Although they are still a long way from applying for their charter, Kappa Sigma members stay positive and look forward to fresh faces.

The international headquarters of Kappa Sigma revoked the fraternity’s charter at Washburn earlier this year, but active members appealed. Under normal circumstances the active members would have had to withstand a three-year waiting period before applying for another charter. The headquarters waived this waiting period and Washburn members are trying their best to get their fraternity back.

There are currently three initiated members, though acting president Grady Woodruff would like to see more. He has been actively recruiting for the last several weeks and the Kappa Sigma interest group is now up to nine people. To be able to apply for a charter and colonize they need to have 25.

“We have had a lot of referrals from alumni members and we check out the honor society lists to see who the best of the best is,” said Woodruff.

The Kappa Sigma Web site also contacts Woodruff with interested prospects.

Woodruff says recruitment is continuous, but the best time is at the beginning of the semester or school year. Current members hope to obtain quality people this semester and attract fresh faces this fall with incoming freshman. Members have been keeping things fun with trips to the Royals games and gathering for other sporting events.

“You have to have fun doing it as well, or it just isn’t worth it,” said Woodruff of recruiting.

International Kappa Sigma has a checklist that must be accomplished by members before they can apply for a charter. The fastest colonization ever has been 30 days, but generally this process takes several months. There is fundraising to do and members must show they can be an effective chapter and self-govern.

Repurchasing the abandoned fraternity house on campus is at the bottom of the priority list for Woodruff.

“We have to make sure we can function as a chapter first,” said Woodruff. “You can have a fraternity with out a house.”

According to the national Kappa Sigma Web site, www.kappasigma.org, the fraternity is the largest in North America in terms of recruitment, with more than 11,000 undergraduate men on 234 different college campuses. Current chapters in Kansas exist at Baker University, the University of Kansas, Wichita State, Kansas State and Emporia State.