Sigma Chi may make branding an expellable offense.

[hoosier]

Parent of university student complains about branding ritual



08:32 PM CDT on Friday, July 9, 2004
By MIRA OBERMAN / The Dallas Morning News
COMMERCE, Texas – A burly football player crouched by the barbecue grill, two other boys holding him so he wouldn't flinch. A fraternity brother remembers some girls saying, "Don't do it," but nobody paid much attention.
A hot branding iron, with the Greek letters sigma chi on the business end, was held against the middle of the football player's right shoulder blade for a second or two. The smell of burnt flesh lingered a bit longer.
It's a scene that has been played out many times at Texas A&M University-Commerce, according to some professors and fraternity members. It was the second brand Chad Oliver had received, and many of the current members of Sigma Chi and some of the alumni also have brands.
Nobody had ever really complained, until Chad Oliver's father gave him a hug on Memorial Day weekend and Chad said "ouch."
Stephen Oliver's outrage sparked investigations by the fraternity's head office and the administration at A&M-Commerce.
"It's not normal human behavior," Stephen Oliver said, the anger still palpable in his voice weeks after he discovered the mark on his 19-year-old son's back. "This is a cattle brand."
Mr. Oliver said he was upset when his son got a brand on his left upper biceps, but he didn't complain at the time because he believed it to be self-inflicted. It bothered him more, he said, to think that his son's fraternity brothers believe it's OK to burn the flesh of their friends.
He blames the fraternity's leadership.
"They've generated an environment where something that I consider abhorrent is acceptable," he said. "I'd like this type of behavior to be acknowledged as sick."
The initial reaction from Sigma Chi's national office was cautious.
"Our understanding was that, in this situation, this was not a forced activity," said Brian Burbrink, assistant director of chapter development for Sigma Chi.
Mr. Burbrink said it is unlikely that the fraternity will take disciplinary action against the Zeta Eta chapter, but Sigma Chi will probably offer some "guidance as to perhaps alternative displays of pride for our organization."
As news of the controversy spread, though, the fraternity decided to take a harder line. Sigma Chi's regional chapter supervisor, Tom Stephens, said the fraternity would consider making branding an expellable offense.
Chad Oliver said he doesn't regret his decision to get the brand, even if it angered his father and embarrassed his fraternity.
"I decided to do it, and I wanted to," was about all he was willing to tell a reporter at a meeting organized by his alumni adviser. "I just felt like doing it, I guess."
Branding has a long history on college campuses, said Dr. Richard McKaig, executive director of the Center for the Study of the College Fraternity at Indiana University.
It's been a tradition among some historically black fraternities for decades and has also played a role in hazing rituals at many historically white fraternities, most famously during President Bush's tenure at Yale's Delta Kappa Epsilon. The practice became less common in the 1980s, when a number of high-profile cases led to anti-hazing legislation, and is now rare among historically white fraternities, Dr. McKaig said.
Though national organizations have tried to stamp out branding along with binge drinking and the hazing of new pledges, they have been unable to eliminate many of the "informal rituals" that develop at local chapters, Dr. McKaig said. Branding, or more commonly, tattooing, fraternity letters onto their bodies is often still considered by many to be the ultimate expression of a lifetime loyalty to the fraternity.
"It's a combination of fitting in and bonding in a way that's clearly irreversible," he explained. "Loyalty to the group is a highly cherished characteristic for this age group."
Although the university is taking the branding incident seriously, the administration can do little if coercion did not play a role in Chad Oliver's decision to get branded, said Dr. Keith McFarland, president of A&M-Commerce.
"Sometimes young people do things we don't want them to do," he said.
Sigma Chi Zeta Eta members and the chapter's regional supervisor insist that the fraternity does nothing to pressure students to brand themselves. They note that the current chapter president doesn't have a brand.
"I don't see why it's gotten blown out of proportion," said David Long, a fraternity member who has a Sigma Chi tattoo on his chest. "It's always been something we've done to set us apart from other fraternities."
Mr. Long said he was going to get a brand when he pledged with Sigma Chi but changed his mind after he saw that the fraternity brother doing the branding did a poor job on his friends.
The 22-year-old senior watched Chad Oliver get branded in May and said everyone was just having a good time.
"He said he wanted one. His other good buddy did, too, so three or four people did it," Mr. Long said. "I did one of the guys. I just heated [the branding iron] up until it's bright red.
"Somebody holds the guy, and he closes his eyes. It takes about one-and-a-half seconds – it's that quick. You just put it on and take it right off."
"I'm sure some people would look at it like it's a little bit out there," said Joel Dungan, 22, who graduated this spring and has Sigma Chi branded on his left biceps. "For me, it's just I'm a member of something I'm really proud of and I wanted something that would reflect that."
That choice may not be available to new members if Sigma Chi adopts the proposed policy making branding an expellable offense.
"It just doesn't look good," Mr. Stephens said.