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Sigma Phi Epsilon Closes Its Ole Miss Chapter

Sigma Phi Epsilon Is Closing at Ole Miss

Hello, LansSig , Kevin and other interested GreekChatters.
See:

http://wreg.com/2014/04/17/ole-miss-...atue-incident/

excerpt from ^^:

“Ole Miss Fraternity Closed After James Meredith Statue Incident
Posted on: 4:39 pm, April 17, 2014, by George Brown, updated on: 04:43pm, April 17, 2014

(Oxford, MS) The Ole Miss chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity will be permanently closed after a vote of the national board. . . . “

Report is also at

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/a...ty-Mississippi

Sorry, but to me this is so wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If several guys did something not known by the Chapter, then why is the whole Chapter kicked off and not just them??:mad:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Earp (Post 2271652)

Sorry, but to me this is so wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If several guys did something not known by the Chapter, then why is the whole Chapter kicked off and not just them??:mad:

I agree. It's sad that they're punishing an entire chapter for the actions of a few, ignorant members. Especially since this incident seems to be completely unrelated to the fraternity (not something pledges were forced to do as hazing, etc.)

Quote:

Sigma Phi Epsilon said the closure was “not a result of any individual incident, but a response to newly discovered, ongoing behavior that includes incidents of hazing, underage drinking, alcohol abuse, and failure to comply with the university and fraternity’s codes of conduct.”

It wasn't just about the incident with the three members defacing the statue. That opened the chapter up to more scrutiny resulting in the closure of the chapter. Lesson learned. Don't do something visibly stupid that brings down Nationals to dig around and find all your skeletons in the closet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Earp (Post 2271652)

Sorry, but to me this is so wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If several guys did something not known by the Chapter, then why is the whole Chapter kicked off and not just them??:mad:

Please read: "We are disappointed that a pattern of bad behavior and serious, inexcusable hazing occurred within the chapter," UM Dean of Students Sparky Reardon said. "Periodic reports from and meetings with local alumni and national headquarters led us to believe that the chapter was improving. Based on regular visits by representatives from the University of Mississippi Office of Greek Life with current Sigma Phi Epsilon members, chapter officers, local and regional volunteers, and national headquarters, the university had no reason to believe this type of behavior and conduct was happening."

I stand corrected!

Must have been a needed move!!!

I'm always a little skeptical when Sig Ep closes a traditional chapter.

They'll open up later as balanced man. No comment either way as to how they want to run their organization, but that the chapter wasn't balanced man was to mind not a non-factor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin (Post 2272024)

I concur. This is the longest pulling off of the Band-Aid EVER. If BM was the way they wanted to go, everyone should have been made to do it. Telling a chapter they "get to" keep their traditional program sends extremely mixed signals.

Statement from the Grand President last night:

Quote:

Three years ago, a string of hazing incidents and extremely low academic performance led to a membership review at the University of Mississippi. This review revealed more instances of hazing, alcohol abuse and extremely poor member development practices that demanded serious attention.

We chose at that time not to shut the chapter down, but to make it a learning opportunity for the young men of Mississippi Alpha and an opportunity to develop plans for a different fraternity experience that achieves the goals of brotherhood and continuous development without the risky behaviors of the past. And, we committed to giving Mississippi Alpha whatever resources it needed.

Since then, members of our staff have made extra trips to Oxford to provide targeted training and program support. The chapter attended exclusive retreats in Birmingham, Ala. each January, where Past Grand President Steve Shanklin spent 24 hours with them reviewing goals and crafting a vision. And chapter members attended EDGE and Carlson Leadership Academies and received tailored check-in meetings with staff and volunteers.

Until recently, we believed those efforts were having a positive effect and that the chapter was improving.

In February, we reevaluated the state of the chapter’s operations and membership after learning that three freshmen members had been involved in the desecration of the James Meredith Statue on the Ole Miss campus. When we did, we learned that the chapter had continued to commit serious acts of hazing since the first membership review three years prior. Even more distressingly, the chapter had made a deliberate and concentrated effort to hide this behavior from their local volunteers, staff members and the university.

As SigEp’s National Board of Directors pored over the information uncovered, we were confronted by the fact that Mississippi Alpha members had demonstrated an uncompromising commitment to operate an experience that placed young men in dangerous and unhealthy situations. In light of these facts, we were forced to close the chapter.

GREAT NEWS!!!! So glad to see that these racists are actually being prosecuted, not given a slap on the wrist.

Graeme Harris Indicted