduate members through presentation, one-on-one meetings, facilitated discussions and small group
activities. In addition, they ensure the support structures are in place and fulfilling their function. The consultant facilitates communication between the Board of
Governors, Housing Corporation, Greek Affairs staff, Phi Kappa Tau Executive Offices and the Undergraduate brothers. The consultant’s role is to break down communication
barriers that may exist between all the constituents surrounding a chapter.
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How does Phi Kappa Tau help strengthen the local chapter?
Phi Kappa Tau provides resources that enable chapters to be successful in every aspect of Fraternity and campus life. The
structure provided to chapters, both by the staff and through volunteer support, offers the direction and support necessary for chapters to accomplish any goal they set
out to achieve. In addition, Phi Kappa Tau’s programming provides critical goal setting and leadership education that motivates our men to do bigger and better things.
Programming is provided on a variety of levels including individual, chapter, domain, regional and national. The Executive
Offices also provide manuals for more than 20 offices in the undergraduate chapter. For a complete list of chapter programs contact Mike Gabhart at the Executive Offices.
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What is the purpose of Leadership Academy?
The purpose of Leadership Academy is to encourage undergraduates to build character in their personal lives, chapters and the
community; to instill a sense of pride in the Phi Kappa Tau; to explore the meaning of the Creed and the Ritual; and to begin to identify and address critical issues
facing local chapters and the Fraternity as a whole. Academy offers an innovative curriculum presented through experiential learning, meaningful discussion and personal
introspection.
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What leadership programs are currently offered by Phi Kappa Tau?
Building Men of Character (BMC) Associate Member Program:
This six-week program allows associate members to explore the meaning of the Creed, build brotherhood with fellow brothers, and participate in activities such as a
community service project, academic success workshop, one-on-one time with alumni and an etiquette dinner. This program is set up to be the beginning of a life-long
learning process through Phi Kappa Tau.
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Building Men of Character (BMC) Weekend Program: A BMC Weekend focuses on building awareness and appreciation
for the purposes and values of Phi Kappa Tau, examining the individual role of each member in relation to the success and future of the chapter, and developing specific
priorities for action. The weekend program offers a unified curriculum to all participants. All sessions offer hands-on experiential activities and ample discussion time
to address individual concerns in a small group (Founding Father Group) environment. All new colonies are required to host a BMC weekend. In addition, this program is
ideal for chapters that need to build a stronger brotherhood, lack unity and vision, settle for "what we have always done", are challenged by issues such as apathy and
recruitment, and who want to be better.
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Multi-Domain Regional Programs: Driven by the Domain Director, these programs range in structure (from one to
three days) and focus (experiential education, small group discussion, and presentations). However, all programs are focused on offering participants skills for improving
their chapter management.
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What is service learning?
There is a distinct difference between philanthropy, community service, and service learning. Philanthropy is the process of
raising money or collecting goods to be given to a group or organization. Community service is hands-on service at a community site, location or agency and is usually
centered on interactions with other people. Service learning is a mutually beneficial experience for both the volunteer and the people he is serving. A major requirement
of service learning is that it must include reflection and learning outcomes. Currently, the Fraternity promotes, supports and provides resources and incentives for
chapters and individuals that participate in philanthropy and community service.
Service learning is an area in which Phi Kappa Tau has a lot of potential. It provides individual members an opportunity to
engage in meaningful service and, through personal and group reflection, explore and understand the values stated in the Creed and Ritual of Phi Kappa Tau. This is a very
real, tangible and impactful way to give back to the community and build a stronger commitment to the fraternity.
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What is our relationship to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps (HITWG)?
Phi Kappa Tau adopted the Hole in The Wall Gang Camps as its national philanthropy in 1995. Since that time, several hundred
thousand dollars have been contributed to the camps to give children battling chronic and life-threatening illnesses the chance to have a normal summer camp experience.
Following the lead of brother Paul Newman, Ohio ’43, hundreds of alumni and students members have volunteered their time to serve as cabin counselors, activity
specialists, unit leaders and work crews.
Volunteering at any of the camps (located in the U.S. and Europe) is a powerful, life-changing experience. Few other
opportunities exist that are better at building character. Brothers learn the value of service, citizenship, exemplary character, and friendship. The camps have come to
rely on Phi Kappa Tau to fulfill their high demand for positive male role models of all ages.
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What is Phi Tau doing to reestablishing closed chapters?
It is a priority of the National Council and Chapter Services committee to return to campuses where inactive chapters exist.
These chapters are referred to as inactive or suspended as no chapter is ever closed since Phi Tau looks to return to each campus with an inactive chapter.
