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Florida Atlantic Investigating Alleged Hazing -- Sigma Phi Epsilon

This was on the news recently and it surprised me. I go to FAU and know a few SigEps and they all seem like nice guys, it'd be a shame to see their chapter shut down.

Update: Editorial in Local Newspaper about Alleged Hazing at FAU

Editorial in the Sun-Sentinel:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opi...,2404169.story

The middle of that article rubbed me the wrong way for some reason...

That entire article rubbed me the wrong way. Granted what (allegedly) happened is horrible but the way that was written smacks of yellow journalism and sensationalist hype. A major paper like that should know better.

Definately rub me the wrong way.

This was posted the next day. I respect this one.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/pal...,5057834.story

But I guess that's because the first one was an editorial and this is.. not? idk

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshsx1 (Post 1881371)

This was posted the next day. I respect this one.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/pal...,5057834.story

But I guess that's because the first one was an editorial and this is.. not? idk

The article said they have been on campus since 1996, isn't that in the era of the Balanced Man? If they have always been a BMP chapter where did they get the tradition of a "ritual kidnapping game?" Seems pretty contradictory to the whole BMP as well as the goal of it. I thought the response of many men's groups in the 90s of changing to new programming was in response to and to prevent hazing and RM issues, and that this isn't just a SigEp thing.

I'm not saying that a "traditional" chapter is more likely to haze, I'm just noticing that the chapters of SigEp that have more RM issues have not been BMP. I highly respect that SigEp HQ does not play around with RM issues though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel (Post 1881406)

Yeah that is weird, I agree... I wouldn't think any young chapters would have RM issues due to hazing. But then again, I guess it depends on the campus climate and whatever chapter helped establish the FAU chapter. Just because a chapter is BM doesn't mean they follow it more than what pleases Nationals on paper.

The pledge model chapters are more likely to have RM issues related to hazing, though.

Idunno, the part about the ritual kidnapping game seems a bit off with the SigEps I know. I have a feeling that if there was a tradition of this I would've heard about it, given that the fraternities' shenanigans (or rumored shenanigans, in some cases) tend to make rounds pretty quickly. Maybe I'm wrong though, but it really would be a shame to see SigEp off campus. They're one of the biggest, if not necessarily most respected, groups on campus and losing them would be a major dent in an up-and-coming Greek scene.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pshsx1 (Post 1881428)

Or I'm thinking that the SEC was founded as BMP and the alumni volunteers and advisors obviously came from "traditional" chapters as there were no BMP chapters so they may have brought in uhhh, rituals we perceive as hazing and RM that Renaissance brothers wouldn't think of doing. Sticking with SigEp as an example there was a chapter in outhern California that had an incident in the past year that involved alumni and fire, so it isn't out of the realm of possibility that alumni are involved in plating the seed or perpetuating it.

I do think there is some advantage to bringing in new alumni and alumnae initiates for colonies as they will only know the current HQ party line and follow what the organization as a whole wants, or in the case of a desirable school provide structure where there are no alumni or alumni who are unable or unwilling to be involved.

Oh and the article, the journalist's name was MISSY. I have never seen that as a government name, but as a nickname for Melissa.

Missy, I mean MOM! - Bill S. Preston Esq.

Quote:

Fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon suspended for a year

By Monica Ruiz
News Editor
Print this article Share this article

Published: Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Updated: Thursday, January 14, 2010

NEWS
The spring Rush Week will be one fraternity short this year. An October hazing incident involving Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) prompted FAU and the fraternity’s headquarters in Richmond, Va., to suspend SigEp from any on-campus activities for a year.
The incident sent Nicholas Letteri, a SigEp brother, to the Boca Raton Community Hospital emergency room after his fraternity practiced a hazing ritual where he was kidnapped and forced to drink large amounts of alcohol.
The year-long suspension was made after a disciplinary conference held on Jan. 11 and is effective immediately.
During the conference, a mutual agreement was signed by both FAU Associate Dean of Students Terry Mena and Marcus Nielsen, student representative for the SigEp Xi chapter on campus.
The agreement includes a suspension, membership review plan, disciplinary probation, a chapter reorganization plan, monthly meetings and reports. (Click here to see the full SigEp Mutual Agreement.)
The chapter’s suspension is defined as a “loss of university recognition,” where the fraternity cannot participate in Greek Councils and school activities. The membership review plan includes the creation of an Alumni Advisory Council to conduct full membership reviews for the FAU chapter.
Once SigEp is off the year-long suspension, the fraternity will be placed on disciplinary probation for two years, where the fraternity will have its university recognition restored.
During the probation the council will conduct a full reorganization plan, and the chapter will abide by recommendations, requirements and benchmarks created by the council.
Once the reorganization plan is in place, the chapter must meet with the Dean of Students' office on a monthly basis to review their progress.
In any case, if the fraternity is responsible for not complying with the recommendations from the council, or is in violation of another Student Code of Conduct, FAU may increase the severity of the consequences.
“We’re the strongest fraternity on campus. We have the highest grades; always number one in intramurals; always number one in sports; we always have the highest community service. This is not what we expected, and it’s not going to help out anybody,” said Jonathon Marquez, SigEp president, when referring to the suspension of the fraternity.
Channel 5 first reported that Marc Press, attorney for seven SigEp members, called the rulings unfair.
“It is the beginning of the end of the fraternity, and a one-year suspension will effectively kill the fraternity. It's a death notice.”

And there goes SigEp. Link here: http://www.upressonline.com/fraterni...year-1.2133903

Bit of a gravedig but there's been quite an uproar lately in the paper that makes me think this may not be put to bed anytime soon. Links here:

http://www.upressonline.com/sifting-...haze-1.2164285
http://www.upressonline.com/police-i...sues-1.2169942
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/ju...pikes.php#more

This is going to be a long semester for FAU's Greek system.

Soo... now bitter SigEps want to tear down the rest of the campus because they fucked up?

Cool.

The part about FAU's greek adviser being pres. of his chapter when a near-death hazing incident and then continuing as president after the incident and then still going on to be a greek adviser was surprising.

Also, gotta' love those SigEps for throwing out names of other groups as if they were members. If they didn't see it happen, why are they running their mouths? And even if it DID, calling others out (unless formally) isn't going to make theirr fraternity come back on campus any sooner. The Pres. from the Kappa Alpha Psi chapter seemed so upset, but I do think there is merit to what he says. I don't think they'd get such a minimal suspesion. One year is not long enough, especially when some of these SigEp members don't appear to have discretion of the mouth or mind. I hope the membership review is done very carefully.