SMU Fraternity Chapter Suspended After Alleged Neighbor Harassment

GreenTexan13 · March 6, 2015

I guess we will not see SMU's Sigma Chi at tailgating at Ford Field in the Fall... https://gma.yahoo.com/smu-fraternity-chapter-suspended-alleged-neighbor-harassment-160907159--abc-news-topstories.html

Rudy · March 6, 2015

Thank God a stripper didn't live there.

meangreendork · March 6, 2015

Stay classy, SMU.

ChristopherRyanWilkes · March 6, 2015

This is exactly what has prompted zoning ordinances across the country to keep college rent houses away from family homes. Not surprised at all that it is SMU and kids living off of mommy and daddy's checkbook. When you actually have to work for what you have you learn to respect other's property.

foutsrouts · March 7, 2015

Thank God a stripper didn't live there.

And that there was no forced mano on mano oral stuff going on in their garages either. At least as far as we know at this point.

malonish · March 9, 2015

I have no good memories from Sigma Chi people. I frequently heard bad things. #SMUSourceOnGoMeanGreen

UNTLifer · March 9, 2015

That's unfortunate because we are not all bad.

UNTexas · March 9, 2015

People are a little harsh on fraternities these days. These are good organizations that are good for their members. Sure, drunk college students do dumb stuff. That's not exclusive to fraternities.

UNTDoubleAlum · March 9, 2015

People are a little harsh on fraternities these days. These are good organizations that are good for their members. Sure, drunk college students do dumb stuff. That's not exclusive to fraternities.

I'm totally sure there are good members, but with the large amount of issues we hear about, I'd propose that there is something wrong with the culture of Greek Life itself that needs to be addressed.

malonish · March 9, 2015

Speaking of Sigma Chi, I boxed at your Sigma Chi chapter's fundraiser. Got a neat little trophy for winning. That chapter put on a good show other than not playing the walkout song I requested The one they played was pretty good though. I'm the only Mustang to win in Denton that year.

cdizzle86 · March 10, 2015

Never understood the whole Greek life thing and really glad I didn't considering all the issues lately.

UNTLifer · March 10, 2015

Never understood the whole Greek life thing and really glad I didn't considering all the issues lately.

Don't label all by the actions and misdeeds of a few.

Eagle1855 · March 10, 2015

Never understood the whole Greek life thing and really glad I didn't considering all the issues lately.

It's worth noting there are a lot of the positive aspects to Greek life that don't make for juicy headlines.

NM Green · March 10, 2015

Agreed. Was not in a frat but don't paint splatter the criticism.

GMG

malonish · March 10, 2015

That's unfortunate because we are not all bad.

To clarify, I meant at SMOO

FirefightnRick · March 12, 2015

Question.

Back in the 80's there was a fraternity house in the middle of what is now the parking lot to the east of the Super Pit, that was an old apartment complex. In '87 or '88 they got caught dealing drugs out of it and was kicked off campus. The building was boarded up for several years before being torn down. Anyone remember which frat house that was?

Rick

SilverEagle · March 12, 2015

If you are talking about the one that kind of looked like a motel, then that would be the Sig Eps.

forevereagle · March 12, 2015

If you are talking about the one that kind of looked like a motel, then that would be the Sig Eps.

They were still there in 01, so they returned to campus at some point.

FirefightnRick · March 12, 2015

If you are talking about the one that kind of looked like a motel, then that would be the Sig Eps.

Thank you. That and the Sigma Nu's breaking into Paramount Pictures' Honey Well trailers and destroying the inside of them for fun in 1991 was the two worst frat incidents I recall when I was at NT.

Rick

Edited March 12, 2015 by FirefightnRick

tmjerm · March 12, 2015

Sigma Chi at North Texas gave me so much. The entire purpose of existing officially is "to cultivate and maintain the high ideals of friendship, justice, and learning"...we definitely lived by those values as a chapter, as do most Sigma Chi chapters in my experience. It is completely understandable that people view greek organizations so negatively...the media really loves these stories. And no doubt, in many cases the reputation may be earned by certain members...but as a previous poster mentioned, that type of behavior is not exclusive to fraternities. I haven't read much on the story since the initial reports, but I think I remember this was off campus at the apartment that belonged to no more than 5 guys...not exactly representative of the fraternity as a whole.

If you have to direct frustration with greeks somewhere, please be sure you direct it to those deserving, not those who do so much good in the community. I can promise you, you can be proud of North Texas' Sigma Chi chapter. Here are the standards by which membership is extended, which is taken very seriously by the NT chapter:

"The standard with which the Fraternity started was declared by Isaac M. Jordan to be that of admitting no man to membership in Sigma Chi who is not believed to be:

A man of good character …
A student of fair ability …
With ambitious purposes …
A congenial disposition …
Possessed of good morals …
Having a high sense of honor and
A deep sense of personal responsibility."

