Sig Ep Chapter loses Charter

EGDeepher · #1 01-30-2003, 03:46 PM

I'm very sad to announce that the New Jersey Alpha Chapter of Sig Ep has lost it's charter.

After a two year battle with administration the charter was pulled on Tuesday Jan. 28.

The details were not disclosed to the other Greek houses. The school has looked down at the greek system for the past 5 years and has been looking for a way to get rid of it. Sig Ep is the first house to go. A good friend of mine and Sig Ep brother said all brothers must vacate the house within 30 days and make other living arrangements. The red doors of Sig Ep will forever close on Feb. 28, 2003

RIP Sig Ep- I spend many great times there and will miss it dearly.

oceanphi01 · #2 01-30-2003, 04:02 PM

Why does the school not like Greeks? That sounds so ridiculous.

Peaches-n-Cream · #3 01-30-2003, 07:42 PM

That's too bad.

I always liked Sig Ep brothers in college.

EGDeepher · #4 01-30-2003, 08:22 PM

Our school is a Tech school and sees Greeks as drunk, trouble causing people. It's a terrible situation. They do not see all the great things we do like charity work or the fact that 75% of non greek orginizations are run by Greeks.

Tom Earp · #5 01-30-2003, 11:27 PM

Go figure? A Tech School of all things!

Amazing, Fl Tech in Melbourne, Fl. has a thriving Greek Society!

At least 2 members of GC are on Site, jonobn41 and astrophi.

1 Alum and 1 current student!

I was there in Nov. and met the Brothers of LXA, BN Chapter and were an outstanding bunch of guys.

Greeks a bunch of drunks?

Well, we do party, but what is wrong with that? One must let off a little steam!

As I remeber reading the School newspaper, the Greek GPA was higher than the overall school! Hell, this is a "Tech. School"!

Should tell someone something, hey!

texas*princess · #6 01-31-2003, 12:27 PM

That is terrible

Can the schools pull charters ? I was under the impression only inter/national offices could do that. It's also terrible that they were an Alpha chapter

hoosier · #7 01-31-2003, 12:57 PM

NJ Tech?

moe.ron · #8 01-31-2003, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by texas*princess
That is terrible Can the schools pull charters ? I was under the impression only inter/national offices could do that. It's also terrible that they were an Alpha chapter

I may reading this wrong, but anyway. This chapter is New Jersey's Alpha Chapter. Our first chapter is Virginia Alpha which is in University of Richmond. But if you knew that, ignore this.

g41965 · #9 01-31-2003, 07:09 PM

New Jersey Alpha (of SPE) is at Stevens Tech in Hoboken I think. Stevens is a private school. Private schools have a lot more control over Student organizations than public because First Amendment Freedom of Association Rights do not apply (look at Colby , Dartmouth, Waynesburg etc.

Kevin · #10 02-01-2003, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by texas*princess
That is terrible Can the schools pull charters ? I was under the impression only inter/national offices could do that. It's also terrible that they were an Alpha chapter

Most NIC groups will pull the charter if the school withdraws recognition.

NinjaPoodle · #11 02-03-2003, 04:26 PM

Hello,

FYI
I went to the SPE NJ Alpha website and this letter was on the front page:
***********************************************

January 30, 2003

Fellow alumni,

I'm sorry that you have been left in the dark over the past few days, but things have been happening faster than I can keep up. Below is my personal point of view -- it would be inappropriate for me to speak for the entire board without their consent. I will try to stick to the facts.

March 2002 -- A fight after a party lands two people in the hospital. Assault charges are eventually dropped, but Stevens places the chapter on social probation and threatens to close the chapter.

May 2002 -- A noise compliant from the neighbors at 1-2 am on a Thursday night. It's a brothers-only event, but Stevens considers it a social gathering. They threaten to close the chapter, but the alumni board bargains for banning alcohol at the house. That's why Founder's Day was dry.

January 11, 2003 -- There is a small fire in the stove on Saturday morning that is quickly extinguished. There is a second, larger fire Saturday night that triggers the sprinkler system and alarms. The Hoboken fire department and campus security respond promptly and proceed to do their jobs, which includes checking the rest of the extension to be sure everything is safe. Property damage is minimal. 3 kegs are in the closet.

Within a few days, the Stevens administration decides that they have issued enough warnings over the past two years, and now it's time to revoke recognition of the chapter. The alumni board is informed on January 21. The actives are told as a group on
January 27.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the short term, I think Stevens wants to disperse the actives as quickly as possible. The kitchen will be closed on January 31, and the school distributed housing applications at the Jan 27 meeting. Two graduate advisors will be moving into the houses by next week. All the actives must be out of the house by graduation.

Looking forward, Dean Nilsen and VP Weatherall tell us that Stevens will consider National's petition to re-colonize after a two year waiting period, maybe longer if things go badly over the next few months. Over the past week and a half I have focused on what must be done until NJ Alpha can be re-started: budgets, taxes, utilities, insurance, maintenance, city inspections, state sprinkler laws, and so on. There is a very real possibility that the alumni board cannot afford to keep the properties for the next few years.

I value all your comments and suggestions. I want to see SigEp return to Stevens as much as you do. I have every hope that cooperation will allow SigEp to overcome the significant obstacles that lay before us.

Steve Buce
'86, #510, alumni treasurer