Furman’s 147-Year-Old SAE Chapter Suspended For Multiple Violations
It sucks to have to write two of these stories in one day. It’s never enjoyable to write about the loss of yet another chapter, but these stories seem to arrive in waves. Just as I finished writing about Sigma Phi Epsilon’s suspension at Clemson, this story fell into my queue. Furman University suspended its Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter for the next three years. All members of the chapter have been suspended until they graduate.
The chapter, founded in 1868, was suspended for health and safety violations that seemed to center around the classic Bid Night activities. Of course, the university and national office weren’t too thrilled with the prospect of forced alcohol consumption, and down came the hammer.
From WYFF:
Many of South Carolina Phi’s brothers violated health-and-safety policies, which includes allegations of hazing through forced alcohol consumption during bid-night activities. Those members’ actions are completely unacceptable and have no place in our Fraternity nor in our membership-education program known as the True Gentleman Experience. In addition, they violated a university-imposed sanction, and a panel of alumni and staff conducted a membership review this past fall term following other health-and-safety incidents. The men were given multiple opportunities to resolve their infractions on several occasions, but we regret they failed to work through these issues after repeated attempts to assist them.
There may be one chapter in the country that follows its nationals’ “True Gentleman Experience” to the letter. Regardless, being caught and then refusing to fix your shit is a recipe for suspension.
The chapter is ineligible to be active on campus until at least the Fall 2017 semester. According to a letter written by Furman’s vice president – division of student life, the decision to close the chapter was decided by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Supreme Council.
All parties stated they hope to reestablish the chapter as soon as possible..
[via WYFF]
Image via Furman University
Phi Alpha, brothers. I can’t stand seeing stories about nationals giving up on chapters so easily. Greek life is, sadly, going downhill faster every year.
11 years ago at 8:20 pmFuck nationals. Thank you.
11 years ago at 8:48 pmGo to Furman’s website. In the past 5 years, Furman’s SAE Chapter only appears once in the Dean of Students’ register of disciplinary actions. Once.
In deciding to suspend SAE, FU punted this decision (and assigned responsibility)to the SAE National Office because FU know that aren’t violations that warrant such a severe penalty.
SAE National, however, is under siege by plaintiff’s attorneys who’ve brought lawsuits for serious breaches of human decency, school rules and SAE’s “True Gentlemen” philosophy. A tragic death of a Clemson pledge is one example of this. SAE National is playing hard ball with its Furman Chapter to appease its insurers and national critics.
The shame is that SAE National didn’t even investigate the matter. They relied solely on the investigation of Furman’s Dean of Students who has demonstrated a bias towards SAE during his entire tenure at Furman. His efforts to build a resume shouldn’t come at the expense of SAE Furman’s brothers’ reputations.
Hazing is the third rail of college offenses. And while some have concluded that the most recent event involved hazing, there is no information that supports this hazing allegation.
If there is, then Furman or SAE National should disclose this (and not hide behind FERPA regulations) so the guilty parties can be held accountable. If there isn’t, then SAE National and Furman should issue public statements in an effort to reduce the defaming effects of its slanderous statements.
11 years ago at 4:28 pm