Yeah, me either, there are plenty of other organizations that offer chances for all that boring stuff, i.e. student goverment, clubs, and such. None rival fraternities (the real kind) in terms of what they offer socially. I wanted something more from my college experience than the drone of the norm, and while I don't need a fraternity to be social, it definitely structures and supports it.

It's normally not about what you know, but who you know.

a) Someone needs to find my post on some random thread that had about 10 or so things that determine your "excellence" as a chapter.

b) Also, I need to know these lofty standards you are using and who the “peers” are for Ole Miss Sigma Nu. As far as “good” chapters, I’d like to know what SEC chapters of yours that are THAT much better then:

* South Carolina.
* University of Alabama.
* Auburn University.
* P.S. We get do-overs on campuses we were strong on then got booted off of: (expl: Florida, Georgia, Vandy, LSU)

Sidenote: Arkansas you say is not bottom tier, so I'd assume they aren't horrible. Well, they have only been back on campus for like 2 years maybe? So they weren't horrible for 5 to 10 years. ;)

and for the thread: rock-chalk-jayhawk!

Sigma Nu at Ole Miss was the only one that came to mind.

I'm pretty sure Sigma Nu's not Old Row at Bama, though. Could be wrong, but thought Old Row was DKE, Phi Gam, KA, and SAE.

They've been on campus for longer than 2 years. I'd like to say it's been about 5 years or so now. They just got their house last year. In the beginning, they were highly questionable and weren't very selective. Especially when I first came on campus. Wooh boy. They've turned it around alot though.

I go to KU. Formal recruitment was this past weekend, but here's my take in case anyone still wants it.

Yes, anyone who has a house has a pretty big/nice one. Many of the houses are really impressive.

My house had a party with Sigma Nu last semester and a few of them subsequently made appearances at our formal. Good group of guys, and I see this chapter becoming strong once they get their numbers up. Also one of the CLEANEST fraternity houses I've been in!

My understanding is that Delta Tau Delta is taking their house back this year. TKE had been renting it from the Delts, but they got their numbers up enough to support a house. Not sure what's happening to TKE...

I'm pretty confident that Lambda Chi Alpha doesn't haze-- really. Upperclassmen regularly participate in BADD duty and they have "associate members" instead of pledges. But I'm a girl, so obviously I can't be 100% certain. I do, however, know of some other houses that definitely haze (at least in my definition). Again, that's to the best of my knowledge.

Beta Theta Pi routinely has the highest gpa, usually by a pretty large margin.

I have a lot more comments, but most of them would be unfair speculation, so I'll shut up.

FYI, you're wrong. Old Row at Bama: KA, SAE, DKE, Sigma Nu, Phi Gam, and I think Phi Delt (could be wrong on Phi Delt).

Not giving you the tiers, just the Old Row fraternities.

Really cool to have input from someone that is on campus at the time. That is a big change from when I visited the chapter house there. It was pretty trashed out; but could have been the result of a recent party and not the norm.

I haven't read most of this thread but there was one line from someone about their founders not having a clue about community service hours or something like that . With that in mind, I'll throw out one thought about national awards...

If the awards for your organization's top chapter awards aren't based on the principles of your organization as set forth by your founders, then you are rewarding chapters for the wrong things.

Sarah, formal recruitment was this past weekend? Am I reading that right?

Just curious, because the middle of June seems an odd time for formal recruitment.

Probably prudent and definitely panhellenic! :D

The Phi Gam house is in between Beta and EN on Old Row at Bama
DKE, SAE, and KA are the other three.
EN and Beta aren't top tier there even though they're old row.

good call. then i am definitely wrong.

Unless you're a certain two or three fraternities, every major national fraternity has two or three strong houses throughout the South.

I have to compliment you on such a polite, gracious post. You make a lot of good points and I agree with you. That being said, some 18-19 year old students are mature beyond their years. A lot of this his to do with the way their parents raised them and/or how tightly they hold onto their faith and live it out in their daily lives.

Our organization tends to attract young men who are a little more mature for their age than your typical 18 year old. It's hard to explain it, but you can feel the difference when you walk into a room with 50 Sigma Nu's from NIU vs. the other fraternities. As an alumnus, I've been to football tailgate parties and other large group events where fraternities are hanging out in packs. Many of the other fraternities make a wild spectacle of themselves can appear to be real bafoons. That is attractive to an 18 year old that wants to be a wild ass. The SN crowd tends to be a cut above in their social demeanor. They still have a great time and attract the top ladies - they just keep a cooler head about them.

I guess my point is, while most 18 year old boys are not going to be attracted to my post - that's OK. The 10% of the 18 year olds that are mature beyond their years and looking for something a little more than just a social fraternity experience is going to really be attracted to Sigma Nu. In an environment where everyone is throwing parties and recruiting to a social scene, we tend to take things to the next level to differentiate ourselves. There is a market for it. We attract leaders. We develop leaders. We have more of our members in positions of leadership on campus and in the community than any other fraternity. We have a 21 year old City Alderman and a 19 year old County Board Member. Two of the last 3 student government presidents have been Sigma Nus. They are #1 or #2 in GPA each of the last 4 semesters. On the social scene, on a campus with 15 fraternities and only 8 sororities, SN consistently pairs with the top 4-5 sororities.

Thanks again for the gracious post. You are more careful and considerate than I in the way you express yourself. I tend to come across a bit abrupt and sometimes abrassive in my text posts. I'm much better in person! ;)

Agreed. Sigma Nu is solid mid to upper mid. I'm not sure about Beta at all.

Okay, we can be e-friends;) haha

Thanks for your response. It sounds like your group of guys is wonderful, and I am so glad for you that you have been a part of it! Maybe they're just more mature and staid than most 18 year olds I know.

Not to say that the 18 year olds I know and have known arent wonderful, they just are/were looking for the "social" type fraternity that are more prevalent at the colleges that I have visited and the one I attended.

I feel that it is unfair to make negative blanket statements about groups in which you are not a part of. While some groups may act, in your opinion, like a**es at a tailgate, they may, in fact have a deep and lasting brotherhood that is just not apparant to you and your brothers. Just as you wouldn't want any part of them and their group, they wouldn't want to be a part of yours - doesn't make them evil monsters, just different.

I will say that the events where parents are included at my son's fraternity, the boys don't act like bafoons or make spectacles of themselves. They, in fact, have been nothing but polite and respectful. But, that's with the adults present - I don't know what they're like when we're not there ;).

I <3 srmom.

It's fine to be proud of the fact that you do something differently, but it's not fine to say everyone else sucks because they aren't you. (Unless it's a rush shirt and you're being fairly jokey about it.)