UNTexas · March 13, 2015

Sigma Chi at North Texas gave me so much. The entire purpose of existing officially is "to cultivate and maintain the high ideals of friendship, justice, and learning"...we definitely lived by those values as a chapter, as do most Sigma Chi chapters in my experience. It is completely understandable that people view greek organizations so negatively...the media really loves these stories. And no doubt, in many cases the reputation may be earned by certain members...but as a previous poster mentioned, that type of behavior is not exclusive to fraternities. I haven't read much on the story since the initial reports, but I think I remember this was off campus at the apartment that belonged to no more than 5 guys...not exactly representative of the fraternity as a whole.

If you have to direct frustration with greeks somewhere, please be sure you direct it to those deserving, not those who do so much good in the community. I can promise you, you can be proud of North Texas' Sigma Chi chapter. Here are the standards by which membership is extended, which is taken very seriously by the NT chapter:

"The standard with which the Fraternity started was declared by Isaac M. Jordan to be that of admitting no man to membership in Sigma Chi who is not believed to be:
A man of good character
A student of fair ability
With ambitious purposes
A congenial disposition
Possessed of good morals
Having a high sense of honor and
A deep sense of personal responsibility."

People who were in or are in fraternities or sororities know how fun it was or is and what they actully do. The hatred of these organizations is nothing new. Maybe because fraternities and sororities get to pick who they want to join? Maybe because they don't make public everything they do? I do know people view them as a bunch of white guys conspiring to do harm to minorities and women. Or they saw Animal House and all the knock offs to many times? These views are ignorant and laughable. Hell, my wife is in junior league and I love the stereotypes you hear around that.

ANY organization anywhere will have people doing outlandish stuff. At any walk in life too.

I'll always be glad I joined Phi Kap. If people don't like these organizations then stop paying attention to them. Pretty simple.

Edited March 13, 2015 by UNTexas

UNTDoubleAlum · March 13, 2015

If people don't like these organizations then stop paying attention to them. Pretty simple.

It isn't that simple though. Yeah, I admit I don't like exclusionary groups that don't have transparent requirements for membership. To me, that is basically a high school clic that got too much validation. Now, that is of course, my opinion, so maybe that is what your referring to. I don't like these organizations, and I should just stop paying attention to them.

The problem is, these organizations are out there actively damaging the school, the school's reputation, and thus by extension, everyone who has a degree from it. OU's team has lost a recruit over this. OU has been blasted with bad media this week. This frat hurt the school as an institution. That is something that affects every student who holds a piece of paper from that school, and thus the rest of the students, both at OU and every school where things like this happen, all have a very real right to be upset.

Edited March 13, 2015 by UNTDoubleAlum

oldguystudent · March 13, 2015

exclusionary groups that don't have transparent requirements for membership.

To be honest, until you start getting to the Skull and Bones level of fraternity, the requirements for membership aren't generally all that stringent or secretive. Pretty much boils down to, "Hey, he seems like a good guy, and maybe he'll pay his dues every once in a while."

All the super secret handshakes, ceremonies, symbols, letter meanings and whatnot, are nearly universally derived from the Masonic ritual of initiation, which can be kinda weird the first time you see it, but later on it just becomes this thing that you share with fellow members.

It might be slightly different at some of the larger, more expensive schools (particularly in the south), but for the most part, the great majority of male students at any state university who desire to join a fraternity can find one that suits them. I mean, if you spend your time sitting in a damp basement to the light of a single 60W bulb sharpening your hunting knife while eating from the cheetos bag strapped around your neck, your opportunities are going to plummet precipitously, but otherwise, among chapters on campus, you're quite likely to find one you enjoy spending time with.

UNTDoubleAlum · March 13, 2015

To be honest, until you start getting to the Skull and Bones level of fraternity, the requirements for membership aren't generally all that stringent or secretive. Pretty much boils down to, "Hey, he seems like a good guy, and maybe he'll pay his dues every once in a while."

All the super secret handshakes, ceremonies, symbols, letter meanings and whatnot, are nearly universally derived from the Masonic ritual of initiation, which can be kinda weird the first time you see it, but later on it just becomes this thing that you share with fellow members.

It might be slightly different at some of the larger, more expensive schools (particularly in the south), but for the most part, the great majority of male students at any state university who desire to join a fraternity can find one that suits them. I mean, if you spend your time sitting in a damp basement to the light of a single 60W bulb sharpening your hunting knife while eating from the cheetos bag strapped around your neck, your opportunities are going to plummet precipitously, but otherwise, among chapters on campus, you're quite likely to find one you enjoy spending time with.

Sure, I get that, although I would probably still disagree. Any organization that is even peripherally endorsed by a public institution needs to have completely transparent methods for joining. That doesn't work specifically for SMU, being a private school, but OU is obviously public, etc. But yeah, I get what your saying, and as I state above, that isn't my primary argument against frats.

The semi-official nature of Greek Life is a major contention for me though. The college institution, as well as the thousands of students that don't want to be involved with Greek Life, shouldn't negatively affected because of what these people do.

Edited March 13, 2015 by UNTDoubleAlum