I have many hazy memories of Sig Ep parties, back in the day. Seems they're done for good.
NJ.com link
NJ.com link
OT-ish: Sig Ep kicked out
- Thread starter RU4Real
- Start date
I didn't know that they were now renting the Zeta Psi house who is gone too from Rutgers. Those "Around the World" parties and big outdoor parties in March at Zeta Psi were some of the best parties I ever went to.
I didn't even realize they were in the zeta psi house. If things go the way they have been the past 10 years it will be a sorority house by the fall and fraternity house life will continue to die...
Fraternity life is dying at RU and I don't see a way to stop it without RU getting heavily involved. I don't see RU stepping up.
I don't see a good future for greek life unless RU follows the model that NJIT did which was build housing for fraternities set up like dorm life, obviously it won't be the same.
Fraternity life is dying at RU and I don't see a way to stop it without RU getting heavily involved. I don't see RU stepping up.
I don't see a good future for greek life unless RU follows the model that NJIT did which was build housing for fraternities set up like dorm life, obviously it won't be the same.
Over the last half dozen years I've had the opportunity to do many, many campus visits on account of the Little 4Reals.
One thing that stands out is the strong de-emphasis on Greek Life, which manifests in different ways but in the aggregate more than suggests an opinion that the schools no longer consider it integral to the overall college experience.
On a tour at Dickinson College the tour guide was asked about sororities by a prospective student. The tour guide very matter-of-factly described the myriad programs that Dickinson offers outside of the classroom and then went on to say that "If the sorority scene is something that's a big part of your overall decision process, then Dickinson is probably not your best choice."
Yeah - it's kind of sad. I remember from my freshman year to senior year greek life had really taken a hit. I definitely understand it from an administrative stand, but I also think it adds to the college experience (and I was never greek). And as one poster said earlier Zeta Psi house will now be a sorority within the year - funny to think that having letters on a house was considered a brothel when I went there not so long ago.
OT but I never realized there were that many Frats and Sororities. Even back in the 60's the school I went to had 11-12 frats and 9-10 sororities for the 8,500or so students.
How many at RU have houses?
How many at RU have houses?
It amazes me how many of the big fraternities from when I went to school just 6 years ago are now gone. At this rate it won't be long until they are all gone
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
You'll have to go to house parties in off campus housing of people you know instead of frat house parties of people you know in slightly less off campus housing.
I would guess that there will actually be LESS oversight of parties without frats, as they at least have some responsibility to the school, whereas a bunch of dudes living in a house more or less have none.
This is not RU's fault. It is the fault of the national Sig Ep chapter which revoked their charter. Once revoked, the University cannot recognize the organization as a fraternity.
I will be the first to point out that parties should not be the only thing a fraternity makes itself about. It is a chance to learn how to become initiated into a society, manage and lead people, develop and contribute towards organizational goals, and perform good works and good deeds in the community. These are all primary purposes of college fraternities. And they were all a part of my fraternity experience.
College, in general, is about making of it what you want. A very important part of college experience is to form friendships and yes, develop a social life which includes a little heavy partying at times. This part is universal to all college students, Greek or otherwise.
What these policies are doing is making someone choose between gaining all that good experience in Greek life or being free to engage in what so many other college students are doing.
It boils down to liability for the national chapters, which is going to lead to the end of old fashioned fraternity life. Unless, you know, parties go out of style among college aged people in the near future.
I will be the first to point out that parties should not be the only thing a fraternity makes itself about. It is a chance to learn how to become initiated into a society, manage and lead people, develop and contribute towards organizational goals, and perform good works and good deeds in the community. These are all primary purposes of college fraternities. And they were all a part of my fraternity experience.
College, in general, is about making of it what you want. A very important part of college experience is to form friendships and yes, develop a social life which includes a little heavy partying at times. This part is universal to all college students, Greek or otherwise.
What these policies are doing is making someone choose between gaining all that good experience in Greek life or being free to engage in what so many other college students are doing.
It boils down to liability for the national chapters, which is going to lead to the end of old fashioned fraternity life. Unless, you know, parties go out of style among college aged people in the near future.
When I was a Sig Ep, we had two houses, side-by-side at 572 and 574 George Street. They were replaced by one big, new Sig Ep house, followed in a few years by bankruptcy, then taken over by Phi Gam and now torn down for campus expansion.
This post was edited on 3/25 12:51 PM by keywestRU
This post was edited on 3/25 12:51 PM by keywestRU
Losers who have no friends wouldn't be afforded the second chance to make a good impression at a fraternity. After being neglected by all the students on his freshman dorm floor, he could take his toned down act to a fraternity, bond with pledges coming from similar circumstances, and use the power of the fraternity system to make a pretty good college experience for himself. Until he gets older and hazes a pledge to the point where the pledge must go to the hospital due to serious injury or worse, and the frat then gets shutdown and nj.com publishes an article about it in the paper.
