Sigma Alpha Epsilon Announces Historic Change for membership experience

[SAEalumnus]

Originally Posted by 33girl

SAEalumnus - semi touchy question (shock). Are the guys on the Supreme Council from chapters that do everything by HQ's book, chapters that might not follow all the rules explicitly but pull huge numbers, or a mix of both? I know we all have those "chapters that can do no wrong" and wondered if they were coming from that vantage point.

33: I finally had the chance to research this in more detail. Generally speaking, our Supreme Council consists of an Eminent Supreme Archon ("fraternity president"), Eminent Supreme Deputy Archon ("fraternity vice president"), Eminent Supreme Warden (for all intents and purposes, 'fraternity treasurer,' though not officially designated as such), Eminent Supreme Herald and Eminent Supreme Chronicler (both national directors, generally). Our national officers and their chapters' risk management histories are as follows:

ESA Brad Cohen - Arizona Alpha - University of Arizona

• Dry Chapter
• 2009: University Probation/ Violation of University Rules of relating to alcohol policies during a fall 2009 social event. University imposed 1 year probation through fall 2010.
• 2010: University Probation/ Violation of University hazing rules during fall 2010. SAE approved Alumni Commission and membership review. 1 year University probation through fall 2011.
• 2012: University Probation for hosting unregistered events and violations of university alcohol policies. Probation runs until Dec. 16, 2012.

ESDA Steve Churchill - Iowa Gamma - Iowa State University

• Dry Chapter
• 2011: University Deferred Suspension and Social Probation/ Hazing and alcohol related policy violations during the fall 2011 semester. Both Deferred Suspension and Social Probation run through spring 2013 semester.

ESW Tom Dement - Tennessee Beta - Middle Tennessee State

• 2011: University Social Probation & Fraternity Alumni Commission/ The chapter violated alcohol policies and failed a house inspection during summer 2011. University Social Probation through May 2012, Loss of recruitment and intramurals through December 2011 . SAE approved Alumni Commission.
• 2012: University Disciplinary Probation/ Violated University and Fraternity Risk Management policies related to alcohol and event during the spring 2012 semester. Placed on Disciplinary Probation by University through August 31, 2013.
• 2013: The chapter Alumni Commission moved to surrender the charter following health-and-safety violations associated with hazing and alcohol during the fall 2013 semester. The chapter charter shall remain suspended until the summer of 2016.
• CHAPTER IS CLOSED

ESH Greg Brandt - Iowa Delta - Drake University

• In good standing, no risk management history.

ESC Mike Corelli - Illinois Gamma - Northern Illinois University

• 2011: University Probation/ Unregistered social event/noise violation during October 2011. Placed on university probation until October 2012

Originally Posted by MysticCat

SAEalumnus or SOM, I'm just curious: Is there a way to force a mid-term vote by the Convention, such as by petition of a certain percentage of members of the Convention or of chapters, or can a vote like that only called by the Supreme Council on its own initiative? Or are there other options available to bring this up before the 2015 Convention?

There is; it provides that the national president, with the advice and consent of the national officers, can send out a direct mail ballot. Unfortunately, these are the same people who unilaterally forced this on us, so they're unlikely to agree to do so. There does not presently exist any other means of accomplishing this, though I suspect some proposal(s) to amend the national laws to this effect may well be submitted. I'm afraid we're stuck with this new program at least until mid-2015, whether we like it or not.

[badgeguy]

So, just thinking, if under this program, is there a difference in the eyes of the insurance companies and policies between "pledges" and "brothers"?
I mean, if something happens to a pledge are there different circumstances to lawsuits and insurance claims as opposed to "members or brothers"?

This also reminds of the when the FreeMasons began doing One Day Inititiations in some states. Usually when someone joined the Masons, you'd have a three month period to become raised to the third degree, not in some states this can be done in a one day class. I know there are and were a lot of members not happy with this either.

[SOM]

Fraternity Chief Feared for Son as Hazings Spurred JPMorgan Snub http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...rgan-snub.html

[badgeguy]

"Family considerations also motivated Cohen. He wanted to protect his older son, Devon, a high school freshman who is determined to join SAE in college. Devon wears bow ties in purple and gold -- SAE’s colors -- and knows its secret handshake.
“I don’t want him to be scarred mentally from hazing,” said Brad Cohen, relaxing with his family in their home near Los Angeles. “I don’t want him to want to join SAE so badly that he’ll do anything he’s told.”"

