Margaret BauerAfter losing their house and receiving harsh sanctions from University administrators in response to several incidents last semester, Sigma Chi members are looking to turn things around with the help of a new alumni advisory board.
“There was not a lot of alumni involvement in the past and I think that’s possibly where some of our problems lay,” Sigma Chi President Justin Thompson said. “When you have strong alumni involvement to give a voice of reason, a lot of bad decisions can be avoided.”
While the fraternity had a chapter advisor working with them in the past, the alumni advisory board did not exist in its current form until this year, Thompson explained.
The board is comprised of five alumni, ranging from recent graduates to men who graduated from the University in the 1960s. Most of the members live in the St. Louis area and have made themselves available to current members when needed. The board meets monthly to help the chapter focus on its ideals, approve chapter events, and offer advice and support to the current members.
It has offered several new ideas to the officers and brothers this semester, including a mentoring program that connects officers with an alumnus on the board. Each current officer also has his own set of mentees so that younger members can learn the roles of that office and better understand what that specific position entails.
Most Sigma Chi members have reacted positively to the board and have enjoyed the opportunity to interact and gain advice from alumni.
“It’s great to have alums involved with the chapter and have their advice on how things should be done,” said senior Sean Moore.
Rob Salyer, a 1995 alumnus of the University and current Sigma Chi chapter advisor and alumni board member, said that he was discouraged by the events of last spring, but the support of other alumni encouraged him to stay involved.
“We added more structure this year and are there to give more guidance, but the guys really took the ball and ran with things,” Salyer said.
All Sigma Chi members went through a membership review process at the beginning of the year. According to Salyer, some were not invited back and others decided not to stay active this semester. Salyer said that those who decided to stay involved were the ones who are most dedicated to the fraternity.
“Everyone has gone through a reeducation and review of sorts, focusing on Sigma Chi and what it stands for,” Salyer said.
Upcoming plans for next semester include a brotherhood retreat in January, in addition to preparations for the spring fraternity rush period. Officers have also been working with the alumni board to ensure that pledge events for next semester do not encourage the type of degrading behavior that led to last semester’s troubles.
Thompson admits that this semester has been tough for the fraternity as they look to regain their standing on campus.
“One of the biggest challenges for us has been a reputation factor. We embarrassed ourselves, the campus community, and the national organization,” Thompson said. “Getting back our reputation has been a challenge but we are starting to succeed in that area and allowing people to see that we’re more than the stereotypical fraternity.”
Both Thompson and Salyer noted that administrators and Greek Life officials have reacted positively to the board and have received constructive feedback from them.
Karin Johnes, director of Greek Life, noted that her office is “fully supportive” of the advisory board and believes it serves a beneficial role.
“As a Greek advisor we know there are several things that can make a chapter successful. A strong alumni board is one way,” Johnes said.
Johnes is also looking ahead to spring fraternity recruitment and believes that Sigma Chi is committed to regaining its standing. Last spring, incidents of inappropriate alcohol consumption and graphic pledging events were reported. The fraternity was initially barred from pledging and initiating members, although it has regained the right to resume those activities. Eventually the University levied other sanctions, leading Sigma Chi to lose its house for at least a two-year period.
“All the sanctions developed were very strategic,” Johnes said. “If they’re fulfilling them, it will benefit the chapter and we will see this in recruitment in the spring.”