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This article is about the social fraternity. For the Illinois College local literary society, see Sigma Phi Epsilon Literary Society.

Sigma Phi Epsilon
ΣΦΕ
The official coat of arms of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
FoundedNovember 1, 1901; 123 years ago (1901-11-01)
Richmond College
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
Former affiliationNIC
StatusActive
ScopeNational
MottoBuilding Balanced Men
PillarsVirtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love
Colors  Red,   Purple, and   Gold
Flag
FlowerViolet and Dark Red Rose
PhilanthropyBig Brothers Big Sisters
Chapters221[1]
Members14,105[1] active
325,252[1] lifetime
HeadquartersZollinger House
310 S. Boulevard
Richmond, Virginia 23220
United States
Websitewww.sigep.org

Sigma Phi Epsilon (ΣΦΕ), commonly known as SigEp, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College, which is now the University of Richmond, and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love (often abbreviated as "VDBL"). Sigma Phi Epsilon is one of the largest social fraternities in the United States in terms of current undergraduate membership.[2]

History

The Sigma Phi Epsilon house at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio
U.S. military personnel display the Sigma Phi Epsilon flag in Iraq in May 2009

Founding

In the fall of 1900 18-year-old divinity student Carter Ashton Jenkens, the son of a Baptist minister, transferred from Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey to Richmond College, a Baptist institution in Richmond, Virginia.[3] At Rutgers Jenkens had been initiated into the Chi Phi fraternity. At Richmond, which did not have a chapter of Chi Phi, Jenkens was part of group of friends who were meeting regularly under the unofficial name the "Saturday Night Club".[4] By early October, 1901, Jenkens had persuaded the group, which had grown to twelve men, to try to establish a chapter of Chi Phi at Richmond. These men were reportedly spurned by the existing fraternities on campus for their sense of morality (seven of the twelve were studying for the ordained ministry) and for their rural, middle-class backgrounds.[3] Jenkens had convinced the others that their chapter could be different from the other fraternities on campus and assured them that Chi Phi's principles were in line with their own. The group's request for a charter, however, was met with refusal as the national fraternity felt that Richmond College was too small to host a Chi Phi chapter.[3] Jenkens and his friends therefore founded their own fraternity.

After several secret meetings throughout October 1901, the new fraternity took shape and on November 1, 1901, the fraternity's first membership roster was publicly posted at the school. It listed the twelve founding members in this order: Carter Ashton Jenkens, Benjamin Donald Gaw, William Hugh Carter, William Andrew Wallace, Thomas Temple Wright, William Lazelle Phillips, Lucian Baum Cox, Richard Spurgeon Owens, Edgar Lee Allen, Robert Alfred McFarland, Franklin Webb Kerfoot and Thomas Vaden McCaul. After much discussion, the group settled on a secret motto and called their fraternity Sigma Phi.[4]

Jenkens, Gaw and Phillips then met with a faculty committee to seek official recognition for their new fraternity. The faculty members were reluctant to recognize a sixth fraternity in a school with only 300 students, especially as more than half the members would be soon-to graduate seniors. Additionally, another national fraternity already existed using the name Sigma Phi.[5] The founders responded that their new fraternity would be different from the others at Richmond, as was being founded upon biblical, egalitarian principles,[5] and new members would quickly be taken in from the undergraduate classes to increase the new fraternity's size, and the fraternity's name was still open to debate.[6] With these assurances from the founders, the faculty committee approved the new fraternity's request for official recognition. Shortly afterwards, the founders met and decided to rename the fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon.[5]

Symbols

The colors dark red and royal purple were chosen to represent fraternity, while the golden heart was chosen as the fraternity's symbol. The principles of Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love, were chosen as "The Three Cardinal Principles". The fraternity's badge is a golden heart surmounted by a black enameled heart-shaped shield. Upon the shield are inscribed, in gold, the Greek-letters of the fraternity, ΣΦΕ, and below these letters, a skull and crossbones.

Chapter house doors are traditionally painted red. The tradition of the red door on Sigma Phi Epsilon Chapter houses began at Syracuse University (New York Alpha) in the 1920s. Brothers there painted the front door of their house red as a token of fraternalism, because it is a fraternity color. Today, all 260 SigEp chapters have red doors.[7]

Membership

In December 2014, Sigma Phi Epsilon became the first fraternity in the North American Interfraternity Conference to accept transgender men as members. The National Board of Directors passed the policy by an 8-0 majority vote with three abstentions.[8]

Chapters

Main article: List of Sigma Phi Epsilon chapters

Notable members

Main article: List of Sigma Phi Epsilon members

Local chapter misconduct

In 1997, the chapter at San Diego State University was shut down for several years after a pledge nearly died due to a hazing ritual.[9]

