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A few things about SigEp at my school. Here is the official reason they were suspended (cut and pasted from the risk management forum):
SPE suspends W&L Chapter
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
W&L fraternity suspended
___The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Washington and Lee University has been suspended for three years by its own national board. In a letter to parents of the 40 chapter members, the Richmond-based organization cited alleged alcohol abuse, "questionable membership activities" and "regular disdain and combative relations" with its alumni, volunteers and headquarters staff. The chapter also failed to correct a slipping grade point average, the letter said. The fraternity's behavior failed to improve despite intervention by its headquarters and its housing corporation, a group of alumni who manage the chapter's business and household affairs. The fraternity did nothing that violated W&L's policy against hazing pledges, according to outgoing W&L Dean of Students David Howison.
Now, let me tell you. Their numbers had NOT been declining. I think their numbers for the past three years were 15, 14, 13. Big decline, eh? Most fraternities at W&L are happy if they can get 12. Only a few groups EVER pull more than 15. Yet, SigEp nationals had been pressuring them to get 20 for ages--which is ridiculous. Only the two 'football' houses and KA--the Alpha chapter--ever pull 20. When Lambda Chi got 18 my freshman year, that was considered astounding. We have 15 fraternities fighting for 200 or so guys--you do the math!
Their GPA was really not bad. The guys are smart, involved, kick ass at intramurals. They had had some disagreements with nationals--their nationals didn't want them to fire their house mother. They did, and a month later their charter was gone. The campus consensus is that the house mother probably told nationals about some "questionable membership activities" and the charter was gone. Everyone was confused--SigEp is about the last group you'd expect to lose their charter on campus. We've all known that we'd probably lose a group in the next few years, but SigEp was not one we were expecting.
So, yes, they are trying to colonize as a new national IFC fraternity. I know which one but I'd rather not say. I don't think SigEp nationals will give the go-ahead though--although the school would probably be relieved. They like SigEp (smart guys, active in service, accepting (the first openly gay student body prez was a member), diverse (lots of international/minority guys), plus the school is struggling to house the brothers right now. The campus would be glad--they're known as decent guys who still know how to have fun. However, my personal assessment is not very hopeful.
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