half of sdsu’s suspended frats cleared

Updating the ongoing debacle unfolding at San Diego State University, NBC San Diego is reporting that three of the six suspended fraternities have now been reinstated on campus: Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Theta. The fraternities were suspended shortly after the police announced arrests of persons affiliated with the fraternity, pending an investigation of any institutional involvement. That investigation has now revealed that none of the three cleared chapterhouses were involved — though some members are still being examined. Three other fraternities remained suspended, “pending further investigation”: Lambda Chi Alpha, Theta Chi, and Phi Kappa Psi. The alleged cocaine kingpin on campus, Kenneth Ciaccio, is a member of Theta Chi.

σφε’s lessons as gtown’s only frat

It’s always hard to sew new fields and all the more so when those field have been strewn over with salt. Georgetown University once had social fraternities but long ago banished them from campus. In the spirit of a new millennium, Sigma Phi Epsilon decided to try to bring the greek spirit back to campus in 2005 — and was rewarded with a burgeoning chapter now in 2008. They admit it’s difficult lacking a house or even regular meeting space, but assert that the Sig Ep “Balanced Man” program provides all the structure they need — leavened with doses of outings like paintball and their annual retreat. By all accounts, Sig Ep is persevering in a less than accommodating college environment admirably. As it remains the only social fraternity at school, it remains to be seen whether those with a less strict regime will take root as well.

stanford pledges to lose housing privileges

Stanford University is moving to withdraw standard housing privileges from anyone pledging a housed fraternity or sorority, starting immediately. These “underprivileged” fraternity members have the option of later petitioning for so-called “unpreferred” housing, which places them at a severe disadvantage to non-greek students in terms of obtaining plum housing assignments — or housing at all. Alternatively, a pledge who drops before initiation may request removal from the underprivileged list. But there appears to be no allowance for greeks who opt not to live in chapterhouses or who cannot for lack of space, reflecting the university belief that “once a student pledges a fraternity or sorority, the responsibility of providing housing to the member falls to the house.” Noble sentiments and perhaps a step to equalize greek and indie options, but with the greek system growing at Stanford, space concerns may multiply. Moreover, if greek housing is to be officially recognized as replacements for university housing, serious consideration should be given the College Housing and Infrastructure Act pending in Congress, which would permit funding for greek housing under the same standards as college dorms.

u arizona φγδ and βθπ both snag top greek honor

What to do when the committee to select your campus’s Greek Man of the Year deadlocks? University of Arizona’s answer seems to be: Give both the finalists the award. This year the university’s fraternity and sorority office opted to hand out awards to both Mark L. Herchold, of Phi Gamma Delta, and Cameron Warner, of Beta Theta Pi. Along with the usual plethora of extracurriculars inhering to the top honoree(s), these winners sported an alphabet soup of other greek organizations: Herchold was also in the honorary Gamma Sigma Alpha; while Herchold was president of both Pi Sigma Alpha, a poli sci honorary, and of the Order of Omega, which recognizes greek leadership. Both, presumably, had seats at the head of the table at the annual banquet.

mit rush tracking system comes under fire

Since 2005, the greek system at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has obligated its member fraternities to use an online system to track freshmen. Every time an eligible freshman (that is, a male) enters an event during rush week, his registration is simultaneously and surreptitiously entered into the “Clearinghouse system,” which maintains a running record of every individual’s attendance throughout the week. This system, in turn, is only accessible to participating greek organizations. Apparently when the system was first introduced, entries were made in plain view of attendees, but wiser (or perhaps sneakier) minds have since moved the nitty-gritty to back rooms. This columnist writes on behalf of an aggrieved IGC group, the “Number Six Club,” which claims the system is tantamount to “Big Brother.” (Understandably, some freshmen agree.) Various manifestly flimsy excuses for the practice have been proffered in the past, ranging from “its to promote safety at parties“ to “we need to monitor event lengths.” The IFC has finally admitted this semester the purpose is in fact to track potential pledges to best direct rush efforts. Is this wrong? Probably. That’s what the article argues, anyway. (On a side note, your correspondent has no idea what the “Number Six Club” is. A fraternity? A society? A dining club? It seems to be under the IGC umbrella, whatever it is.)

an unusual medium for fraternity hijinks

Boston University aspiring artist Basil Conidine is offering a particularly unique take on fraternity and sorority. He’s penned an “opera comique in one act” about the travails of the (obviously fictional) Beta Epsilon Epsilon Rho fraternity, beset by a vengeful RA, inquisitive sorority girls, and the ever-vigilant Boston University cops. This isn’t any hack job, either: it’s scored for three sopranos, one mezzo-soprano, three baritones, and one tenor, along with piano and chamber orchestra. The show premiers at the BU Concert Hall on Tuesday the 13th; tickets are available for those in the Boston area.