Phi Sigma Kappa recolonizes

After just a one-year absence from the University, the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity recolonized at Penn last week, the first step toward reviving the 99-year-old chapter. The fraternity's Indianapolis-based national office suspended the University's previous Phi Sig chapter last spring after the brothers repeatedly violated alcohol and risk-management policies. Phi Sig National Director of Member Recruitment Sean Shingler spent two weeks on campus training about 20 people interested in reforming the brotherhood. The national placed the old chapter's members on alumni status last spring and has prohibited them from associating with the new group. On Thursday, members of the group interested in resurrecting Phi Sig attended a ritual ceremony, the first step in becoming brothers. They had elected an executive board the day before. Newly elected President Michael Germano, a Wharton sophomore, said that in addition to creating a constitution and bylaws for the colony, he is focusing on obtaining Student Activities Council recognition in the remaining few weeks of school. "As a whole, the new brothers have decided that it would be advantageous to register with them," Germano said. Michael Carey, the colony's local advisor and a director of Greek affairs at Villanova University, said that he will invite brothers from Villanova's Phi Sig chapter to help Penn build membership next year. "[I] hope to make their transition as smooth as possible," Carey said. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority affairs will also be instrumental in reincorporating Phi Sig into Penn's Greek system. Shingler and OFSA Assistant Director Tom Carroll met Thursday morning to establish weekly OFSA meetings for the colony where the members can maintain "an open line of communication" with the University, according to Shingler. Now that Phi Sig has a colony at Penn, the next step for the fraternity is to receive provisionary recognition from the InterFraternity Council. Before becoming a full-fledged fraternity chapter, the colony must have 35 members and meet other requirements involving grade point averages and participation in community service events. Shingler said the most difficult requirement in obtaining charter-status by the spring of 2000 -- the centennial anniversary of the Penn-Phi Sig affiliation -- will be meeting the membership requirement. Carroll said OFSA will make sure the colony is "up to the national guidelines" and working toward earning a charter. IFC Executive Vice President Andrew Exum, a College junior and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist, said the IFC executive board discussed recognition yesterday and would bring it before the IFC tomorrow. "Traditionally, the IFC has been very supportive of suspended chapters who have recolonized and returned to campus," the Sigma Nu brother noted.