OU fraternity closes over alcohol ban

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- A University of Oklahoma fraternity is closing over its national chapter's policy banning alcohol.

"We just had too much pride," said Brian Schones, former chapter President of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house at OU.

The chapter's membership voted this week to close the fraternity when almost all of its members were going to quit the fraternity over the policy.

Schones said the chapter accepted a no-alcohol policy at the house in June when it took a $150,000 loan from the national organization to renovate its house, but he said chapter members thought the policy change would be implemented over a four-year period.

He said they didn't know it would go into effect immediately.

Garth Eberhart, assistant executive vice president of the national organization, said the national organization denied a proposal by the chapter to operate under a "damp" policy -- meaning alcohol could be consumed in the house but that parties were off-limits.

National representatives contacted the chapter several weeks ago after a pledge was taken to the hospital from the fraternity house for alcohol poisoning, Eberhart said.

Schones said that representative informed him that he would have to sign an affidavit stating there would be no drinking at all in the house. Schones refused to sign.

Eberhart said the national organization will keep the Delta Tau Delta property and hopes to re-open the chapter in about five years.

As for the former Delta Tau Delta fraternity members, Schones said most of the pledges and about 20 of the sophomores had changed their affiliation to the Alpha Tau Omega house. The rest of the members now are considered Delta Tau Delta alumni.

Before closing, there were 160 members of the house and 81 members living in the house, Schones said.