Sigma Nu to recolonize at the University of Texas?

banditone · #1 05-13-2007, 02:49 PM

I heard from an Upsilon chapter alumni that they were going to give it a hard push to re-colonize at the Univ. of Texas campus by 2008.

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

I know SN was VERY strong on that campus in the past before getting kicked off (if I remember correctly, it was a pretty bad hazing issue). That was quite a long time ago tho.

Kevin · #2 05-14-2007, 12:58 AM

When did they close? I could have sworn I met a few actives from the Upsilon chapter at a Regional leadership thing..

As I recall, at the time, they were a small chapter. I figured that if they were closed, it was more due to numbers than anything else.

banditone · #3 05-14-2007, 08:12 AM

Yes, they did give it a try - but were VERY small. A few years ago they were at 11 members.

banditone · #4 06-21-2007, 07:51 PM

OK, now I'm more sure then ever that they are going full bore to re-colonize at UT soon. According to the new digital delta, Next years Grand Chapter is going to be in Austin, Texas.

I bet that would make their 2,055 initiated members happy (that number is rediculous)

Ohh yes, I will definitely be there.

Kevin · #5 06-21-2007, 07:56 PM

If you're in Dallas, we can carpool

Depending on what classes I have that summer of course.

Grand Chapter is good times.

banditone · #6 06-21-2007, 08:02 PM

Sounds like a plan!

Kevin · #7 06-22-2007, 08:38 AM

I can't justify not going to Grand Chapter. I need to see what I can do to get myself on some committees. I've been to 2 Grand Chapters so far (Toronto was awesome). My biggest complaint is that they haven't had a whole lot of programming for alums... but it is nice to see a lot of alums up there.

There's one guy who has been at the last few who hasn't missed a Grand Chapter since the 40's. He tells the best stories -- it's interesting stuff to hear about the Grand Chapters of (I think) '67 and '69 where in '67, a measure to end segregation failed and in '69, such a measure passed by one vote. Trent Lott, of course was active at the time... big 'ol southern segregationist.

If you'll recall back when Lott said some dumb things at Strom Thurmand's 100th birthday, Tom Johnson, then the President of CNN still held a little bit of a grudge (apparently, he was in the non-segregationist camp).

Dartmouth actually resigned from the organization for a period of years until we did away with our segregationist policies. It was an interesting time to say the least.

banditone · #8 06-22-2007, 09:10 AM

According to their site, Stanford did the same in 1963.

http://www.stanford.edu/group/sigmanu/history.php
(damn their house is nice)

KyleMcGuire1983 · #9 06-22-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banditone

According to their site, Stanford did the same in 1963.

http://www.stanford.edu/group/sigmanu/history.php
(damn their house is nice)

Dartmouth came back in the 80s

banditone · #10 06-25-2007, 09:09 AM

Got a great PM from a Beta alum from UT that works on their housing corp.

------------------

Saw your post just now on GC- but Earp mentioned to me yesterday that you were looking into this.

I am a Beta Theta Pi from UT (Texas Beta as we call ourselves)- finished undergrad in 1997, stuck around a bit during grad school, and today I am the chapter financial advisor and House Corp VP.

Been spending lots of time in West Campus lately since we are looking into a housing change, plus I hear a lot from the chapter and our alumni about past and present.

So I am happy to give you some insight into West Campus in general- plus tell you about the social structure here (much of what macallan says is accurate, but if you want to be a "top chapter" like his- be careful what you wish for) which I just do not want to do publicly on GC for obvious reasons.

Plus I can fill you in on the housing situation- which is going to be your biggest obstacle. You will need to have a house paid for in advance and that is going to set you back a good $3 million. Property taxes are so high now, that a reasonable rent charged to live-in members will just about cover that plus maintenance. Not much room to carry a mortgage as well. West Campus was rezoned in 2004, and I have a spreadsheet of property tax assessments for all the major fraternity houses in West Campus. The average assessed value doubled from 2005 to 2006 and looks like it will rise more this year (though that bubble might burst somewhat soon.)

