RHO RHO CHAPTER HISTORY

| Detailed Early History written by Frater Bill Vahrenkamp |

This Chapter may have a short history, but it is not without its high points. Rho-Rho was started back on October 3, 1985, when four young men got together and decided to start a Fraternity. A petition was sent to Tau Kappa Epsilon and a Colony Charter was received. This charter was dated November 20, 1985.

Dennis "Buckwheat" Perry, the man who starts chapters, was the man put in charge of this colony. Rho-Rho got it's first look of him at a barbecue in the fall semester of 1986. This effort was done to get alumni support and recruit potential Board of Trustees members. It was a resounding success.

Just a few months later, in December, 1986, the Colony rented the house that has become their permanent home at 1221 14th Street. Several young men were brave enough to move into the house. Almost over night, this became the Teke House.

Everything done after this was done with on goal in mind: becoming chartered as a Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.

The Spring semester of 1987 was a period of growth and preparation. The growth was more of maturing than physical size. These young men had to plan out hundreds of items so that everything would be in place to petition for the chapter in the fall of 1987. You would have thought they were planning a military campaign the way all the details were planned.

During August, 1987, Tau Kappa Epsilon held its Conclave in Washington, D.C. (A Conclave is TKE's biennial convention). The men from Sam Houston State were well represented in D.C. Upon return from Conclave, these young men met up with the rest of the TKE brothers from Sam Houston State and immediately headed to their annual retreat. This retreat was designed to plan out the agenda for the upcoming school year. The main topic discussed was a checklist of itmes required to petition and obtain a Chapter Charter during the upcoming fall semester. There was on eitem on that checklist that was going to make the difference between getting a charter or not. That on item was membership. The Colony had to double in size in one semester in order to meet the membership criteria to petition for Chartering. This one item was what most of the planning was about in the Spring of the same year.

Fall rush came, and the impossible happened. The Colony doubled its size in one semester. With this, the petitioning process began in full earnest. A petition was sent to TKE for a Chapter Charter. Articles of Incorporation were drawn up and sent to Austin. After several weeks, the Colony was visited and inspected by a Fraternity Official to confirm that all the items on the petition were correct and finished. The Colony passed inspection and started planning for their Installation Banquet.

The Installation Banquet took place on December 11, 1987. The Colony was now a full fledged Chapter. This was a night to just kick up the heels and celebrate.

That was the Start of Rho-Rho. Today we are still a driving force behind the Greek community. Through our endeavors today and those of our founders before us. We will strive to make Rho-Rho Chapter a lasting and impressive organization at Sam Houston State University.