UK’s Kentucky Alpha Chapter of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity won their appeal to the University Appeals Board on Monday following their sentencing to a two-year suspension by the university for an alleged hazing incident.
Despite winning the appeal, the fraternity is placed on disciplinary probation until July 1, 2011, according to a letter sent to Sigma Phi Epsilon President Aaron Tutt from the Dean of Students Office. The letter outlines 15 additional sanctions imposed on the fraternity. A violation of the terms could result in “disciplinary suspension or disciplinary expulsion,†according to the letter.
Tutt could not be reached for comment by press time.
Sigma Phi Epsilon sanctions
- The chapter must undergo a thorough membership review conducted by the Sigma Phi Epsilon Headquarters.
- The chapter must have a trained, functioning Alumni and Volunteer Corporation, Balanced Man Steward and Chapter Counselor.
- The chapter is not permitted to engage in recruitment activity of any kind until the membership review is complete and the Alumni and Volunteer Corporation, Balanced Man Steward and Chapter Counselor are in place.
- The chapter must pay its current debt to the university in full ($20,064 as of June 30), and will not be re-registered until the debt is cleared.
- The chapter is ineligible for university housing for the duration of the disciplinary probation. After the probation, the chapter can pursue housing opportunities with the university.
- The chapter must follow Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Balanced Man Program to provide a positive four-year developmental experience for members.
- The chapter must hold a university-approved anti-hazing seminar for its members at the beginning of each semester while on probation. Attendance must be mandatory and documentation of members attending, including any action taken against those not attending, must be submitted to the Fraternity & Sorority Affairs Office no later than one week after the event.
- The chapter must develop a membership contract that outlines all expectations and requirements for continued membership in Sigma Phi Epsilon. The contract must include an anti-hazing clause. Copies of the signed contracts must be submitted to the Fraternity & Sorority Affairs Office before the first day of class in each fall semester. Contracts for new members must be submitted within one week of the pledging date.
- The chapter must compile and submit to the Fraternity & Sorority Affairs Office an accurate, complete calendar of events prior to the first day of class in each semester for the duration of the disciplinary probation. The calendar of events must include all chapter activities and events for the upcoming semester, including any social, service, brotherhood, pledge or philanthropy events as well as chapter meetings, pledge meetings and Rites of Passage ceremonies.
- The chapter must have a university-approved alumni adviser or AVC member present at every pledging activity/event for the duration of the probation.
- The chapter must have a representative of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Headquarters present at all Rites of Passage ceremonies for the duration of the probation.
- The chapter must hold all pledge and chapter meetings at the university’s Student Center for the duration of the probation.
- The chapter must move its office elections to November so that new officers are in place in January. Executive officers must attend Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Carlson Leadership Academy in February for the duration of the probation.
- The chapter president, vice president for development and risk management officer must meet weekly with the assistant director of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs/fraternity adviser through July 1, 2010.
- The chapter must organize and implement a Standards Board using the guidelines set forth by Sigma Phi Epsilon Headquarters. The Standards Board should be appointed and operational by September 1, 2009. All actions taken by the Standards Board should be reported to the Fraternity & Sorority Affairs Office within one week of the action.
This is the most rediculous thing i have possibly seen in my life. It is obvious that the university of kentucky is holding a grudge against the members of sigma phi epsilon for winning their appeal and embarrising the university in doing so. In any uncorrupt system if an appeal is won that is the fact, it is won and the charges shall be removed that being the end of it. However since the university of kentucky obviously BEING a corrupt sytem, the fact that they have placed these unreasonable and completely unfair sancttions upon sig ep shows how corrupt they are. To add my last point i am very close with sig ep and know for a fact that they have not been contacted about these sanctions before the kentucky kernel published them. These decisions by the university are completely unjust and anyone and everyone who reads this article should realize that.
Sincerely, (any parent or child who every enters the corrupt university of kentucky.)
The deans who imposed these additional sanctions on Sig Ep, are an absolute disgrace to the university and the appeals system. Sig Ep won their appeal fair and square and the deans are obviously embarassed they were beaten by college students, and are now trying to publicly and unnecessarily embarass the members of this fraternity. Also, I know for a fact that aaron tutt was not contacted for this article, and he was not informed about these sanctions prior to reading this article. That seems real professional on dean blantons part. These corrupt university officials deserve to lose their jobs.
I find it very desturbing that i attend a university that wastes their money (while my tuition increases) paying deans that have nothing better to do with their time than impose rediculous sanctions that do not fit the crime what so ever.
Thanks UK
For the hard work that behind the scenes that was put in. It is unjustly evident that these sanctions were not approved by the national organization. No one reguardless of how willing they are to improve thier fraternity could possibly operate under these sanctions. This is a complete embarassment to the undergrad organization of Sigma Phi Epsilon. There is far to many impressive individuals in this group that do not deserve this.
An Embarassed Alumni
I’m glad your chapter won the appeal. I assume it was justly earned (I’ve just being making assumptions about some details of the story since the media doesn’t get everything about fraternities right..). Some of these sanctions are things that a lot of SigEp chapters follow, but I’m sorry that UK has not only tacked on excessive and seemingly unnecessary sanctions, but they obviously gave them in the least professional way possible. Leave it to a university… Anyway, I wish your chapter the best of luck. I’m sure you all will make the best of your situation. You were a strong chapter before and you most likely shall continue to be.