Umm....doesn't that sort of break the rules?

[SOM]

Originally Posted by badgeguy

"Family considerations also motivated Cohen. He wanted to protect his older son, Devon, a high school freshman who is determined to join SAE in college. Devon wears bow ties in purple and gold -- SAE’s colors -- and knows its secret handshake.
“I don’t want him to be scarred mentally from hazing,” said Brad Cohen, relaxing with his family in their home near Los Angeles. “I don’t want him to want to join SAE so badly that he’ll do anything he’s told.”"

Umm....doesn't that sort of break the rules?

No-not really in the overall scope of matters of importance. Heck my now 89 year old Mom years ago, out of the blue, gave me most of our Pledge grip. She, way back in the day, dated a Brother while in College.
And while it does not say so in the article, it is the Pledge grip that is involved here.

And his comments about his son doing what ever it takes, no matter what is happening to him, is rather sadly part of the very heart of the whole issue of hazing/RM violations.

[AZTheta]

I don't know how old your ESA is, but I can say that there is no such thing as a "dry fraternity chapter" at the University of Arizona. Fellow UofA posters, correct me if I'm wrong. Here are some links:

http://os_extranet_files_test.s3.ama...rtFall2013.pdf scroll down to page six for the latest on SAE.

http://os_extranet_files_test.s3.ama...rtFall2013.pdf this has links to chapter judicial histories for both fraternities and sororities.

[SOM]

Leader of One of America's Largest Fraternities Moves to End the 'Cancer' of Hazing: Brad Cohen is the current leader of one of the nation's oldest and largest fraternities. SAE has 240 chapters nationwide with over 14,000 members. Last month Cohen announced an abrupt end to one of the best known fraternity traditions, the pledge process prior to becoming a member. His goal is to stop the "cancer" of hazing.
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-C...ncer-of-Hazing

[Griffins&Quills]

Wow, your ESA really has some tact. Comparing hazing first to apartheid and now to cancer....

[DrPhil]

There are three definitions of "cancer", one definition is "something bad or dangerous that causes other bad things to happen." (Merriam Webster)

I did not read his comparison to apartheid but, if he kept the "a" lowercase, "apartheid" can be used in reference to any form of "separation, segregation--examples: cultural apartheid; gender apartheid". (Merriam Webster)


/lane swerve

[SOM]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

There are three definitions of "cancer", one definition is "something bad or dangerous that causes other bad things to happen." (Merriam Webster)

I did not read his comparison to apartheid but, if he kept the "a" lowercase, "apartheid" can be used in reference to any form of "separation, segregation--examples: cultural apartheid; gender apartheid". (Merriam Webster)


/lane swerve

Brother Cohen has some personal knowledge:
South Africa

Cohen is also SAE’s first foreign-born leader, and speaks in the lilting accent of his native South Africa. His late father, Desmond Vernon Cohen, was an obstetrician-gynecologist, as well as a swimmer and water polo player on two South African Olympic teams.
Fearing racial strife over the government’s apartheid policy, the family left South Africa in the late 1970s when Cohen was 16. When he announced the pledging ban, Cohen compared the treatment of new members as “second-class citizens” to the abuse of blacks under apartheid.

Unusual Background

In many ways, Cohen has an unusual background for an SAE leader. He’s the first Jewish president of SAE, which used to limit membership to “members of the Caucasian race” without a parent who was a “full-blooded Jew,” according to a 1903 book of rituals.
Holding the black volume aloft, Cohen read that passage to his audience at the University of La Verne. When SAE renounced racism and anti-Semitism in 1952, he reminded the crowd, it faced the same complaints that change would ruin the fraternity that traditionalists now make about the pledging ban.

