Tau Epsilon Phi

Tau Epsilon Phi Motto: Friendship, Chivalry, Service Founded: 1910 at Columbia University (New York) Founders: Robert L. Blume Julius M. Breitenbach Charles M. Driesen Ephraim Freedman Leo H. Fried Harold Goldsmith Samuel Greenbaum Julius Klauber Israel "Doc" Schwartz Julius J. Slofkin Colors: Lavender and white Flower: Lily of the Mountain Nicknames: TEP, Tau Boys

Tau Epsilon Phi (TEΦ, commonly pronounced TEP) is an American fraternity with 14 active chapters, chiefly located at universities and colleges on the East Coast of the United States. The national headquarters is currently located in Voorhees, New Jersey and the official colors of the organization are lavender and white (although most chapters use purple instead of lavender).

Ideals

The organization's creed asserts its governing ideals as "friendship, chivalry, and service." TEP attracts and accepts brothers of all religions and ethnicities who agree to be bound by these ideals. Chapters uphold these ideals through participation in various social, academic, and athletic, and charity events.

History

The organization was founded on October 10, 1910, by ten Jewish men at Columbia University, as a response to the existence of similar organizations who would not admit Jewish members. The first pledge, Maximillian Nemser, was initiated in 1911, and in 1912, the first new chapter was founded at New York University. Continued expansion led to the adoption of a national constitution in 1916.

In 1920, the opening of a chapter at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec made TEΦ an international fraternity. The McGill chapter has since been disbanded. The oldest remaining chapter today is the Delta chapter at Cornell University. Beginning in 1923, the organization has published a nationally distributed magazine, The Plume.

TEΦ was initially exclusively Jewish, but began admitting non-Jewish members (predominantly Catholics) in the 1950s. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was inducted as an honorary member during his administration. Vincent C. Gray was the first black member of Tau Epsilon Phi and was elected president of his local chapter for two consecutive terms.

In 1986, Sidney Suntag, who served as Executive Secretary from 1946–1979, published the book The History of Tau Epsilon Phi: 75 Years of Friendship 1910-1985 recounting the national history of the fraternity.

In the 1990s TEP and the Fraternity system in general went into decline. Some chapters were financially unable to survive however they survive online today thanks to the internet.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, TEPS4Justice was founded by Nathaniel Broughty. A group of undergraduates and alumni who advanced changes at the National level. After multiple lawsuits and a controversial bankruptcy TEP was able to reorganize.

Organization

Grand Chapter

As of 25 October 1997 (1997 -10-25), the Constitution of Tau Epsilon Phi required that a Grand Chapter meeting be held every 2 years. The Grand Chapter consists of delegates from each local undergraduate and alumni chapter. The Grand Chapter serves as the supreme legislature with sole responsibility for electing the Grand Council. The Grand Chapter while in session also serves as TEP’s Board of Directors, authorizing or approving all fraternity business, including any modifications to the Constitution and Statutory Code.

The last Grand Chapter meeting was held on Oct 22-23, 2011.

Current Chapters who make up the Grand Chapter,

• City College of New York (ΦΧ),
• Clarkson (ΛΦΕ),
• Cornell University (Δ),
• Hofstra University (ΣΑΣ),
• Johnson & Wales University (ΩΑ),
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ξ),
• Queens College (ΕΘ),
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (ΕΙ),
• Rutgers University-Camden (ΣΕ),
• SUNY Binghamton (ΦΠ),
• University of Florida (ΤΑ),
• University of Georgia (Ν),
• University of Pennsylvania (Ρ),
• University of Rhode Island (ΤΩ),

Grand Council

Grand Council serves as TEP’s Board of Directors. The Grand Council authorizes and/or approves all fraternity business between meetings of the Grand Chapter.

Current Board as of October 22, 2011

Executive Committee:

• Consul, Lane Koplon (Ν)
• Senior Vice-Consul, Donald J. Anspauch, Jr. (ΕΦ)
• Second Vice-Consul, A. Scott Lakernick (ΣΕ)
• Third Vice-Consul, Charles Wolf (ΕΝ)
• Undergraduate Vice-Consul, Oscar Amigon (ΦΧ)
• Quaestor, Ted Panczyszyn (ΛΦΕ)
• Tribune, Timothy A. Smith (ΕΙ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Nathaniel Broughty (ΦΧ)

At Large Members:

• Praetor, Kenneth Hurtado (ΦΧ)
• Member-at-large (undergraduate), David Cass (ΕΙ)
• Member-at-large (undergraduate), David Malkiewich (ΣΑΣ)
• Member-at-large (undergraduate), Matt Rosenthal (Ν)
• Member-at-large (undergraduate), Nevin Xavier (ΩΑ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Christopher Bisciotti (ΩΑ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Nathaniel Broughty (ΦΧ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), David Caplan (ΤΑΚ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Greg Fischer (ΡΒ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Aneel Nazareth (Ξ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Brian Neltner (Ξ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Paul Schwartzberg (ΦΧ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Marc Tolman (ΕΘ)
• Member-at-large (alumnus), Eric Alexie Cruz (ΦΧ)

