smu ato question
by: jhgHi, I have a family member who was an ATO. What happened to the chapter (shut down in the 90s?) and what was its reputation? Top tier? Upper middle tier? Will ATO ever return?
Comment#12by: ATO DE Chapter
"Past IFC Member" has no idea what he is talking about. I was an ATO from 82-85 at SMU so I guess that makes me one of his thugs. The chapter was not shut down in 1983 and no pledges walked out. I never heard of any pledge filing a lawsuit either. ATO National did visit that spring. As a result, a few ATO's were put on alumni status and some were placed on probation, but the chapter was definitely not shut down that year. In 1984 and 1985, we had pledge classes over 40 in number and they were considered to be among the best those springs. Yes, there was plenty of hazing, but no more than the SAEs or Phi Delts. After probation in the late 80s, ATO came back very strong, but lost the house in 1996. My opinion is that the ATOs will never come back to SMU. SMU has too many problems with existing fraternities and ATO National has no interest as well. Remember, times have changed - fraternities are more service oriented now - back then we were just staring in our own Animal House movie. Great memories and friendships though - I wouldn't change a thing! Shout out to my fellow SMU ATO's - The BEST is yet to come!
by: ATO-OSU
Thanks for the info. Some how the SMU Charter from 1918 made it on to Ebay. I bought it. Good to know some of the back story.
VTL
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#14by: 91grad
I was at SMU '87-'91, and ATO was on campus then, had their own house and was considered top tier, along with SAE and Phi Delt. Sigma Chi was up there too, I think. I was blissfully unaware of hazing going on, but believe it happened. Had a crush on the house president at the time we graduated. Nice guy.
by: Moop
I believe the alumni still have a tent on the Blvd, at least as of last year. Some of the dads in my frat were in ATO and even though the house is long gone, the tent was poppin'.
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#15by: 89 grad
91 grad is right…ATO was on par with SAE and Phi Delt in the late 80s. Strong house with a lot of good guys and a lot of athletes. I heard the tale of their ultimate expulsion from the chapter president who went down with the ship in the 90s—a mix of bad behavior as you would expect and some allegations of politics from national. Those ATOs felt like they were unfairly singled out and punished too severely, but isn’t that the same story told by most fraternities who’ve been kicked off?
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by: Non-Greek
I was a student at SMU 84-87. I was pressured to leave after my affiliation with a possessed boy whom I will not name. As a non-Greek, I was still in touch with many Greeks. The ATOs were all right. The Es and Betas were cool too. Actually, because I had a roommate who was a Beta, I think they were the worst hazers and the ATOs rivalry was with the Es. Any sort of expulsion must have come in the late 80s or 90s.
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