In 2002, the chapter at Wake Forest University was suspended for several years after a "drunk, dehydrated and severely sunburned pig" was found at a park after the fraternity held an event there.[10]

In 2007, four members of the fraternity were arrested from Florida State University for hazing after police found 31 pledges shivering in 30 degree weather and covered in raw eggs, catfish-stink bait, flour and vinegar, and their bodies were red with welts.[11]

In 2010, the fraternity at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton was suspended after pledges were "kidnapped" and their hands and feet were bound with duct tape. They were forced to drink beer and liquor and were sprayed with a squirt gun and colored on with markers. No pledge decided to press charges against members of the fraternity for hazing violations.[12]

In 2011, three Sigma Phi Epsilon members from East Carolina University were arrested and charged with several offenses for possession of 49 grams of marijuana, three Adderall pills, and a dozen stolen street signs at their fraternity house.[13]

In December 2011, the chapter at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont was suspended and criticized for circulating a survey that asked fraternity members "If I could rape someone, who would it be?" Feminist groups on campus fought to have the fraternity permanently removed from campus for preying on women and encouraging sexual assault.[14]

In 2013, the fraternity was suspended for two years at Southern Methodist University in Dallas after torturing a Hispanic fraternity member of Lambda Chi Alpha for four hours. Four Sigma Phi Epsilon members were arrested and charged with assault for kicking, punching, spraying Formula 409 on wounds and cuts, making racist comments, and holding the Lambda Chi Alpha member captive against his will.[15]

In January 2014, 178 grams of marijuana and .21 grams of cocaine were seized from the fraternity house at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. One fraternity member was arrested and charged for drug possession and intent to sell.[16]

In February 2014, two sexual assaults were reported at the Yale University chapter house in New Haven, Connecticut one block from campus.[17] The fraternity released a statement stating they had allowed their facility to be used by another student group for a private event. According to the fraternity, the allegations were not made against members of the chapter.[18]

In April 2014, the Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter of the University of Mississippi was closed after three of its members were found guilty of draping a noose around the statue of James Meredith, the first black student to attend the university. A thorough investigation of the chapter also uncovered the fraternity was guilty of brutally hazing pledges and providing alcohol to underage students.[19][20][21][22]

In September 2014, Tucker Hipps, of Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina was found dead in Lake Hartwell after his pledge brothers reported him missing after a run that morning. Both the university and the national fraternity found that the chapter had violated its code of conduct. In February 2015, the Clemson chapter was given a five-year suspension for alleged violations of the student organization conduct code after the death of Hipps.[23][24]

In September 2015, a Sigma Phi Epsilon member at the West Virginia University (WVU) was arrested for allegedly raping a WVU female student at the fraternity's chapterhouse.[25][26]

In October 2015, Sigma Phi Epsilon revoked the charter of the Jacksonville State University chapter due to hazing and other alleged actions including racism and sexual misconduct. The chapter was ordered to cease operations for three years and remove itself off-campus if the chapter was to be re-activated.[27][28]

In March 2016, the chapter at Purdue University was placed on suspension until 2020 for hazing, alcohol violations, and breaking university rules.[29]

In August 2016, member Daniel Drill-Mellum was sentenced to 74 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of rape.[30][31]

In October 2016, the chapter at the University of Wisconsin–Madison was shut down after repeated alcohol and safety violations. The fraternity was consistently cited for providing alcohol to underage students when hosting parties at their fraternity house.[32]

In 2017, the chapter at Auburn University was shut down after several serious allegations were made public about the behaviors of the chapter. As a result, the national office initiated a thorough investigation into the chapter which determined it was guilty of hazing, illicit drug use, and alcohol violations.[33]

In 2018, the chapter at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire was shut down by the fraternity's national board of directors due to multiple fraternal code violations.[34]

In September 2019, the chapter at the University of Nebraska Omaha was shut down by the fraternity's national board of directors due to multiple fraternal code violations.[35]

In January 2020, the chapter at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas was shut down by the fraternity's national board of directors after hazing of pledges was reported to the university's leadership.[36]

In October 2022, the chapter at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida was shut down after a video surfaced of chapter members chanting about having sex with a dead woman.[37]

