Southern Methodist: Kappa Alpha Closed, Kappa Sigma Suspended

[exlurker]

At Southern Methodist recently one fraternity chapter has been closed and another has been placed on temporary suspension, according to the campus paper.

Southern Methodist and Kappa Alpha Order have made a joint decision to close the KA chapter at SMU “ . . . until the 2011-2012 academic year.

The announcement was made . . . Feb. 9 . . . and the suspension became effective that day. The fraternity house must be vacated by 5 p.m. on Feb. 14.

The fraternity currently had 78 members and 24 new pledges.

Lori White, SMU vice president for student affairs, said the university will assist current members and new pledges in the transition to other housing. The Office of Residence Life and Student Housing will help those displace from the fraternity house.

New pledges wanting to join another fraternity will be able to contact the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life for advice.”

Complete article is at

http://media.www.smudailycampus.com/...-3621348.shtml


Also at SMU:
. . . Kappa Sigma fraternity was placed on temporary deferred suspension after alleged 2008 violations including alcohol and drug violations, an alleged hazing incident, an alleged sexual assault and failure to register social events.

While on probation, Kappa Sigma is prohibited from planning, hosting or co-hosting an social event on or off campus. . . .

Dr. Lori White expressed in a letter to the fraternity her discontent about "the apparent lack of control over the behavior of individual members."

. . . White, SMU's dean of students and other Student Affairs officials will meet with the fraternity's leadership, national representative and advisors to determine if a commitment and a plan can be developed to change behavior.

Article is at:

http://media.www.smudailycampus.com/...-3621355.shtml

[ECUJacob]

Although it's always sad to hear of a fraternity chapter closing, my sympathy has boundaries after reading that both group were given multiple chances and both chose to continuously break the rules.

Best of luck to these gentlemen as they transition out of Greek Life... I'm sure it will be difficult.

[srmom]

Although it's always sad to hear of a fraternity chapter closing, my sympathy has boundaries after reading that both group were given multiple chances and both chose to continuously break the rules

Yeah, but, there should be equity in justice...

http://www.texasmonthly.com/2009-02-01/feature2.php

http://www.insidehighered.com/layout...2009/01/28/smu

Since Stiles’ death, SMU’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has received five judicial reprimands, and was on disciplinary probation until May 1, 2008

It helps to have alumni on the Board of Trustees...

[BadCat25]

I have no sympathy for these idiots. It sounds like greek life at SMU is out of control.

[srmom]

It sounds like life in general is out of control at SMU - and it's my alma mater .

Too much money, too much entitlement, too little oversight.

[ComradesTrue]

All I can say is to that Texas Monthly article. Srmom is right on when she says they are playing favorites with disciplining the fraternities.

I had several friends who went to SMU, some of whom were greek. This was not the lifestyle that they were involved with, though that was 15+ years ago. It saddens me greatly to see the direction that things have gone there.

SMU is a great academic school- though I am not sure that I would go so far as to put it on the level of Duke, as they tried in the article!!!- but this type of social culture is scary. Three dead kids in one year and the administration still barely acknowledging there is problem.

I don't have all the answers, but I do know that simply having students attend a lecture on "Drugs are Bad" is absolutely not going to have any effect, which has been the solution thus far. It will take much more than that, but hopefully that won't include any more tragic losses of life.

[BadCat25]

US News ranks Duke 8 and SMU 66. One of my sisters is from Texas and says SMU is the school for Texas rich kids who want to party.

[exlurker]

A so-so follow-up story from the Southern Methodist campus paper, almost entirely quotes or personal opinions of assorted people around campus about Kappa Alpha's situation (and some other fraternities):

http://media.www.smudailycampus.com/...-3626126.shtml

[srmom]

One of my sisters is from Texas and says SMU is the school for Texas rich kids who want to party

Actually, that's TCU. SMU is for rich kids from around the country (especially the northeast and lakeshore, Chicago) who want to party

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by srmom

Actually, that's TCU. SMU is for rich kids from around the country (especially the northeast and lakeshore, Chicago) who want to party

That would make it one out of, oh, 1,000. There's nothing unique about a private school that draws partiers with rich parents.

[SMUalphachi]

SMU has gotten a really bad reputation in the news lately... for isolated incidents. This is not the norm. (Though the article posted does make it clear that several members of one fraternity are involved in hard drugs, those boys are in the minority of that chapter. I admittedly did not know a lot of members of that fraternity at that time, but I know they have made it a point to turn themselves around and drug users are now the minority of the chapter.) SMU students do party -- but not any more than students of any other school I've heard of. I know I shouldn't take it personally, but it still hurts when I hear our students described as rich kids who only want to party. I haven't met one student who is here for the party reputation... please, introduce me to one of these mysterious students. Maybe they'll take me out, because it sounds like I've been missing out on a hell of a lot of fun, according to SMU's reputation.

Greek life at SMU isn't out of control. Believe me, I would be one of the first to admit it if I felt that the deaths at SMU were not isolated incidents. I also find it very interesting that there is continued blame on Greeks, when two of the three deaths had absolutely no ties to the Greek system. All of the deaths were absolutely tragic and I feel pain for their friends and family just thinking about it. I know it's easier for people to point fingers, but there is simply no reason to point them at the Greek system.

I was shocked that KA got kicked off our campus. They are good guys who don't cause trouble. They have a reputation for being gentlemen, and I can honestly say that I've never met one I haven't liked since they have all been consistently friendly and polite. Though they are a top house on our campus, they aren't known for being wild or for partying too hard. They have fun, of course, but their fun is not inappropriate and doesn't hurt anybody. (And no, I'm not saying that to point fingers at another fraternity on campus.) I know there are rules in place for a reason, but there was no reason KA should have been kicked off for this specific incident.

In the past, there have been fraternities caught hazing, fraternities caught with drugs, fraternities caught with drug dealers, fraternities who had members die, fraternities who had been caught date raping more than one girl, and fraternities that continuously crossed the line into inappropriate behavior. Those fraternities are still on our campus; KA has been kicked off for having an off-campus party while on social probation. It is completely ridiculous and I have to wonder if they are just being made an example of.

I do want to be clear that though there have been fraternities caught doing all of those things, 99% of the boys in our Greek system are good kids and I have nothing bad to say about them. Some tragic things have happened, and I admit that there are some bad seeds in the Greek community who do things that don't represent the letters they wear on their chests. The implication that our Greek life, or our entire lifestyle, for that matter, is out of control is not only incorrect, but incredibly hurtful.

[srmom]

I was just kidding about SMU being the school for rich kids who want to party. That's why I put the wink face.

From my experience (back in the 80's), there was alot of partying going on, but for the most part, it was the fairly innocuous kind - keg parties. But, we had our fair share of major partiers in the greek system (coke, pot, ecstasy, etc.). I don't think SMU was/is alone in that though, plenty of other schools have their share of potheads. One issue I found though is that when there is alot of money, the drugs flow pretty freely.

But, back to the initial post and my problem with it:

I do think there is a serious issue when one house can get away with a pattern of drug use (in the not-so-distant past) and another gets kicked off for having a party. And, I think the reason for the disparity in justice is $$$$ and influence.

I know that this is prevalent at other campuses too, and it is just reality, BUT, it doesn't make it right.

[phisiglindsey]

Our Kappa Sigma chapter was suspended last year. It's a wonder no one knows about that. I guess at a small school, with a small Greek life, no one hears about our little drama. They were suspended for all the same reasons too.