Phi Tau consistently evaluates these opportunities and in many cases have established the alumni support structure for the
chapter when it does reactivate. Phi Kappa Tau has inactive chapters at 51 campuses. On three of those campuses, the Greek community has completely ceased to exist. The
other 48 campuses are annually evaluated.
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What is Phi Kappa Tau doing about alcohol and substance abuse?
By focusing its efforts on character building, Phi Kappa Tau hopes to equip brothers to make healthy and intelligent choices
for themselves and others. Phi Tau is addressing alcohol abuse at the core of the issue by providing its men with the skills and knowledge needed to make responsible
decisions.
When brothers make unwise choices, Phi Tau holds them accountable at the chapter and national level.
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What is Phi Kappa Tau doing about hazing?
Phi Kappa Tau seeks to build character in its brothers. Hazing has no place in the character-building process and will not be
tolerated by the Fraternity. Chapters and brothers who haze will be held accountable for their actions at every level.
Because Phi Tau seeks to guide brothers in the wise decision-making process and openly discusses hazing and its dangerous and
harmful effects during all educational programs. The new member education program, entitled Building Men of Character uses the mission and Creed as a Foundation for
building better men.
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How are chapters with reported alcohol/substance abuse and hazing incidents dealt with?
Phi Kappa Tau has a legal and moral obligation to address these concerns. In each situation Phi Tau will perform a full
investigation to uncover all the facts. Once the facts have been uncovered, the most effective intervention opportunity will be identified. Intervention could include an
educational requirement, chapter reorganization, membership review, chapter probation, etc.
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What does Phi Tau offer its alumni?
Phi Kappa Tau seeks to provide alumni with current and pertinent information about the Fraternity, to encourage continued
contact between brothers and opportunities to meet new brothers. Phi Kappa Tau currently supports 45 alumni clubs across the country. These clubs meet throughout the year
to provide professional and social networking opportunities among brothers.
The Fraternity also keeps track of the addresses of its 68,000 living members from 143 chapters chartered since 1906. It
produces and sends you and every alumnus the award-winning Laurel of Phi Kappa Tau free of charge.
The Fraternity employs a director of alumni relations who works full-time to further serve its alumni volunteers and donors. He
will be responsible for expanding the number of active alumni clubs as well as exploring opportunities and programs that will appeal to alumni members of Phi Kappa Tau.
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Why should alumni get involved?
Chances are, an alumnus volunteered his time or resources to provide a program or scholarship that benefited you and your
chapter. As an undergraduate, you probably promised that you'd give back to the chapter when you could. And nearly all alumni agree that they learned valuable lessons and
formed life-long friendships during their undergraduate Phi Tau years. Now is your chance to help provide today's students with the best fraternal experience available.
As Phi Tau approaches its second century, there has never been a better opportunity to do something that will protect Phi Tau’s future and provide for future generations
of brothers to have the same kind of fraternal experience you benefited from.
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How do alumni participate in leadership programming?
Alumni play a crucial role in the development and implementation of leadership programming. Alumni serve as advisors for the
BMC associate member program, facilitators for the BMC Weekend, character coaches for Leadership Academy, presenters at multi-domain regional programs and more. In
addition, alumni serve as key support systems for chapters and individuals that have participated in Phi Kappa Tau leadership programs and are committed to "taking the
information back to the chapter". Alumni advisors and volunteers are provided resources and support to utilize while assisting individuals and chapters in creating
change. Leadership programs would not be possible without the generous support of our alumni.
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How many scholarships does the Foundation provide?
Currently, the Foundation provides the following scholarship for academic work:
- 6 Paul A. Elfers Omega Scholarships for $2,250 each
- 9 Named Scholarships for $1,250 each
- 20 Foundation Scholarships for $1,000 each
- 10-15 Parents Fund Scholarships for $1,000 each
- 3 Interfraternity Educational Fellowships for $2,000 each
As the cost of education rises, more scholarships and scholarships in larger amounts will be critical in helping students meet
their educational expenses. Scholarships are made available to both graduate and undergraduate students.
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What have scholarship recipients done since receiving money from the Foundation?
Many scholarship recipients have graduated from medical school, law school and from prominent graduate schools with masters
degrees in Business Administration, engineering, and the sciences. Phi Tau's whose education has been enhanced through a Foundation scholarship are now business owners,
surgeons, lawyers, chemists, researchers, and teachers—the list is endless!
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How do I get more information about Phi Kappa Tau?
To obtain more information about Phi Kappa Tau, please contact Mike Gabhart, director of chapter services, at 513-523-4193 ext.
227 or
mtgabhart@phikappatau.org.
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