RobbieNelson
09-22-2009, 04:41 PM
Link to original article: LINK (http://media.www.thecurrentonline.com/media/storage/paper304/news/2009/09/21/News/Sigma.Pi.Suspended-3777859.shtml)
Friday, Sept. 11, the Delta Zeta chapter of Sigma Pi was suspended by their national chapter and had to cancel their "Wet n Wild" party scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12.
The "Wet 'n Wild" party was to feature a wet t-shirt contest and was open to the public, with door charges for males and a $9 charge for "VIP seating," according to a flyer passed out by the fraternity.
C.J. Montiel, president of the chapter at the University of Missouri-St. Louis provided The Current with a written statement on Thursday.
"On Friday September 11th at 9am, the Delta Zeta Chapter was suspended by the national office due to FIPG violations regarding the party the following day," Montiel wrote.
Montiel was referring to the Fraternal Information and Programming Group (FIPG) risk management policy that the Sigma Pi fraternity requires all of their chapters to adhere to.
If a fraternity or sorority agrees to abide by the FIPG policies, they pledge to follow a number of rules addressing topics such as hazing, alcohol, parties, sexual harassment, drugs and fire safety.
According to an e-mail sent to the Delta Zeta chapter's executives from Mark Briscoe, executive director of Sigma Pi, the UM-St. Louis chapter was "well aware" of FIPG guidelines previous to their suspension.
"With this knowledge of our policies, which are enforced for your protection as well as the international organization, you have made a conscious decision to break them. This will not be tolerated," the e-mail said.
Though Montiel did not provide further details on the specific FIPG policies that the chapter violated, Briscoe explained the specifics in a phone interview with The Current.
The national chapter, Briscoe said, realized that the Delta Zeta chapter was violating policy via an open Facebook group advertising the "Wet n Wild" party Friday.
"There were numerous things [on Facebook] that we will not tolerate," Briscoe said.
"One is an open party. FIPG guidelines specify that we will not have open parties [and] that is for a safety factor, for a liability factor. [Parties] must be with a guest list. [Also], it is in recruitment period, [parties are] to be dry, with no alcoholic beverages at all, and also with regards to the wet t-shirt contest that was another 'red-flag' that we absolutely do not condone and will not tolerate."
The Delta Zeta chapter was taken off suspension last Monday around 10 a.m.
"On Monday September 14th the Delta Zeta chapter was lifted off of suspension and placed back on good standing with the national office," Montiel wrote.
According to Briscoe, the chapter was taken off suspension after the national office and the Delta Zeta chapter were able to come to an agreement "with regards to social activities and how they would be conducted."
"[The Delta Zeta chapter] has a clear understanding that parties such as the "Wet n Wild" party, will not happen. Not this year, not next year, not the year after," Briscoe said.
"From what I understand it has happened in the past and we are not going to let it happen again."
When asked to comment on the chapter's party the weekend of Sept. 4 and 5, called the "Anything but Clothes" party, Briscoe said he was unaware that the party was conducted.
In Montiel's statement he referred to the photo caption printed in the Sept. 14 edition of The Current, specifically mentioning a quote taken from two members of Sigma Tau Gamma at UM-St. Louis.
"An FIPG regulation that was NOT violated was advertising free alcohol. The member of Sigma Tau Gamma was in fact misquoted saying that and a letter of retraction will be sent to The Current shortly," Montiel wrote.
However, the quote from the Sigma Tau Gamma members was not "misquoted," although the members may have misspoken.Additionally, a letter of retraction was never sent to The Current from either member quoted from Sigma Tau Gamma.
When asked whether or not the Delta Zeta chapter advertised free alcohol on Facebook, Briscoe made a clarification.
"I don't think it was free alcohol [that alerted the fraternity monitors]," Briscoe said.
"I think it was the admission at the door. As far as supplying free alcohol, I do not think that was said [on Facebook]. I think I saw on there 'BYOB' but it doesn't matter, we do not allow charging at the door, we do not allow open events."
Additionally, Briscoe clarified that the "BYOB" reference was a violation of policy because recruitment related social events are supposed to be alcohol-free at Sigma Pi.
Since the Facebook page advertising the "Wet n Wild" party has been removed, Briscoe could not confirm or deny whether or not there were risqué photos on the page.
Jessica Long, Greek Life advisor at UM-St. Louis, said that the university cannot monitor fraternity parties off campus.
The houses are not owned by the school and therefore "don't fall under university jurisdiction."
However, the women's sorority houses are all owned by the university, and must comply with Residential Life policy.
Long also said that although she had heard of FIPG policy prior to last Friday, she is not well versed in the guidelines.
She explained that it is the choice of the fraternity or sorority to adopt FIPG policy. The university, she went on to say, does not monitor or enforce FIPG rules.
