Nasty allegations at NIU. It has gotten to the point where NIU is corresponding with Craig Templeton, SigEp's national executive director, about whether the chapter there will be closed.
The Northern Illinois University chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon is facing potentially strict judicial punishment for a number of incidents over the past several years.Maybe the alleged events at Bradley didn't warrant a "frat-boy" label, but these do...
According to documents acquired by the Northern Star from NIU Judicial Affairs via a Freedom of Information Act request, the fraternity's violations include underage alcohol consumption, racially motivated harassment of another fraternity and several violent incidents, among other infractions.
[...]
NIU Judicial Affairs director Larry Bolles, in correspondence obtained between he and Craig Templeton of the Sigma Phi Epsilon national office, recommended the fraternity's NIU chapter be shut down.
"Recent actions taken by ... Sigma Phi Epsilon have created a dangerous environment for the NIU Greek System as well as the NIU community as a whole. The Chapter's actions pose a clear and present danger causing concern for the safety and welfare of our students," Bolles said in the letter. "Those incidents, combined with past incidents, have led to the conclusion that the NIU chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon must be closed down. The environment created by their most recent actions is dangerous to the safety and welfare of those who reside on Greek Row."
According to the correspondence between Bolles and Templeton, Sigma Phi Epsilon, ("Sig Eps") on Aug. 26,, 2007, held a social event in violation of Greek Affairs and Intrafraternity Council (IFC) regulations. As a result of the violations, the IFC restricted the fraternity's ability to hold social and recruiting events. Sigma Alpha Mu ("Sammies") was the complainant in the incident, as its house is located close to the Sig Eps house, according to the letter.The Bradley SigEps were quick to defend their actions in the comments section. Does the NIU chapter have excuses too?
After the Sammies reported the incident, Sig Eps retaliated by, on several occasions, harassing Sammies members with racial slurs, Bolles said in the letter. The incidents led to "increased tensions among the chapters on Greek Row," and "created an atmosphere that is no way conducive to the Greek lifestyle and has created the potential for violence," Bolles said.
[...]
On April 21, 2007, one month after a deferred suspension, Sigma Phi Epsilon was issued citations for allowing underage alcohol consumption to occur at its house, Bolles said in the letter. Four individuals were cited for underage consumption that evening, all of whom stated they were drinking at the Sig Eps house.
[...]
According to the correspondence between Bolles and Templeton, a Sig Eps member threw beer bottles at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house on April 26, 2007. When the chapter was confronted by Greek Row security, the security officers were treated disrespectfully by Sig Eps members, which security workers state has been a recurring problem with the fraternity. Sig Eps members reportedly would tell security workers "you work for us" and "you don't tell us what to do," Bolles said in the letter.
Northern Illinois U. Sig Eps under fire
