SAE gone form UNT!
 

This just shows how easy it is for a great chapter can go down.
Sorry the article is a little long.

October 17, 2003

UNT and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Inc. suspend campus chapter for 4 years for hazing policy violations


DENTON (UNT), Texas — Today, the University of North Texas, acting in conjunction with Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Inc., suspended the campus chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon from all operations at UNT for four years (until July 2007).

The UNT Division of Student Development and the fraternity's national headquarters imposed the suspension in response to investigations of several allegations of hazing, alcohol and physical abuse violations this semester that culminated in an off campus incident on Oct. 12 (Sunday). At that time a freshman pledge to the fraternity was found unconscious on Oak Street and transported to Denton Community Hospital.

The national fraternity additionally suspended the affiliations of all current members of the UNT chapter for four years.

The UNT Police Department is also investigating the Oct. 12 incident.

"We acted quickly to suspend the fraternity's operations because UNT does not tolerate hazing and on account of the seriousness of this case," said Bonita Jacobs, vice president for Student Development.

Acting with full cooperation from the fraternity's national headquarters, UNT has determined that campus chapter members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon violated sections of the UNT Code of Student Conduct that address hazing, alcohol abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse and other conduct that threatens or endangers health or safety; violation of university policy; and violation of federal, state, civil or criminal laws — regardless of whether individuals are ultimately convicted.

During the next four years, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter will not be allowed to solicit or accept new members, participate in service projects or hold local meetings. Current members of the UNT chapter must vacate the fraternity house during the next 30 days.

After an incident-free suspension, the fraternity will be eligible to petition UNT for permission to return to active status under a two-year probationary period. Any failure to follow all guidelines set by the university or other violations of UNT policies or procedures will result in an immediate re-suspension of the chapter.

Details of the incident are not available until the police investigation is complete.

UNT cited Sigma Alpha Epsilon for the following violations of the Code of Student Conduct:

SECTION B2

Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, coercion; and/or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person. Speech protected by the First Amendment is not a violation of this provision, although fighting words and statements which reasonably threaten or endanger the health and safety of any person are not protected speech. Each allegation of a violation under this provision shall be reviewed in consideration of these factors.

SECTION B4

Hazing as defined by Section 51.936 and 37.151-157, Texas Education Code, such as engaging in, soliciting, encouraging, directing, aiding or intentionally knowingly or recklessly permitting behavior such as physical brutality, risk of harm to mental or physical health or safety, intimidation, threat of ostracism, mental stress, humiliation, or other behavior adverse to health or human dignity to occur in association with pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in a student organization or having firsthand knowledge of the planning of hazing or of its occurrence and failing to report it to school authorities.

SECTION B7

Use, possession or distribution of alcoholic beverages (unless expressly permitted by law and university regulations) or public intoxication.

SECTION B10

Violation of university policies or regulations which have been published and are readily available to the students, including but not limited to those which govern academic matters, housing, alcohol use, financial matters, student life, and the maintenance of the health, safety, and welfare of the university community.

SECTION B11

An act which constitutes a violation of federal, state, civil or criminal laws or city ordinances, regardless of whether the act occurred on or off campus and regardless of whether the individual is ultimately convicted of the act.


UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Contact: Roddy Wolper (940) 565-2943
Email: rwolper@unt.edu

Possible Details...
 

I have it on very good authority (the highest authority at SAE's Fraternity Service Center) that this chapter was closed because they forced 18 pledges to drink a keg of beer in an hour and the person mentioned being found on Oak street in the article was found in a dumpster. There was also something said about making them do really inappropriate things that are not even worth mentioning.

I could be wrong... but I doubt that it is not far from the truth given the credibility of who I directly heard it from. Not trying to dog the chapter, just providing more info instead of reading 30 threads about 'does anybody know what happened, if so post here...'

Let it be a lesson to others: is the worst possible outcome worth the risk?

Re: Possible Details...
 

Thank you for the post. The answer to your question is clearly "NO!" I continue to be surprized that chapters continue to haze. Sooner or later they're likely to get caught.

This thread should probably be in Risk Management, too.

:(

Re: Re: Possible Details...
 

Some chapters feel it's necessary to do it to draw that particular class together...however, it probably isnt right..and another however, it will ALWAYS happen..

UNT's a great campus. I'm very surprised they were doing this up there. I've visited the Sigma Nu chapter up there on a few occasions. It's a great campus where a chapter has every opportunity to thrive. Why SAE (usually a great organization) did not do this here is beyond me.