From: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...rgan-snub.html

Which is rather an interesting read as is the other link above-reposted here for ease: http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-C...ncer-of-Hazing

And Sigma Alpha Epsilon does not seem to be on its own-besides what is writen within those two articles, there are these two: Fraternity Leadership Group Calls for an End to Hazing-With college frats facing ongoing criticism over alcohol abuse, sexual assaults, and even the hazing deaths of pledges, the North-American Interfraternity Conference is creating independent panels to address these issues and generate solutions....
The days of serious fraternity hazing—a college Greek life tradition that in some cases has led to tragedy in recent years—could be numbered.

That’s because a fraternity association is taking steps to rein in the practice, and perhaps end it for good.
The North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), which represents 75 fraternities worldwide, has announced an effort to research ways to stop harmful activities often associated with the campus groups, including alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and hazing. http://associationsnow.com/2014/04/fraternity-leadership-group-calls-end-hazing/

The Time is Now to Preserve the Future of Fraternities. By NIC President & CEO Pete Smithhisler.

In recent months, it's become increasingly fashionable for media and others to denigrate the college fraternity experience as little more than an organized excuse to misbehave.
Since last summer, I've spent countless hours on the phone with a variety of journalists, many of whom have seemed predisposed to disparaging the fraternity movement. Some have gone as far as to suggest fraternities should cease to exist.
Their sentiment is fueled by unfortunate (and inexcusable) cases of students getting into trouble or - worse - hurting themselves or others because they acted irresponsibly or even illegally while participating in a fraternity-sponsored program or event.
While isolated, these cases nevertheless significantly overshadow all the good done by fraternities and their members today. For example, too few people are aware that:....

http://bit.ly/1jbArVX

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by SOM

...Cohen compared the treatment of new members as “second-class citizens” to the abuse of blacks under apartheid.

In that case, that is a horribly inaccurate comparison. New members chose to be new members even if they did not choose to be hazed.

/lane swerve

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

In that case, that is a horribly inaccurate comparison. New members chose to be new members even if they did not choose to be hazed.

/lane swerve

Yes. May as well go for the Godwin.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Yes. May as well go for the Godwin.

Really. He needs to tone it down on these comparisons—aside from the inappropriateness of them, he might just find some people comparing him to particular leaders who bypassed or suspended democratic processes because, well, the ends justify the means.

Originally Posted by SOM

And Sigma Alpha Epsilon does not seem to be on its own-besides what is writen within those two articles, there are these two: Fraternity Leadership Group Calls for an End to Hazing-With college frats facing ongoing criticism over alcohol abuse, sexual assaults, and even the hazing deaths of pledges, the North-American Interfraternity Conference is creating independent panels to address these issues and generate solutions....
The days of serious fraternity hazing—a college Greek life tradition that in some cases has led to tragedy in recent years—could be numbered.

That’s because a fraternity association is taking steps to rein in the practice, and perhaps end it for good.
The North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), which represents 75 fraternities worldwide, has announced an effort to research ways to stop harmful activities often associated with the campus groups, including alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and hazing. http://associationsnow.com/2014/04/fraternity-leadership-group-calls-end-hazing/

Huh? National fraternities and fraternity groups have been trying to end hazing for years. The first sentence—that SAE doesn't seem to be on its own—isn't supported by what comes after. Ending hazing is not the same as abolishing pledging, and abolishing pledging is not the same as ending hazing.

[DrPhil]

I understood his use of "cancer" but now that I read his use of "apartheid," he is being dramatic.

[SAEalumnus]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I understood his use of "cancer" but now that I read his use of "apartheid," he is being dramatic.

Agreed. This was to a large extent a PR stunt to try to improve the national organization's relationship with its insurance carrier and with its host universities. Overly dramatic "journalism" () begat overly dramatic justifications by the ESA.

From what I've heard, he knew full well that the correct approach was to either wait until the next biennial convention, or to submit the matter to a direct vote by mail of the convention's membership, in either case the majority of votes belonging to the undergraduates. He also suspected (perhaps rightly so) that were such a vote to be conducted on his proposal, it would get shot down by a landslide vote in opposition. So, the only way he could get his proposal enacted as policy was to simply declare it to be so by executive order, sidestepping the inconvenience of the usual and democratic legislative process.

Now that this new policy has been handed down from on high, he needs to conduct a marketing campaign in the hope of garnering enough public support -- or at least among university administrators and news media -- as to make it as difficult as possible for the next biennial convention to rescind the new program.