Similar to fashion trends, sorority and fraternity chapters cycle in and out of campus communities across the nation each year. Greek Life representatives say that the desirability of the University’s Greek system puts it on the upward end of the cycle and draws more chapters to Ann Arbor.

Despite the popularity of sororities and fraternities on campus, it’s not uncommon for chapters to leave and return after a few years. Throughout the past five years, two Panhellenic Association sororities — Alpha Epsilon Phi and Zeta Tau Alpha — and eight Interfraternity Council fraternities — Pi Lambda Phi, Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Pi, Sigma Chi, Alpha Tau Omega, Theta Delta Chi, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Beta Theta Pi — have returned to campus after brief dismemberments.

Sororities AEPhi and Zeta returned to the University Greek system in 2008 and 2009 respectively, according to assistant director of Greek Life Chris Haughee.

Over the past few years, Haughee said there has “definitely (been) a growth in both number of members and number of chapters.”

The return of the IFC fraternities spans from 2005 to today. Pi Lamda Phi returned in 2005, followed Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Pi in 2006, Sigma Chi in 2008, Alpha Tau Omega in 2009. Theta Delta Chi returned to campus in 2008 and rejoined IFC in 2010, Tau Kappa Epsilon returned in 2009 and Beta Theta Pi returned in 2010. This fall, Acacia fraternity will also return to campus.

LSA junior and Panhellenic Society Vice President of Public Relations Sarah Smith, who is also a Michigan Daily columnist, said the Greek community at the University is growing with each passing year.

“We’re doing more,” Smith said. “Not only are we getting more new members, but our councils are becoming more active with events, programming and philanthropy. It’s a great time to be a Michigan Greek.”

This year, the University accepted its largest freshman class ever. Compared to previous freshman classes, Smith said more of them decided to join a fraternity or sorority and “go Greek.”

Dissolving a chapter

Most fraternities and sororities on campus are part of a larger national organization and must adhere to the policies and procedures set up by that group.

Haughee said the decision for a Greek letter organization to leave campus usually roots from risk management issues and the national organization’s decision to remove the chapter. It’s generally not up to the University to determine which chapters can stay on campus.

Smith said it’s not that something is “fundamentally wrong” with a chapter that makes them leave and come back, but rather a desire to start over.

Haughee clarified that the two councils — Panhel and IFC — ultimately determine whether or not a chapter exists in its organization, but the national organization dictates if the chapter remains.

“It’s like a franchise like McDonalds or Starbucks,” he said. “You have a lot of McDonalds all over the country, and all over the world some of them are a lot better than others. Now applying that to fraternity and sorority life, sometimes the quality isn’t there so the franchise chooses to shut it down and reopen it with a potentially new owner.