Macallan is right that getting restarted here will be tough, but Sigma Nu was a strong chapter here in its day. If you live in Austin I can let you know where their old house is so you can check it out (Kappa Sigma now and was AGD for a period before that.)

Sigma Nu left a few years before I came in as a freshman, which sucked because my Dad is a Sigma Nu (Drury College, MO) and I heard so many good stories growing up that I wanted to do that. Never got the full story, but the tale was that it was a serious risk management incident much like what caused ATO to leave around the same time.

Sigma Chi might be a good contact for you as well. They were a very strong house here and come off a 10+ year banishment next fall. They still own their house (currently rented by Phi Psi) and they plan to come back. Given the strength of their alumni base, I expect they could be back at the top in a matter of a few years- though hard to say since Phi Delt has yet to do the same (they were kicked off mid 1990s and just came back a few years ago.)

I have spoken a few times with the President of the Sigma Chi Housing Corp, and while I am not sure the degree to which he wants to collaborate with others- I am happy to try and get you two introduced in case you can assist each other in recolonization efforts, or least compare notes.

Personally, I would like to see Sigma Nu back at UT. A lot of chapters have left UT or fallen to near nothing- and while SAE is one of the great houses socially in every sense, it is not what everybody wants and the crowd looking for that scene is dwindling at Texas because it is so hard to get in here now.

My chapter shows that. Still know how to have a good time, but far more scholastically oriented than even in my day just 10 years ago, and that is a good thing. The changing student body here is making it easier for fraternities to curb some of the old ways a bit and still have fun and govern themselves. I don't want to see all the fun go away, but it certainly a lot more fun and a lot less of a headache to be an advisor or Housing Corp Board Member/financial donor than it used to be.

Or so I am told since I really like doing this and my predecessors did not seem to enjoy it much.

Greek Life at Texas is at a crossroads right now due to skyrocketing housing costs and a fundamental change in the student body.

We need all the good national fraternities here to invest in that- and it would be great to see you guys back.

banditone · #11 08-31-2007, 02:29 PM

Looking more and more likely that nationals is making a push for Upsilon.

Leadship Consultant visits are set, and one of them has the following (look at the second chapter listed):

Steve Cangro will be consulting with the following chapters:
Ρ, Υ, ΒΓ, ΒΚ, ΓΙ, ΙΞ, ΓΟ, ΓΥ, ΑΕ, ΕΒ, ΕΕ, ΖΟ, ΖΧ, ΖΨ, ΗΕ, ΗΖ, ΗΞ, ΗΡ, ΗΤ, ΗΥ, ΘΘ, ΚΣ, ΛΦ, ΜΑ, ΜΚ, ΜΛ, ΜΡ, ΜΣ, ΜΤ

Very interesting...

SNUIGC · #12 08-31-2007, 09:04 PM

That's extremely interesting... so, think that Grand Chapter next year would be a good time to announce that we're re-colonizing UT...sounds to me like it would be a very nice publicity stunt to pull. (well, not stunt, exactly...but, a well timed endeavor)

banditone · #13 09-01-2007, 02:06 PM

I have a feeling they are going to do that, and are going to do it right this time. Upsilon used to be a very large/high-profile chapter of ours a long time ago. You can't survive on that campus without a house, which is HELA-Expensive due to costs of the land there. IF they are going to do it, I think they will come out with news that they have a house ready to go.

It will be very interesting indeed.

banditone · #14 11-24-2007, 08:58 PM

So, they "really" got the boot from UT in 1990 over hazing charges (bad stuff). I think they made 1 attempt at coming back.

My question is, don't they have money to build?
This is their old house:
http://www.kappasigmatau.org/index.php?view=house

Per that page, KE bought the house, so that should mean EN Upsilon has some cash in their coffers.

TechSigmaNu · #15 11-25-2007, 02:19 PM

Well I know that the chapter at UT is still a charter but they have no members. haha, weird I know. But I do believe nationals is making a big push to re-establish the charter. They had a hazing incident and were kicked off campus and tried to recolonize too soon and had a weak comeback so I guess COC is going to push for it like you mentioned.