Lesson to be learned: Hazing may have certain short-term benefits. But is it worth the eventual closing of your chapter when it's found out?

As a greek at UNT...I can say that I was deeply upset with what happened to the SAEs on this campus.They were an awesome group of guys who demonstrated brotherhood at its finest.

This has been a huge issue at UNT, with the media getting very much involved. There were articles in the school newspaper, which is very anti-greek, and they even posted the article on the University of North Texas webpage, and its the first thing you spot when you open up the page. The IFC president was an SAE and had to step down at Monday's meeting(he came to panhellenic meeting as well) and it was a very emotional time.

I can also say that there are a ton of rumors flying around on what actually happened.

Its also very sad for the pledges, because after learning about this great fraternity and brotherhood, they will not have the chance to be initiated while being an undergrad, as SAE will not have a chance to come back onto campus until 2007.

If they were actually committing this type of hazing, that's no excuse. The pledges were just as guilty for allowing it to get out of control without contacting the proper authorities.

Something like this is very difficult for the newspaper to just have "made up". SAE would not yank a charter if this was false (I hope). Why anyone would call this a strong brotherhood and an excellent organization when such obvious flaws and illegal practices exist within the organization is purely beyond me.

What looks great from the outside is not always perfect from within.

I never said the newspaper made it up. I was trying to say that I think its inappropriate for the school to put it on the webpage and the first thing you see is that. The newspaper jumps on anything that makes greeks look bad(our school newspaper, the NT Daily), and never sheds any positive articles. I have a friend on the staff who says they are anti-greek. Everywhere I go, i have rabdom people coming up to me and asking me what happened, just because of the letters I wear. And when I talked about a great brotherhood, I was talking about before this incident came up. Im friends with alot of the SAEs and they have a very strong unity. Im not saying what they did was right, for it was VERY wrong what happened. No one can ever know what goes on on the inside, except for the SAEs.

However, it is ALWAYS sad to see a chapter close, especially when we used to have 13 fraternities on this campus, and are now down to 7.

I definately agree with Txsurfinwaves. I was very shocked and upset about what happened, and like Txsurfinwaves mentioned, the incident is just making the school more anti-greek than it already is. The SAE's were a great group of guys.

This is definitely a big issue on campus...especially last week... while everyone was putting the finishing touches on their homecoming floats we had reporters from nearby television stations come by that wanted to talk to greeks on Greek Row about the incident.

I do trust that UNT and SAE's National Headquarters have done what is best for the greek system and for their chapter. I hope things work out and the SAE's can petition to return to active status in 2007.

Thanks, TX*princess....i totally agree with what your saying too.

It was very hard with HC that week, and groundbreaking for our new sorority row..and having them not ask about the new houses at groundbreaking, but asking us how we felt about what happened with the SAEs and what we know about what went on.

I agree txsurfinwaves :)

And it really is true about how the NTDaily portrays ALL greeks no matter whether we've done something bad or not. There was one article earlier this semester in which the writer *tried* to show the positive things that Greeks do, but that only lasted about 2 sentences... then it went right back into all the bad sterotypes and all that jazz.

On a school that is anti-greek (not so much the administration, but a lot of the Independents), I think it is important for all the GLOs to be there for each other. :) What happened with SAE wasn't right, so all we can do is trust that the right decisions were made regarding the punishment and hope that they can return in 2007.

I definitely agree! That was definitely disturbing.

UNT GREEKS UNITE!

We really do have an awesome greek system here, with the support of the faculty...but when it comes to the independents, they are VERY anti-greek. We were recieving our philosophy tests back today in class- and i got a 95...so excited that i screamed YESSS!!!...and i heard these guys crack up and this girl say...uh oh, sorority girl actually passed! ( i was wearing a pi phi shirt)

I agree, again, with you texas*princess, and I hope that SAE can return in 2007. I think the right decisions were made, and I hope this is a wake-up call to GLO's around the nation...that even strong chapters can get kicked off.

Yea.... I think any UNT greek can relate to that... I heard all kinds of anti-greek stuff during Yell Like Hell last Friday.

hahaha....but since this has become a convo between me and you, lets put it back on topic.

TAKEN FROM THE UNT SAE Webpage

Rest in Peace
Texas Kappa (March 5, 1988 - October 16, 2003)
Prepare to rise, once again, from the ashes stronger than ever!
Phi Alpha!