A few images may come into the mind of the average Wesleyan student when the fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) is mentioned. These may include but are not limited to: beer pong, dirty grind-fest dance parties, and beefy jocks. What may not come to mind however, is a basement punk show, or participating in the Ze-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (formerly known as Zonker Harris Day) festival tomorrow. These unlikely pairings however, have been part of the fraternity’s plan to turn over a new leaf and open themselves up to the rest of the campus, one show at a time.

DKE was approached by the WestCo presidents in March when planning for the annual music festival began. At the counsel of the concert committee, WestCo searched for co-sponsors for the event, gaining assistance first from the Adelphic Education Fund through the Alpha Delta Phi Society. DKE’s financial resources, coupled with their willingness to reach out to the rest of the campus, made them a prime candidate for co-hosting the festival. Both DKE and WestCo saw the opportunity to host Z.W.M.N.B.N.D as a way to bridge the gap between the “Bros” and “Techs.”

“I felt that the union of WestCo and DKE would have the potential to unite the campus in a really awesome way,” said WestCo president Mickey Capper ’13.

DKE gave funds to the music festival in order to support the headliners, Anamanaguchi, and Dan Deacon. They’ve also volunteered to grill during the show, proving that they want their involvement to reach beyond a faceless gift of money for the event. The WestCo-Delta alliance will be the first time in the history of the event that something of this nature has happened.

“We’re helping sponsor Z.W.M.N.B.N.D, which is one of WestCo’s key events, because we want to help them do what they do and we want to see what they have to offer,” said DKE House Manager Alex Meadow ’12.

In part, this event will help acquaint the seemingly polar opposite social groups. DKE president Todd Keats ’11, mentioned that many brothers have never been to Z.W.M.N.B.N.D or the WestCo dorms, and are looking forward to getting to know the WestCo community beyond the stereotypes of free-lovers and psychedelics that have become the mainstream opinion.

“We could generalize them as a bunch of hippies who enjoy doing drugs and do some crazy open mic nights,” Keats said in regard to the overall view of the WestCo community.
“Stereotypes on this campus really permeate,” Meadow said. “The stereotype is that when you think of what Wesleyan is like you think of WestCo. Granted, if one believed in all stereotypes I’d probably be drunk, dropping roofies [the drug Rohypnol] in a girl’s drink right now,” he said.

Members of DKE hope that the society’s involvement with the festival will allow them the chance to become acquainted with other groups on campus, but also count as another knot on a string of motions they have taken to be back in the good graces of the student body and the administration. The fraternity is under probation until Spring 2011, due to a culmination of non-academic related incidents and violations, including hosting unregistered parties, noise complaints, and alcohol-related incidents. The restrictions that the University has placed on DKE have offered the society a chance to reflect on how they can become a more positive influence in the Wesleyan community.

“We no longer wanted to be looked at as the fraternity that is considered ‘no good’ to the rest of campus and only a place for jocks,” said Joseph Giaimo ’11, Vice President of DKE. “People on campus need to understand that the DKE reputation of the past is gone, we’ve gotten all of scum out of the fraternity.”

Although they are technically not allowed to host events, the University allowed DKE to host a Valentine’s Day dance party, featearing WestCo DJs Bastille and Darkslope, as well as PNK@DKE, an underground punk show organized by Rayna Edwards ’10, and Scott Infusino ’12. Their “good behavior” is what leading members in the fraternity believe is allowing them to be able to do these things, and hope they will continue on this trajectory of being seen as more than just dumb jocks.

Ze-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Day will take place in the WestCo courtyard tomorrow. The event begins at 12:45 p.m. and is expected to last until dusk. Coldstone Creamery, Typhoon Restaurant, and Tandoor will be vendors at the event, selling food at reduced prices for festival participants.