So does losing fraternities actually change campus life? IDK
This post was edited on 3/25 12:58 PM by RUsojo
So does losing fraternities actually change campus life? IDK
This post was edited on 3/25 12:58 PM by RUsojo
Another feather in Dean Arnholt's cap. She'll retire when all fraternities at RU are dead, and they'll name the OFSA building after her.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
My daughter is currently a Gamma on campus. The soroity side of the Greek system is exploding. It is very common for these soroties to have a pledge class of 50+. I am told that With RU in the Big Ten it is very appealing to be in a Big Ten school sorority.
Rutgers has had an adverarial relationship with fraternites going back to my time there 76-80. Prior to that fraternities were viewed as very necessary as a housing alternative on campus.
Bad episode here with Sig Ep.
Rutgers has had an adverarial relationship with fraternites going back to my time there 76-80. Prior to that fraternities were viewed as very necessary as a housing alternative on campus.
Bad episode here with Sig Ep.
As someone whose been involved with my local chapter for the last 15 years. It's really difficult to be in a fraternity these days. Every activity is closely monitored, one slip up on some paperwork and you face fines and/or suspension of activities.
Every party must be registered and signed off by the school, you commit to ID'ing all guests, issuing wrist bands, providing food, and stating it's BYOB. They send grad student around during the week to all the houses to check up if there's an unauthorized event. It's amazing how Greeks are governed so tightly by the school but yet are not allowed to receive student activity funding. RU Marijuana club? No problem here's some student fees to help run each semester. Frat? Nope you pay us twice (on the tuition bill and then per member semesterly) and then we tell you how to run yourselves.
As for Sig Ep National revoking the charter- It's a strategic move by first removing it, they can wait a few years and petition to bring it back easier than if Rutgers pulled the charter which could take at least 10 years to be even mentioned.
Every party must be registered and signed off by the school, you commit to ID'ing all guests, issuing wrist bands, providing food, and stating it's BYOB. They send grad student around during the week to all the houses to check up if there's an unauthorized event. It's amazing how Greeks are governed so tightly by the school but yet are not allowed to receive student activity funding. RU Marijuana club? No problem here's some student fees to help run each semester. Frat? Nope you pay us twice (on the tuition bill and then per member semesterly) and then we tell you how to run yourselves.
As for Sig Ep National revoking the charter- It's a strategic move by first removing it, they can wait a few years and petition to bring it back easier than if Rutgers pulled the charter which could take at least 10 years to be even mentioned.
Hope to see Sig Ep back in a few years with a fresh start. Same is true for other groups including my own.
I agree that Rutgers doesn't do the system any favors and we need strong alumni support to provide directly to chapters but also to be a lobbying force for the system. The challenge there is that we need to be lobbying for positive investments in the system not just trying to cover up for our guys.
I agree that Rutgers doesn't do the system any favors and we need strong alumni support to provide directly to chapters but also to be a lobbying force for the system. The challenge there is that we need to be lobbying for positive investments in the system not just trying to cover up for our guys.
Rutgers has been chomping at the bit for decades to grind the greek system under their heel. I remember they used the Lambda Chi incident to come down on all of the fraternities like a load of bricks. Every time they get a chance, they pound on it and reduce its footprint at RU.
I believe the fraternity oversight at Rutgers and other schools is more about liability. Alcohol is the biggest evil here. Every time a party happens and underage drinking is prevalent many things can go wrong. Imagine a 19 year female attends a party where she gets intoxicated on beer plus spirits that the brothers of a chapter have in their rooms as a way to win her favor. Now a lot can happen if she is a skinny little girl that drank too much. There can be an assault by a partygoer which would be very bad. It can also be as simple as the young girl being so drunk that she falls down the front stairs as she leaves the house breaking bones. In either case you know there can be a lawsuit. Since Rutgers oversees recognized greek organizations they will be a plaintiff. The fraternity will also be a plaintiff plus every person who gave this girl a drink. If an 18 year old new brother is tending the bar and serving drinks is this person able to cut someone off?
When you go to Olde Queens or the Knight Club they have bouncers checking IDs and bartenders serving drinks. If a bartender overserves at Olde Queens and something happens then the drunken person can sue Olde Queens who has insurance to cover incidents.
In American society we have seen alcohol become a big evil with DWI punishments becoming a bigger deal then 30 years ago. I am sure there are some on this board over 60 who got pulled over while drunk as young 20 somethings and the cop just said "please drive careful and get home safe". Now if you get pulled over drunk you are arrested.
When you go to Olde Queens or the Knight Club they have bouncers checking IDs and bartenders serving drinks. If a bartender overserves at Olde Queens and something happens then the drunken person can sue Olde Queens who has insurance to cover incidents.