Please take note that FIPG and Facebook are the key issues here. FIPG must be followed. Facebook can be a great advertizing tool, but it can also bite you in the rear. We need to all wake up and monitor/control all brother/fraternity facebook content.
Friday, Sept. 11, the Delta Zeta chapter of Sigma Pi was suspended by their national chapter and had to cancel their "Wet n Wild" party scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12.
The "Wet 'n Wild" party was to feature a wet t-shirt contest and was open to the public, with door charges for males and a $9 charge for "VIP seating," according to a flyer passed out by the fraternity.
C.J. Montiel, president of the chapter at the University of Missouri-St. Louis provided The Current with a written statement on Thursday.
"On Friday September 11th at 9am, the Delta Zeta Chapter was suspended by the national office due to FIPG violations regarding the party the following day," Montiel wrote.
Montiel was referring to the Fraternal Information and Programming Group (FIPG) risk management policy that the Sigma Pi fraternity requires all of their chapters to adhere to.
If a fraternity or sorority agrees to abide by the FIPG policies, they pledge to follow a number of rules addressing topics such as hazing, alcohol, parties, sexual harassment, drugs and fire safety.
According to an e-mail sent to the Delta Zeta chapter's executives from Mark Briscoe, executive director of Sigma Pi, the UM-St. Louis chapter was "well aware" of FIPG guidelines previous to their suspension.
"With this knowledge of our policies, which are enforced for your protection as well as the international organization, you have made a conscious decision to break them. This will not be tolerated," the e-mail said.
Though Montiel did not provide further details on the specific FIPG policies that the chapter violated, Briscoe explained the specifics in a phone interview with The Current.
The national chapter, Briscoe said, realized that the Delta Zeta chapter was violating policy via an open Facebook group advertising the "Wet n Wild" party Friday.
"There were numerous things [on Facebook] that we will not tolerate," Briscoe said.
"One is an open party. FIPG guidelines specify that we will not have open parties [and] that is for a safety factor, for a liability factor. [Parties] must be with a guest list. [Also], it is in recruitment period, [parties are] to be dry, with no alcoholic beverages at all, and also with regards to the wet t-shirt contest that was another 'red-flag' that we absolutely do not condone and will not tolerate."
The Delta Zeta chapter was taken off suspension last Monday around 10 a.m.
"On Monday September 14th the Delta Zeta chapter was lifted off of suspension and placed back on good standing with the national office," Montiel wrote.
According to Briscoe, the chapter was taken off suspension after the national office and the Delta Zeta chapter were able to come to an agreement "with regards to social activities and how they would be conducted."
"[The Delta Zeta chapter] has a clear understanding that parties such as the "Wet n Wild" party, will not happen. Not this year, not next year, not the year after," Briscoe said.
"From what I understand it has happened in the past and we are not going to let it happen again."
When asked to comment on the chapter's party the weekend of Sept. 4 and 5, called the "Anything but Clothes" party, Briscoe said he was unaware that the party was conducted.
In Montiel's statement he referred to the photo caption printed in the Sept. 14 edition of The Current, specifically mentioning a quote taken from two members of Sigma Tau Gamma at UM-St. Louis.
"An FIPG regulation that was NOT violated was advertising free alcohol. The member of Sigma Tau Gamma was in fact misquoted saying that and a letter of retraction will be sent to The Current shortly," Montiel wrote.
However, the quote from the Sigma Tau Gamma members was not "misquoted," although the members may have misspoken.Additionally, a letter of retraction was never sent to The Current from either member quoted from Sigma Tau Gamma.
When asked whether or not the Delta Zeta chapter advertised free alcohol on Facebook, Briscoe made a clarification.
"I don't think it was free alcohol [that alerted the fraternity monitors]," Briscoe said.
"I think it was the admission at the door. As far as supplying free alcohol, I do not think that was said [on Facebook]. I think I saw on there 'BYOB' but it doesn't matter, we do not allow charging at the door, we do not allow open events."
Additionally, Briscoe clarified that the "BYOB" reference was a violation of policy because recruitment related social events are supposed to be alcohol-free at Sigma Pi.
Since the Facebook page advertising the "Wet n Wild" party has been removed, Briscoe could not confirm or deny whether or not there were risqué photos on the page.
Jessica Long, Greek Life advisor at UM-St. Louis, said that the university cannot monitor fraternity parties off campus.
The houses are not owned by the school and therefore "don't fall under university jurisdiction."
However, the women's sorority houses are all owned by the university, and must comply with Residential Life policy.
Long also said that although she had heard of FIPG policy prior to last Friday, she is not well versed in the guidelines.
She explained that it is the choice of the fraternity or sorority to adopt FIPG policy. The university, she went on to say, does not monitor or enforce FIPG rules.
Please take note that FIPG and Facebook are the key issues here. FIPG must be followed. Facebook can be a great advertizing tool, but it can also bite you in the rear. We need to all wake up and monitor/control all brother/fraternity facebook content.