Texas Gamma Eta

     Thirty-two years after Otis Allan Glazebrook's original vision of men bound together in brotherhood, Alpha Tau Omega arrived at the University of Texas at Austin.  On October 26, 1897, inside Thomas Gregory's law office, Jesse Caldwell, John C. Saner, Robert E. L. Saner, Walter Bremond and Gregory (who would later become the United States Attorney General) himself were initiated and the Gamma Eta chapter of Alpha Tau Omega began. The fraternity grew into a strong chapter on the UT campus during the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

     On June 23, 1986, allegations of hazing were put upon the Gamma Eta chapter. After the allegations had been made, the national fraternity pulled the Texas charter.  The following years would be the darkest for the Texas ATOs.  It wasn't until the fall of 1989, that three people independently contacted chapter advisor Joe Ward to ask about restarting an ATO Gamma Eta chapter at Texas. Ward referred them to each other, and then to Nationals. The three: David Horidge, Jarrett Coleman, and John Dufield, tried to recruit others interested in reforming ATO on campus. On February 15, 1990, calling themselves Alpha Omega because they were not yet officially recognized, they held a meeting in Coleman's apartment to discuss the process they would have to go through to get the fraternity back on campus. The thirteen people that attended are now called the Original Thirteen.   No one in the room knew everyone else.
    
     The Original Thirteen consisted of: Mike Hopkins, Mark Hopkins, David Horidge, John Dufield, Dennis Hunt, Tim Marwill, Chris Kirby, Chris Culpepper, Jarrett Coleman, Mark Troyer, Mike Martinez, Lance Cunningham, and Alex Mcfadden.
    
     David Horidge, initiated at SMU, led the meeting and explained the three step process toward becoming a full-fledged fraternity. They would need to apply for interest group status, then colony, and finally chapter. (The Chapter at SMU went through a similar re-chartering process and he had insight on what to do for his chapter). That spring the group set goals and elected officers. They attended an ATO conclave meeting in Dallas, where they talked at length with a western Province Director familiar with the old Gamma Etas, Bob Richardson.  In that meeting, a pessimistic Richardson set obstacles to show the seriousness of their venture. The thirteen laid out goals and convinced Richardson they were earnest in their endeavor.

    The new Gamma Etas applied for and received interest group status on October 28, 1990, a momentous occasion because it signified that the national fraternity officially recognized Texas.  From that point on, the Gamma Etas operated similar to the fraternities on campus.  They recruited new members, attended weekly meetings, and held numerous social events. Less than six months later, the next step toward becoming a fraternity was fulfilled by receiving colony status on March 21, 1991. While in colony stage, the chapter had to prove to Nationals that they were worthy of a charter. For the next year, the colony operated under the scrutiny of a skeptical Nationals, who turned into believers after the new Gamma Etas lived up to the high standards set by the Original Thirteen. The Texas ATOs petitioned for the charter the following spring and were officially re-chartered on April 25, 1992.

    Since 1992 many things have changed in the Gamma Eta Chapter. When the fraternity was first reborn it had only 13 members and no real tradition or heritage. Today our fraternity has grown into one of the largest most productive fraternities on the University of Texas campus. The rate as which ATO had grown is nearly unheard of due to the strong competition between the different fraternities.  In the Fall of 1999 Gamma Eta established its biggest pledge class in the 100 year history, they brought in 53 new members and initiated 49 men.  In 2000, the Gamma Eta chapter had become the largest of all the UT fraternities, and in 2002 the chapter gained recognition of being one of the highest quality fraternities on campus by being awarded the Sharon Justice Award of Excellence.
 
Today, we continue the rich traditions that the Original Thirteen had envisioned and we pride ourselves in the strong heritage that we have built  over the years. 


                                                                               
                                                                         Current House Address:
                                                                                                                  2317 Shoal Creek Blvd.
                                                                                                                       Austin, TX 78705