The Delta Epsilon chapter of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity was suspended by its national headquarters on Friday, Feb. 16, due to its failure to maintain liability insurance.
According to a press release issued by Sigma Alpha Mu headquarters, the chapter's negligence violated the fraternity's constitution and left no option but to close the chapter.
The decision to shut the chapter was made by vote of the fraternity's board of directors, The Octagon. According to Aaron M. Girson, executive director of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, "The suspension forbids the chapter for operations and conducting any chapter business in the name of Sigma Alpha Mu. The chapter was suspended for failure to meet basic operating expectations. Specifically, the chapter failed to maintain liability insurance, a required for all Sigma Alpha Mu chapters."
Rob Turning, coordinator of Greek Life at Hopkins, also added that dwindling membership in the chapter along with a sizable debt owed to National Headquarters were also contributing factors in shutting down the chapter. The chapter's membership dropped from 28 members in spring 2003 to only 12 in fall 2006.
All current chapter members have been reassigned as fraternity alumni, and neither the University nor the Inter-Fraternity Council will recognize the chapter as an active undergraduate fraternity. In this case, the period of suspension is indefinite; the Fraternity will need to work with the University and the IFC to determine an appropriate schedule for re-population and lifting of the suspension. However, a reinstatement of the chapter usually occurs only after all initiated members have left school.
Before meeting with the fraternity on Feb. 16, Andrew Huston, director of Educational Programs for Sigma Alpha Mu, and Drew Dunsky, vice-supreme prior of the national headquarters scheduled a meeting with Turning to inform him of the decision. Turning said he was not surprised by Sigma Alpha Mu's decision to suspend the chapter.
"Declining numbers, coupled with failure to pay bills and non-payment of insurance, usually means the group is not going to be around much longer," Turning said. "I was surprised, however, the national organization sent a staff member and a national vice-president to break the news to the chapter in person. I feel that showed some class and sent a message that this is something the national organization does not take lightly."
Former Hopkins chapter president Arun Shrestha was not available to comment, but the brothers of Sigma Alpha Mu at Hopkins did issue a group statement regarding their suspension.
"The Delta Epsilon chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu was suspended on Feb. 16 for financial reasons," the statement reads. "The brothers collectively decided that the increasing financial burden imposed on us by the national organization outweighed the benefits of national affiliation. We still have our house on St. Paul Street and will continue to live here in the future, so from our standpoint the situation is relatively unchanged."
"At the present time, we have no time frame as to if or when Sigma Alpha Mu will officially recolonize the chapter," said Thomas Potter, a senior and former brother of the fraternity.
