The Hazing Tradition

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by bowsandtoes

This a complete lie and the opposite of what happens. In almost every case nationals takes a struggling chapter and rather than offer to help, will force them to switch to a a BM program at the threat of removing their charter. Also, nationals won't colonize a new chapter unless they are BMP. The result is that the majority of BMP chapters are houses that are either brand new or are rebuilding from scratch. Of course the first thing nationals tells these chapters to do is get their numbers up. As all of you know its pretty hard to recruit when you already have a bad reputation on campus or none at all, so a lot of these chapters are extremely generous in their giving of bids (leading to nicknames of Sigma Phi Everyone at a lot of campuses). That open door policy along with the elimination of pledgeship means that people are signing their name, getting their letters, and learning aspects of the ritual right of the back. All of these factors lead to a lack of respect for BMP chapters at many campuses.

I could go on but time does not permit.

Completely correct. Part of the reason you find very, very few good Sig Ep chapters in the South. Texas is mid-tier, Ole Miss is mid-tier, and SoCar is as well. Those are the best chapters (that I can think of) of Sig Ep in the South. They're not even tops on campus.

BMP completely ruined the chapter here. It's about to fall off soon.

[bowsandtoes]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Completely correct. Part of the reason you find very, very few good Sig Ep chapters in the South. Texas is mid-tier, Ole Miss is mid-tier, and SoCar is as well. Those are the best chapters (that I can think of) of Sig Ep in the South. They're not even tops on campus.

We're not middle tier here. ATO/KappaSig size chapters are considered middle tier and we're not nearly on that level. If we're 'middle tier' then so is KA.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by bowsandtoes

We're not middle tier here. ATO/KappaSig size chapters are considered middle tier and we're not nearly on that level. If we're 'middle tier' then so is KA.

Gotcha.

Wasn't too sure how Ole Miss was set up. Knew Phi Delt/Sigma Nu was up there. Even so, upper-middle to middle at Ole Miss could compete as top, anywhere in the country.

While several of you are bashing Sigma Phi Epsilon about their Balanced Man Program, they must be doing something right. They have the largest undergraduate membership, have more chapters at the U.S. News top universities, are adding chapters at an impressive rate and probably have closed fewer chapters recently.

Quantity does NOT equal quality. One of the worst problems is they're "adding chapters at an impressie rate." Not good. I'm sure they'll be opening them at Community Colleges soon. Throw in BMP with "adding chapters at an impressive rate" and you have at least in the South, a poor image. A "Sigma Phi Everyone" image. There are chapters, like bows, which are exceptions of course.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Quantity does NOT equal quality. One of the worst problems is they're "adding chapters at an impressie rate." Not good. I'm sure they'll be opening them at Community Colleges soon. Throw in BMP with "adding chapters at an impressive rate" and you have at least in the South, a poor image. A "Sigma Phi Everyone" image. There are chapters, like bows, which are exceptions of course.

I agree. Doing away with selectivity decreases the value of the experience. Our chapters may not have hazing anymore in many cases, but membership is still something that is earned. I'll bet Sig Ep could be even bigger if they went co-ed. Someone might want to let them know.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by oldu

While several of you are bashing Sigma Phi Epsilon about their Balanced Man Program, they must be doing something right. They have the largest undergraduate membership . . . .

An interesting claim/observation given that the fraternity system as a whole is historically predicated on a certain elitism of "taking only the best."