In February 2024, the chapter at Davidson College was suspended for five years after they admitted to Davidson officials of hazing pledges in spring 2023. The fraternity attempted to appeal the suspension for a lesser consequence but Davidson ultimately decided to uphold the suspension.[38]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sigma Phi Epsilon". Sigma Phi Epsilon.
  2. ^ "Fraternity Facts - The National Fraternity". Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  3. ^ a b c "The History of Sigma Phi Epsilon - The first 50 Years > Sigma Phi Epsilon Founded". Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2006-11-13.
  4. ^ a b "The History of Sigma Phi Epsilon - The first 50 years >The First Meeting". Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2006-11-13.
  5. ^ a b c "The History of Sigma Phi Epsilon - The First 50 Years > Fraternity Recognized". Archived from the original on 2006-10-13. Retrieved 2006-11-13.
  6. ^ "The First 50 Years". Sigep.org. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  7. ^ "MO Zeta of Sigma Phi Epsilon at Southeast Missouri State University - MO Zeta, Sigma Phi Epsilon , Southeast Missouri State University, chapterspot fraternity websites, chapterspot sorority websites, chapterspot.com". semosigep.com. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  8. ^ "National Board of Directors Meeting Minutes" (PDF). SigEp.org. December 6, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  9. ^ "Sigma Phi Epsilon Bids Farewell to Pledges". November 15, 2000.
  10. ^ Wire reports (7 May 2002). "WAKE FRATERNITY SUSPENDED OVER TREATMENT OF PIG". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  11. ^ "State: 4 students arrested in hazing investigation". Sptimes.com. 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  12. ^ "FAU frat accused of hazing incident suspended for a year". Archived from the original on March 26, 2017.
  13. ^ "ECU fraternity ordered to cease activities in wake of drug bust | News - WCTI NewsChannel 12". Wcti12.com. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  14. ^ "Frat Suspended After Distributing Rapey Survey". Jezebel. 14 December 2011.
  15. ^ "SMU fraternity suspended from campus for two years, following alleged assault". Dallas Morning News. 2013-03-26. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  16. ^ "Drugs seized from Sig Ep". The Daily Tar Heel. 2015-11-08. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  17. ^ Southall, Ashley (February 21, 2014). "Two Sexual Assaults Are Reported at Yale". The New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  18. ^ Ramilo, Marek (February 24, 2014). "YPD reports two sexual assault allegations". Yale Daily News. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Fraternity shuts Ole Miss branch after James Meredith statue noose tying>". 18 April 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  20. ^ "Ole Miss frat shuttered in wake of noose incident". CBS News. Associated Press. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  21. ^ Golgowski, Nina (22 February 2014). "University of Mississippi fraternity suspended, 3 members kicked out over noose on statue". New York Daily News. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  22. ^ "Sigma Phi Epsilon Closes Ole Miss Chapter - Campus Safety". www.campussafetymagazine.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-26.
  23. ^ Barnett, Ron (5 February 2015). "Clemson suspends Tucker Hipps' fraternity". Greenville Online. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  24. ^ Cahill, Harrison (4 February 2015). "Clemson University suspends fraternity for five years in wake of student death". The State (South Carolina). Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  25. ^ Jake Jarvis (September 9, 2015). "Student faces sexual assault charge". The Daily Athenaeum. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  26. ^ Ramsey, Pam (September 9, 2015). "WVU student charged with sexual assault at fraternity house". WTAE. Associated Press. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  27. ^ Blandin, Venton (October 14, 2015). "Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Jacksonville State accused of hazing, has charter revoked". ABC Birmingham. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  28. ^ Thornton, River (October 14, 2015). "JSU fraternity's charter revoked over hazing allegation". AL.com. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  29. ^ [1]
  30. ^ Salinger, Tobias (September 1, 2016). "University of Minnesota rape victim speaks out on attacker's sentence: 'I expected that I would feel happy, but I just don't'". New York Daily News. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  31. ^ LaBelle, Lindsey (December 29, 2015). "Charges: Ex-U student raped 2 women at frat party, apartment". KMSP-TV. Fox. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  32. ^ Journal, Nico Savidge | Wisconsin State (4 October 2016). "UW-Madison Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity terminated for alcohol violations". madison.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ "Sigma Phi Epsilon revokes Auburn chapter's charter, closes fraternity". The Auburn Plainsman.
  34. ^ "Sigma Phi Epsilon closes following charter revocation". The Dartmouth.
  35. ^ "Fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon closes UNO chapter due to investigation". KETV. October 4, 2019.
  36. ^ STAFF, KFDM/Fox 4 (January 22, 2020). "BREAKING: LU says it suspends SigEp chapter; national office closes it". KFDM.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ Tavel, Jimena; Robertson, Linda; Rabin, Charles (October 11, 2022). "University of Miami frat shut down after video surfaces of frat chants about having sex with dead woman". The Miami Herald. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  38. ^ "Davidson College fraternity suspended for hazing incidents". 8 February 2024.
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