Rho Lambda Newsletter
This month we’ll touch on several topics:
1) The 2022 Reunion details are here, and we’ll have more about the Reunion in our September newsletter. Contact Dennis Clowers if you want to play golf on Friday. If that’s not in your wheelhouse, there’s also a terrific glass exhibition at the OKC Museum of Art. Dale Chihuly is a Kappa Epsilon Deke, and is arguably the greatest glass artist in history.
2) Rich Burns emailed the new membership list on July 27th. Please contact Burnsie if you know of any brothers on it that have passed away, or who aren’t receiving our newsletter. Especially Elbert Lesch, James McGraw, Robert Rudd, Fred White, and Douglas Williams.
3) We explore a few of the major issues, below, regarding the challenge of renewing the DKE chapter at OU in 2025. The RLLA and this website have two goals: to link you with your brothers and to empower our plan to return DKE to OU in 2025. This will be a complex task, and we’re asking for support from everyone. We know you’ll need a deeper understanding of how it will work, and we’ll supply you with that over the coming months.
The password we emailed to you opens any file. Don’t have it? Contact us. If you get lost, use your back arrow, or return to oudekes.org. If anything’s askew, leave us a comment. We want to make this a simple place to navigate.

From The ΔKE ΡΛ Literary Association
Kerothen, Bob Tierno, Chairman of the Board
ΡΛ Responsible Person of the Month – MOM HARRIS
You’re an 18-year-old Deke pledge with zero social graces. Tonight you’re going to the Deke Formal with a girl you’ve never dated. Nervous?
You’ve already run out of gas and forced her to walk across the entire campus. You’ll remember, in a half-hour, when the other Dekes are giving their party favor to their date, that you left yours in your glove compartment. But right now, as you’re stepping into the house, in front of the housemother and her escort, you forget: “Do I introduce Mother Harris to Katy, or Katy to Mother Harris?” You flip a coin and go for it, “Mother Harris, may I introduce you to Katy…” As they wait for Katy’s last name, you realize you don’t know it.
Katy is looking at you aghast, eyes wide with embarrassment. You…are circling the drain.
A responsible person steps in. Mom Harris takes Katy’s hand and says, “Katy, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. We don’t need last names among friends, do we?” She chats with Katy for a few moments and re-establishes grace in the world.
Are you a potential 2025 Deke pledge reading this? Take my word for it, Deke chapters need a Responsible Person. One who can inoculate you against social tragedies, and implant in you the poise and polish you will need in this life.
We know OU presently requires a Full Time, Live-In House Director if there is a fraternity residence. Here is some excellent counsel from Brother Attorney George Otey about this, “First I agree, re: adult presence at the house. Short answer: I believe housemothers are bygone. Although there may have been ill feeling about having a house mom, her presence was extremely important in keeping many things in check; a constant adult presence is very necessary. The problem is, how “adult” (i.e., a 28 year-old grad student may not be ideal – too close in age, not “tough” enough, etc.)
Leave a comment if you wish, or contact us here. Keep an eye out for September’s Newsletter, make plans to attend the Reunion, and Happy Labor Day!
RIP, Randy
Kerothen,
The ΡΛ Commo Crew