Chapters

Main article: List of Tau Epsilon Phi chapters

Notable alumni

Some notable alumni:

Arts/Entertainment:

• Jeff Altman, Comedian
• Larry David, Actor
• David Duchovny, Actor
• Benny Goodman, Musician
• Larry King, TV and Radio Host
• Raymond Kurzweil, Author
• Jerry Springer, TV and Radio Host
• George Stephanopoulos, TV Journalist
• Judge Joseph Albert Wapner, The People's Court

Sports/Athletics:

• Red Auerbach, General Manager of the Boston Celtics
• Bryan Clark, Wrestler
• Jared Ross, Hockey player
• Eddie Fogler, Basketball coach

Politics/Government:

• Omar Bradley (accepted honorary membership)
• Dwight D. Eisenhower (accepted honorary membership)
• Vincent C. Gray, Mayor, Washington, DC
• Louis Harris, Public opinion analyst and founder of the Harris Poll
• Judge Irving R. Kaufman
• Elliott H. Levitas, Former congressman of Georgia's 4th congressional district
• Marvin Mandel, former Governor, Maryland
• Kirill Reznik, State Delegate, Maryland House of Delegates
• Michael S. Steele, former Lt. Governor of Maryland and former Chairman of the Republican National Committee
• Rick Santorum, Former Senator for Pennsylvania
• Judge Leo M. Gordon, United States Court of International Trade
• Steven Van Grack, Mayor, Rockville, Maryland, 1985-1987

Business/Science/Engineering:

• Samuel J. LeFrak, Chairman LeFrak Corporation
• Dr. Jonas Salk
• Bernard Siegel, Director of the nonprofit Genetics Policy Institute
• Chad Trujillo, co-discoverer of Eris and 11 other trans-Neptunian objects

Legal issues

Broughty v. Hasenberg

On Tuesday, September 1, 2010, a civil lawsuit titled Nathaniel Broughty v. George Hasenberg was filed in New York against the national organization's leadership by 100 fraternity members. The suit alleges that the executive director, George Hasenberg, awarded himself pay raises and hired his son without a proper vote and that the current board of directors has failed to schedule meetings preventing board elections since 1999. Nathaniel Broughty, a former member of the City College of New York chapter and one of the plaintiffs in the suit opined that the closing of chapters across the country may lack legitimacy if the court rules against the current leadership. The suit also alleges that the board of directors does not have the seven members required to do business. Fraternity lawyer James Skelly responded that executive director George Hasenberg took a reduction in pay due to the fraternity not doing well financially and that claims were exaggerated.

On November 17, 2010 New York Supreme Court Judge Melvin Schweitzer ordered that an election be held. An independent third-party would be appointed to oversee the election process.

Broughty v. Tau Epsilon Phi, Inc.

On January 24, 2011 the current board members filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, less than a week after a New York State judge had appointed an independent lawyer to organize a national election. According to the most recent New York Times article from January 28, 2011, Judge Schweitzer ordered that former New York Attorney General Robert Abrams be appointed receiver over Tau Epsilon Phi. The bankruptcy filing effectively suspends the court's other actions.

On March 1, 2011 Broughty et al filed a motion in the federal court of New Jersey (Camden) titled Nathaniel Broughty v Tau Epsilon Phi to have the bankruptcy dismissed.

Tau Epsilon Phi, Inc. v. Broughty I (New Jersey)

On July 9, 2010 a lawsuit was filed in New Jersey Superior Court against Nathaniel Broughty by Tau Epsilon Phi to prevent a scheduled protest against the president and executive director of Tau Epsilon Phi. Tau Epsilon Phi's leadership alleged that the defendants should not be allowed to protest at the private residence of the TEP leadership. The Defendants claimed they had a right under the US constitution’s freedom of assembly. The defendants claim they wanted to exercise their right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests.

Judge Mary Colalillo ruled that the defendant’s right of assembly and freedom of expression had to be upheld. Judge Colalillo also put restrictions on the amount of protesters (no more than twenty (20) persons at one time) and also limited the time of the event because of the residential area.

The protest occurred under the court stipulations on July 10, 2010.

Tau Epsilon Phi, Inc. v. Broughty II (Federal)

On Monday, August 30, 2010 a lawsuit was filed in Federal Court against Nathaniel Broughty, Kenneth Hurtado and 25 others for trademark infringement and tortious interference. Tau Epsilon Phi's leadership alleged that the defendants improperly represented themselves as members of Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity.

The defendants filed counter suit claiming that TEP had no legal authority to remove their chapter charter and that the leadership of Tau Epsilon Phi was illegitimate.

On March 8, 2011 Federal Judge Susan D. Wigenton dismissed the action in its entirety ordering the court clerk to administratively terminate the action from his records. The ruling was a victory for Nathaniel Broughty, Kenneth Hurtado and 25 others.

Settlement

On May 17, 2011 the United States Bankruptcy Court approved a settlement between Broughty and Tau Epsilon Phi. All legal actions between Broughty and the Directors and Officers of Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity, Inc were resolved by the agreement.

External links

• Official website