Pike, Sigma Chi receive rush week regulations
Within the past year, two members of fraternities have been charged with sexual assault.
The members have since been expelled from their fraternities. Because of this, as well as the past instances of underage drinking that have occurred in the two houses, Sigma Chi and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternities are banned from university-sponsored recruitment activities, said Eric R. Olsen, associate vice president for student services.
“Our stance is these two houses have some things to get in order,” Olsen said, “and we could not condone them bringing new members into their houses until they change their culture, the culture that supports underage drinking and allows sexual assault to happen.”
Pi Kappa Alpha, or Pike, and Sigma Chi are not allowed to participate in university-sponsored recruitment, meaning they cannot hand out flyers on campus and they cannot participate in the Inner Fraternal Council (IFC) or House Tours, among other Greek recruitment activities occurring this week. The fraternities are still allowed to hold events of their own and promote themselves on social media.
Generally the IFC is a leadership council made up of members fraternities and sororities at USU to act as a liaison between the Greek community and the university.
According to Alexander Souvall, the president of Pike, this restriction has already significantly decreased numbers.
“Not being able to advertise has hurt,” Souvall said. “Normally we have around 100 guys show up to the house tours. This year we only had about 60.”
The decision to restrict Sigma Chi and Pike came from the IFC. But, according to Olsen, the group didn’t have a choice.
The university banned Greek Council, or IFC, as an organization shortly after charges were brought against Jason Relopez, an ex-member of Sigma Chi. The only way the group could be acknowledged again was if it agreed to place these restrictions on the two fraternities.
According to Souvall, the national boards of every fraternity and sorority on campus, with the exclusion of Pike, require an IFC in order to grant a charter.
Without an IFC, the charters at all houses on campus, aside from Pike, would be pulled. If IFC didn’t vote to restrict Sigma Chi and Pike, almost every house would not be recognized by their national organization.
“We needed to be clear and strong in the message we were communicating to the Greek Council and to the entire Greek community and to these two chapter houses,” Olsen said. “We’re taking it very serious.”
Souvall said he understands that the university has to do what they have to do, but he wishes the university saw the Greek community as more of an asset.
“Help us be better rather than just say we don’t want anything to do with you unless you’re good,” he said. “I know we’re not perfect, but I’m working every day to make this better.”
IFC could not be reached for comment on this story. Sigma Chi declined to comment.