Incredible effort at NIU. Your alumni support sounds impressive.
Are you in a house on campus now?

In 2006-2007 we did not have a chapter house because we just started in the fall '06. In 2007-2008 we moved into a small 11 bedroom house down on the end of Greek Row. It was an opportunity to have a presence on the Row, put up letters and have a place to congregate for meetings and events. Here is the house... http://www.sigmanuniu.com/photo_gall...bum_id=10956In 2008-2009 we move into the old Sig Ep house on a two-year lease while they reorganize from their recent suspension. This is a huge step up for us. It is a 24 bedroom house with a 48-man occupancy. We will have 32 men living in this fall and a full 48 the following year. Here is the house... http://www.sigep.org/chapters/chapte...s%20University

That is great news for your chapter. What happened to Sig Ep there? looks like a couple of years ago they were pretty strong.

I have to say, that Sig Ep nationals page is pretty nice. I love the pictures of the chapter house, and the rundown on manpower.

I have no idea why nationals doesn't total the manpower every now and then and list it for our chapters. It has the member list, seems like it would take 2 seconds in excel for them to give us a chapter total at least once a year (perhaps after Fall candidate classes are completed).

Sig Ep was indeed very strong at NIU. There were a 90-100 man chapter and definately in the top three (along with Phi Sigma Kappa and Pike). They won the annual Tugs championship 3 years in a row, which is the premier event at NIU for fraternities - check out this video... http://www.anewdynasty.com/

Sig Ep was also a big leader politically on campus - they were very well rounded. Unfortunately, all it takes are a few brothers to make some poor choices and you can find yourself in a world of hurt. Sig Ep had gotten a bit arrogant and seemed to be in trouble for something minor every semester for a few years in a row. This wears on the university judicial officers and makes them want to drop the hammer "the next time".

Unfortunately for Sig Ep, "the next time" was a racial incident in which they got into an altercation with some black folks, racial words were exchanged etc. http://www.northernstar.info/article.php?id=358

These days, the highest crime a fraternity can commit is not drug or alcohol related. It is crossing the line of multi-culturalism. This is the sacred cow on college campuses.

Northern Illinois chapters re-chartering ceremony:

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...011869/te3.jpg

For chapters that get re-chartered. Question: Do you have to start fresh on traditions at your chapter? Or do your alumni get involved and try to bring back the old traditions and keep the same spirit alive?

There are many traditions out there that chapters have that should live on outside of any hazing practices.

I suppose it all depends upon how involved the alumni are with the new group - otherwise, the new undergrads would have no knowledge. For me, it has been fun to watch our group develop their own traditions that they came up with.

Many of the traditions we had were drinking related and became increasingly dangerous as the years went on - case race and silly awards to name a few.

The one tradition I miss the most is the annual football game with Phi Kappa Theta.