Members of Pi Kappa Alpha have lost their undergraduate membership status and the fraternity’s chapter has been temporarily removed pending a review from a board of alumni who will decide if the group can continue to function at Eastern.

Bob Dudolski, director of Greek life, said the fraternity has struggled with a lack of leadership and several incidents have given the group a negative image on campus and in the community. Fully aware of this image, members of the group approached the national office for help in a public relations campaign aimed at promoting positive viewpoints.

“We try to have as much alumni involvement as possible,” Dudolski said. “We haven’t really had a lot of strong support, and we’re trying to give them more attention.”

The Pi Kappa Alpha organization will be reviewed by a receivership board, a panel of ten to twelve local community members and Pi Kappa Alpha alumni, including Mayor Dan Cougill, who helped found the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at Eastern.

The board will retain ownership of the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter while the group attempts to meet several requirements established by the board. At the end of the school year, the board will decide whether to give ownership of the chapter back to Pi Kappa Alpha undergraduates or suspend the chapter indefinitely, Dudolski said.

Cougill said members of the fraternity approached him earlier in the year asking for assistance in improving the image of the group. At the time he was approached, Cougill hoped the national organization would let him work with the group personally without the receivership board, but the national organization opted to bring in the panel.

“I think (members of Pi Alpha Kappa) recognized they do not have the best image,” Cougill said. “I’m willing to donate time to see if they can get that image to improve.”

Representatives from the national headquarters interviewed each member of the fraternity last week to find out who has contributed to the organization and review their academic standings, Dudolski said.

Of the 46 members interviewed, 18 were put on early alumni status, causing their membership to the fraternity to be held until graduation. Most members living in the official house were retained, but those put on suspension were relocated to other on campus housing.

The remaining 28 men and 18 newly pledged members will now work to improve the image of their fraternity and meet the recommendations of the receivership panel to keep their chapter. Dudolski said the board wants to see improved academic performance and more community service under the guidance of Pi Alpha Kappa president, Jeff Pasqua, a senior marketing major.

Pasqua said he hopes to send a message to students and community members that the group wants to reorganize and recreate themselves, letting go of an image created by members who have since graduated.

He said he felt the Phi Kappa Alpha never lacked leadership, but communication with outsiders.

“As far as community service goes, we’re going to be out there,” he said. “If we lacked anything, it was not being noticed for our accomplishments.”

Dudolski said Pi Kappa Alpha has not been as strong in community service as other Greek groups, but have taken steps recently to change that. The group recruited a chapter adviser and members plan to work this year’s Christmas on the Square, to have volunteer hours with the elderly and put in community service hours every January weekend.

Cougill said he has confidence that members of Phi Kappa Alpha will be able to meet the criteria set by the board but is not unwilling to deny the group’s charter.

As he works with the receivership board, he said he will be looking to see if the group has a “good core” to work with.

“If it can’t be fixed, get rid of it,” Cougill said. “(I am) not afraid to say terminate.”

However, Pasqua was confident that Pi Kappa Alpha would continue to thrive on campus.

Pi Kappa Alpha plans to let everyone know that they plan to contribute to this community “immensely,” he said.