Since its colonization Sept. 23, Alpha Tau Omega has accepted 57 men, making MU’s colony the largest in the organization’s recent history.

Because Alpha Tau Omega has not been on campus since the end of the spring 2008 semester, the group is considered a colony and must complete requirements set by the national organization and the Office of Greek Life before being recognized as a chapter.

The University of Nevada at Reno’s organization, which colonized a few weeks after MU’s, was previously the largest colony with 62 members. Ten members deactivated after colonization, lowering the colony’s size to 52 and making MU’s colony the largest.

Alpha Tau Omega leadership consultant Jordan Fischette informed members of the news when he visited MU and posted the announcement on his website Tuesday.

“It’s a big accomplishment for us to have a strong colony at the University of Missouri, with such a revered Greek community,” Fischette said.

Alpha Tau Omega Recruitment Chairman Kevin Kuehn said the colony knew its numbers were high compared to other colonies.

“We knew we were near the top,” Kuehn said. “Once we found out (about Nevada), we knew we had to be at the top or close to the top.”

Alpha Tau Omega left campus four years ago after being investigated by MU officials. Two years earlier, the chapter caused nearly $10,000 in damages to Lakeside Resort in the Ozarks, according to a previous [Maneater article](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2011/8/23/ato-returns-after-four-year-absence/).

“The members lost sight of what it meant to be in ATO and were not performing at the level we expect them to perform at,” Fischette said. “It was a mutual decision that it was time to take a break and we would come back.”

The national organization and the Office of Greek Life have been working together since the spring to bring the organization back to MU this fall.

“More than anything, we’re really excited to be at the University of Missouri,” Fischette said. “We’re really proud of the Greek community, the campus community and the Columbia community. Everyone has just been so welcoming. That’s something we as a fraternity are extremely grateful for.”

Fischette and Alpha Tau Omega Leadership Consultant William Filmore extended bids to the 56 founding fathers.

Since the national representatives have left, Kuehn has employed networking as the biggest recruitment tactic, using recommendations of brothers and hosting dinners to find potential members. Members of the colony must approve Kuehn’s recommendation before the colony formally extends a bid to any potential member.

As a leadership development fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega looks to recruit men of scholarship, fellowship and character, Fischette said.

“We’re looking for men who want to leave an impact on campus,” Fischette said. “The letters represent a set of values, morals and high standards (members) choose to live by. It’s a decision you make every day, to be in ATO and hold yourself to a higher standard.”

Kuehn said though three of the founding fathers have deactivated, Alpha Tau Omega has had no problem recruiting four more members after colonization.

“We immediately picked up four new members,” Kuehn said. “That’s the remarkable thing about it. People are interested in it.”

The national organization said the colony could recruit a maximum of 60 members this semester. Alpha Tau Omega plans to add between 10 and 15 new members in the spring semester and will recruit more freshmen next fall using the same methods they used this year, Hayes said.

“We’ll have various recruitment events, have guys come to brotherhood events, anything to get (them) to know the brothers already in the fraternity,” Alpha Tau Omega President Creighton Hayes said. “We’ll continue with what we’ve been doing. It’s worked pretty decently so far.”

The colony has surpassed Alpha Tau Omega’s 45-member requirement for becoming a chapter. MU’s colony must also complete a profile of every member, earn community service hours, host social events, choose a local philanthropic cause and host member retreats before submitting a petition and recommendations for chartering.

Missouri’s Alpha Tau Omega expects to become a chapter once more Sept. 23, 2012, exactly one year after its colonization.