National to reorganize Phi Sig this weekend

The University chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity will be reorganized this weekend, a national staff member of the organization said this week. National Director of Member Services Todd Simpson said the national's reorganization committee will meet with the whole chapter today and interview all the members of the Locust Walk house tomorrow. By tomorrow night, the committee will inform the members who will be removed from the chapter, Simpson said, adding that by Sunday, the committee will meet with the remaining chapter leadership to start the rebuilding process. Phi Sig's national organization is reorganizing the University chapter due to an alleged hazing incident involving an intoxicated rush in January. The fraternity's investigation earlier this winter proved inconclusive, officials said. Judicial Inquiry Officer Constance Goodman has completed her investigation into the same incident, but she has yet to draw up the charges in the case if any exist. Goodman could not be reached for comment this week. Phi Sig President Bill Jaffe said yesterday that the fraternity's daily life has not been affected by the investigation, adding that the brothers' only preparation for the reorganization has been scheduling interview times for all the house members. Jaffe also said that most of the brothers are uncertain of what will happen after the reorganization because "no one has been through something like this before." "We haven't gotten a lot of feedback from national of what to expect," he added. Phi Sig brother Kevin Stockmann said that even though some brothers are nervous, he feels "our house will come out of it fine." College junior Jaffe said the chapter is waiting to be "out of the spotlight." "There's been so much build-up to this that people are anxious to get it over with and start fresh, instead of being under a microscope," he said. During the interview process, each member of Phi Sig will be judged on their past contributions to the chapter, school and activities, as well as their academic background and disciplinary history, said Simpson. In similar situations, fraternity members have been removed from the undergraduate chapter by being placed on "early alumni status." Phi Sig uses a similar instrument, called "disciplinary alumni status." Brothers who are assigned this designation will be forbidden from participating in all chapter functions, but will remain a member of the fraternity.

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