Sigma Phi Epsilon Closes Its Ole Miss Chapter

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Statement from the Grand President last night:

Three years ago, a string of hazing incidents and extremely low academic performance led to a membership review at the University of Mississippi. This review revealed more instances of hazing, alcohol abuse and extremely poor member development practices that demanded serious attention.

We chose at that time not to shut the chapter down, but to make it a learning opportunity for the young men of Mississippi Alpha and an opportunity to develop plans for a different fraternity experience that achieves the goals of brotherhood and continuous development without the risky behaviors of the past. And, we committed to giving Mississippi Alpha whatever resources it needed.

Since then, members of our staff have made extra trips to Oxford to provide targeted training and program support. The chapter attended exclusive retreats in Birmingham, Ala. each January, where Past Grand President Steve Shanklin spent 24 hours with them reviewing goals and crafting a vision. And chapter members attended EDGE and Carlson Leadership Academies and received tailored check-in meetings with staff and volunteers.

Until recently, we believed those efforts were having a positive effect and that the chapter was improving.

In February, we reevaluated the state of the chapter’s operations and membership after learning that three freshmen members had been involved in the desecration of the James Meredith Statue on the Ole Miss campus. When we did, we learned that the chapter had continued to commit serious acts of hazing since the first membership review three years prior. Even more distressingly, the chapter had made a deliberate and concentrated effort to hide this behavior from their local volunteers, staff members and the university.

As SigEp’s National Board of Directors pored over the information uncovered, we were confronted by the fact that Mississippi Alpha members had demonstrated an uncompromising commitment to operate an experience that placed young men in dangerous and unhealthy situations. In light of these facts, we were forced to close the chapter.