In American society we have seen alcohol become a big evil with DWI punishments becoming a bigger deal then 30 years ago. I am sure there are some on this board over 60 who got pulled over while drunk as young 20 somethings and the cop just said "please drive careful and get home safe". Now if you get pulled over drunk you are arrested.
There were more drunk kids who wound up in the hospital while in the dorm my freshmen year than there were in 4 years in my fraternity house. of course none of those stories are told in the paper.
the fraternity is not to blame - the drunk person's own lack of responsibility is.
the fraternity is not to blame - the drunk person's own lack of responsibility is.
Agree with this. RU has wanted to exterminate the fraternity system for some time now. And they pounce on these alcohol related incidents to further reduce the fraternity enrollment.
when I was a freshman living in Hardenburg Hall some freshman drank 32 cups of draft beer and decided to take a dive off the first floor balcony. Amazing that he didn't kill himself. So did RU suspend the entire dormitory for alcohol related incidents at a dorm party ? Of course not. But when something happens at a fraternity the entire brotherhood gets whacked by the the RU Administration. Clearly it's selected enforcement of arbitrary rules by the university. They want the fraternities gone ASAP and make no bones about their intentions.
Here's the funny thing about fraternities at RU -- the more "inclusive" you are of outsiders, mainly invitees for parties, the more risk the organization puts itself in. When I was an undergrad, we had guest list parties. You weren't allowed in if you weren't on the list. And that was that. We also really enjoyed the company the brothehood, and we would hang out, drink, and watch sports just the guys. People think that's weird and "insular", but then you get crucified for throwing open parties and inviting non-greeks in. I always thought this was a big hypocrisy.
Greek life will improve if they turtle up. I'm involved with my organization still, and that's exactly what we are doing. Closed parties, strict guest list. Off-books events with sororites. Sometimes even mixers with sororities from OTHER SCHOOLS as that makes it really easy to limit risk. We create an environment of exclusiveness, not INCLUSIVENESS, and then we've got a chance. The same hooks and draws of greek life will still apply -- positive selection for the most part. So to be a part of this social scene, with this group of people, you need to join the fold. Thats the recruitment pitch. No longer will open parties be a means of recruiting. It will all be the allure of the exlusive nature of the community and unattainable social scene. Only shot.
Greek life will improve if they turtle up. I'm involved with my organization still, and that's exactly what we are doing. Closed parties, strict guest list. Off-books events with sororites. Sometimes even mixers with sororities from OTHER SCHOOLS as that makes it really easy to limit risk. We create an environment of exclusiveness, not INCLUSIVENESS, and then we've got a chance. The same hooks and draws of greek life will still apply -- positive selection for the most part. So to be a part of this social scene, with this group of people, you need to join the fold. Thats the recruitment pitch. No longer will open parties be a means of recruiting. It will all be the allure of the exlusive nature of the community and unattainable social scene. Only shot.
You and I are about the same age and I agree there is some truth to what WhiteBus says. We saw it.
When looking at the composites on the wall of my old chapter house (since gone) you could see the growth in membership from 1978 when the movie was released until it's zenith in the very early '90's.
Which house?
Holy crap. Phi Sigma Sigma is in the old Delta Phi house? That is positively criminal. Thank you Google Street View.
As I understand Arnholt keeps a dialogue going with heads of the national fraternity more so then the on campus chapters. She sees the students as children and treats them as such. When a fraternity leaves its somewhere between a mutual understanding and they don't want to deal with her anymore. This was how it was explained to us by our chapter president when we were constantly under probation in the 00's.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Is Phi Delta Theta in the old Crow house? That addition on what I believe is the old Kappa Sig house is a tumor.
Ugh. Not surprising that the ladies took over so many of the guys' venues. We could never keep ourselves out of trouble.
I would love to hear from the guys who run the national charters of fraternities about what angels they were in college. I realize they are covering their own ass, but lets end the charade & holier than thou attitude. College kids under 21 drink, often times alot, and often times at frats. Its frankly a stupid and arbitrary law that is enforceable only when shit hits the fan and everyone can say I told you so.
The guys who took him to the hospital deserve some praise for manning up and bringing him to the hospital.
The guys who took him to the hospital deserve some praise for manning up and bringing him to the hospital.
10 Union. Traffic Light. Ring a bell?
We were actually the lead in/dissolve on a MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour story about en loco parentis on Channel 13 one night after the Lambda incident....
The report starts with the classic opening scene of Animal House when Pinto and Flounder walk up the Delta House and the naked mannequin comes thru the window. It then dissolves into a shot of our house playing the same "Louie, Louie" song like in the movie with our guys and some gals dancing on the fire escape on the front of the house during a party.
As WhiteBus says while everybody might have failed...not bragging when I say we didn't miss by much.
* And at one point we had the old Phi Sigma Sigma house too (6 Union) which IMO was the beginning of our chapter's downfall.
