WSU Sigma Nu Charter Revoked (Hazing)

[Kevin]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2007

SIGMA NU FRATERNITY REVOKES CHARTER OF CHAPTER
AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY

Lexington, Va. Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc. has revoked the charter of its Delta Iota Chapter at Washington State University. According to Executive Director Brad Beacham, the decision to revoke the Chapter's charter, made by the Fraternity's High Council (board of directors), follows confirmation of violations of the Fraternity's laws, policies and principles primarily related to the misuse of alcohol, as well as acts of hazing.
"We deeply regret the loss of any Chapter, but are especially saddened by the loss of this historic 97-year-old institution. However, the Fraternity remains resolute when responding to misconduct that defies our most basic values and principles," said John R. Pitts, the Fraternity's Regent (international president) and chairman of the High Council.
"We were also disturbed that images related to these violations were posted by Chapter members on Internet web sites such as MySpace and Facebook," said Pitts. "The glorification of conduct like this is very concerning and simply not acceptable in our Honor Fraternity."
In a related action based on the same misconduct, the conduct board of Washington State University denied recognition of the Chapter for a three-year period and recommended that the Fraternity revoke the charter.
The Fraternity is confident that the Delta Iota Chapter will be re-established in the near future and will once again offer a positive experience reflective of Sigma Nu's mission to develop ethical leaders. "We will continue our discussions with University officials and alumni leaders to plan for that future," said Beacham.
Headquartered in Lexington, Va., Sigma Nu Fraternity was founded in 1869 at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington and currently has more than 180 active chapters and colonies on college campuses throughout North America.

[banditone]

You have got to be kiddinig me.... that is probably the strongest chapter in the Pacific and Mountain timezone.

Incredible house. HUGE number of alumni. They will be back in 2-3 years. I hope.

How can people continue to do such idiotic practices in this day and age It's like they have no idea what is going on in other places/campuses. You can not do that shite anymore!

(wow! they are already off the IFC page: http://www.wsu.edu/GreekLife/Fratern...aternities.htm )

[Kevin]

... and if you're going to haze.. don't post your damn pictures on myspace. WTF were they thinking?

[banditone]

Someone will have to explain to me how you can have it all, and be the very best on campus - yet throw it all away doing something YOU KNOW nationals will boot you for.

[Kevin]

I have to wonder -- do y'all think that hazing played a part in the success of these chapters before they were booted? MTSU, Kansas, WSU, Vanderbilt -- all were excellent chapters. I think that experience has shown that LEAD can be as effective. It just has to be really hard to get a chapter to entirely drop something they've been doing for many, many years and then implement something like LEAD in its place.

[SnuKnight172]

Myspace is dangerous. Alumni Advisors should monitor pictures and stupid other things. A great deal of the time items posted on Myspace are taken out of context, to the outside world they can appear very bad and can cost the chapter a charter. People need to be smarter about these things.

[strubbe]

Originally Posted by SnuKnight172

People need to be smarter about these things.

Or just not haze/do anything that goes against the Law of Sigma Nu...

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by strubbe

Or just not haze/do anything that goes against the Law of Sigma Nu...

That's the best answer.

[SnuKnight172]

Originally Posted by strubbe

Or just not haze/do anything that goes against the Law of Sigma Nu...

Trust me I agree with you.

[LXAAlum]

Originally Posted by Kevin

but are especially saddened by the loss of this historic 97-year-old institution.

I think that might be one reason why they thought they could get away with it - it's the "it can't happen" here mentality....coupled with the myth that "nationals must love us, we've been here for x years"

You cross the line, it's over. Legacy and history are all shattered in an instant. All that is left now is regret.

Sad state of affairs that this mentality just won't go away, isn't it?

[banditone]

It's like our nationals is having to close all the old historic chapters to make that point.....

I can't imagine how chapters can be so "out-of-it" to not know they have to stop this behavior, or lose what 2000 men before them (in a lot of cases) worked and toiled to build.

[banditone]

Delta says they are aiming for Fall 2009 return.

[Kevin]

Good to hear.

[Kedzman]

It is quite obvious to me that Headquarters has a zero tolerance policy regarding hazing. It doesn't matter how old the chapter, how many alumni, how great the fraternity house, how much money the organization and their alumni have, how highly regarded SN is on that particular campus. Hazing gives ANY chapter a "go to jail - do not pass go - do not collect $200" card. Period.

We all know Epsilon Xi (Ole Miss) is all that I mentioned above. I promise you, if there were evidence of hazing there - BINGO. Gone!

Because this is SO clear to all of us, I just don't know how chapters continue to haze and think they can get away with it. Headquarters will not ease up on their commitment to our founding principals. They have the authority to pull charters and they will continue to do so.

[banditone]

Kedzman, your beloved NIU football team is in a battle right now with Louisiana Tech.