In Phi…
I haven’t been following nor do I know any details of this particular case so I don’t know the merits of it, but the headline “fraternity wins appeal” caught my attention. I know of 5 student cases that have gone to the University Appeals Board (UAB), and in every case the appeals board has upheld the appeal (i.e., let the student off the hook). I’m curious if anyone knows of any case where the UAB has actually denied an appeal? Seems that all you have to do as a student, whether in trouble for hazing or committing crimes against academic integrity (e.g., cheating, plagiarizing) is deny everything and go to the appeals board!
wow, sounds bad. oh well, rush SAE
Glad this is where my tuition money is going to. A new coach and once again punishing the Greek system.
sounds like a bunch of sig eps on hear complaining….just shut up. your lucky you didnt get totally kicked off campus for good, be grateful and dont complain about corruption or the sanctions…you fucked up. pay your debts and move on
I don’t understand what Sig Ep has done to deserve the position of “whipping boy” among the Greeks at UK? I will not mention any names, but I know for a fact that worse things have been committed by other Greeks, that go unnoticed/undisciplined all the time. I am a worthy brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon, and have met some of the finest and honorable peers I know of because my experiences with it. Now on that note, I still stand on my grounds that Sig Ep did not deserve its punishments in the first place, but that I am very thankful it still exists “in the very least” on UK’s campus. It is absolutely ridiculous if it were to be banned completely from an institution, absurd to have a house taken from Sig Ep’s possession, and then to be practically hog tied and sufficated by the university now for no reasons. I am appauled. The way I see it Sig Ep will still be a brotherhood no matter what, and this is just a pitiful loss on UK’s behalf.
Semper Fi Sig Ep
So I like how the defense I keep hearing is “hey, other people were doing the same things” — that’s a defense? if you are guilty, you are guilty. A is A.
These sanctions seem extremely harsh. I dont think this is the end of the battle
RickJames on June 12th, 2009 3:55 pm The University Of Kentucky wants to move all Frats off Campus. UK is land hungry and will do anything to rid itself of Greeks. Just look at the number of frats back in the 70s, 80s, 90s and now today. See the pattern. Soon there will be zero on campus frats.
michael johnson on June 13th, 2009 8:56 am Its clear fratirnities are being farmed off on neighborhoods. They take up space and inhibit growth plans. It was once said (UK is a neighborhood cancer.) All you have to do is drive around it to see the truth of it. Uk respects no one and has no institutional control. Bigger is not better its just land greed.
Sig Ep got what they deserved. They hazed after getting caught multiple times. They needed to be smarter about what they were doing. Yes, other fraternities haze, they just find ways to not make it blatant. The “mortal combat,” incident really irked Dean Ellis and someone was going to pay for it, unfortunately it was Sig Ep. Maybe if Sig Ep actually did things to improve their reputation with the University, (like a philanthropy event…) they would have been able to negotiate a less painful punishment. No chapter can survive and be strong after such penalties. My guess is Sig Ep goes the way of FIJI or Phi Tau here and becomes national’s chapters and do everything by the books. Also, please UK dont give ATO Sig Eps house…..
I am from another SEC school and Sig Ep on my campus was also recently under a bit (understatement) of scrutiny. I have no idea what Sig Ep did at UK, but if it was anywhere near as bad as what they did at my school, they deserve every bit of what they got. Everyone knows that hazing goes on, it just sucks when you get caught because no matter what fraternity/chapter/school you are, you are going to get severe disciplinary actions taken against you. Everyone that is in a fraternity that participates in hazing knows what could potentially happen if they get caught, and Sig Ep just happened to take the fall this time. Hazing will never completely end, and nor should it. Just dont get out of hand, and dont get caught.
Also, on a side note, the spelling in those first posts is atrocious. I would be embarrassed if I went to UK…
I bet ANON is a Delta Sig by the name of Joe Fryman who can’t stand that he is still in the worst fraternity at UK.
Hazing is illegal. Hazing violates the UK’s IFC constitution. Hazing violates the Sigma Phi Epsilon national fraternity constitution/bylaws. Sig Ep at UK hazed and got caught 3 times in one school year.
UK is probably one of the most lenient SEC schools when fraternities are caught for hazing. Most schools operate with a revolving door of fraternities constantly being kicked off and probated, etc. Sig Ep is very lucky they can remain an entity, any other school they would be gone.
The Sig Ep house has been leased on a month to month basis since its original 4 year lease ended in 2006 because of its rocky relationship with the University. When you don’t have any involvement on campus and no strong working relationship with Deans it makes it much easier to get punished.
I agree the terms of the probation are very extensive and overkill but that is because they deserved to be removed.
Dean Ellis is a Sig Ep alum…so even with his bias he knew what had to be done. Rules are rules and Sig Ep needs to pay.
Who gets the house? The new Sorority Alpha Phi…
I am a Pike at another SEC School. I found this article while perusing the internet looking for information on Greeks at UK (where I am contemplating Grad School). I must say that some of the best guys I know are SigEps and that includes two of my best friends. Regardless of what happened the SigEps at UK won their appeal and if they did the matter should have been dropped. These sanctions are worse than probation, they are worse than “double secret†probation, they are an attempted death sentence. It sounds like the deans at UK feel the stereotype of every college movie ever produced. I must look deeper into this matter as I must say it in and of itself is making me question whether or not I wish to spend my money at UK.
Good Luck SigEp