Phi Sig national will reorganize campus chapter

The national organization of Phi Sigma Kappa will be "reorganizing" the fraternity's University chapter and may remove some current undergraduates from the house because of "inappropriate activities," national officials announced Friday. National officials said Friday that a committee made up of national fraternity staff, officers and two alumni representatives will interview every brother and rush in the University's chapter, and those who do not "agree to uphold and abide" by the fraternity's principles and policies will be removed from the undergraduate chapter. The national organization would not specify how they would remove these members, but Bill Jaffe, the University's chapter president, said the national organization would put them on early alumni status. It is unclear how many brothers could be affected by such action. National executive vice president Tom Recker said in a statement released last Friday, that the evidence collected from its investigation into an alleged hazing incident on January 18, was "conflicting and inconclusive." "We are, however, greatly concerned over some inappropriate activities related to this matter as well as to other problems involving alcohol," Recker said. It is still unclear exactly what happened at the house on January 18. Last week, the president of the University's alumni chapter Tom Curtis, said the incident involved an intoxicated freshman. But on Friday, Todd Simpson, the national organization's director of member services, said the misuse of alcohol was not part of the actual incident. He said the house's use of alcohol in general was investigated, however. The national president of Phi Sig made the decision, and the process of reorganization has already started, Simpson said. In most fraternity houses, early alumni status means that the affected students are no longer members of the house but do have the same privileges that alumni have. But Simpson said Sunday that Phi Sig has no "early alumnus status." Instead, Phi Sig has a disciplinary alumni status, which in most cases involves a brother's complete removal from the chapter and all chapter functions while still allowing him to be a member of the fraternity, Simpson said. Jaffe said that brothers in the house are not happy with national's decision. "Every brother in this house deserves to stay in the house," Jaffe said. "Any decision made by national on the chapter the brothers aren't going to be happy with, but considering the circumstances, it could have been worse." College junior and Phi Sig brother J.J. Ufberg said losing any brothers would be hard since the house is small already. The house is already conducting a spring rush. Yet Jaffe said he is "positive" the chapter will stay in existence. "[We will] have support from national and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. . . and I'm confident that we have a strong brotherhood," said Jaffe. "and we have people that are willing to make an effort to keep the chapter as strong as possible."

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