Sigma Chi may have the opportunity to return to OU's campus for fall 2006 Interfraternity Council recruitment.

"There has been a cooperative effort by both the International fraternity and the university so that Sigma Chi understands what has to be done to be recognized by the university," said Clarke Stroud, vice president of Student Affairs and dean of students.

Cheryl Graf, media relations member at Sigma Chi National Headquarters, said although there has not been a final decision, "this is something that has been getting talked about lately."

Jeremy Black, IFC adviser, said there has "not been discussion at all" about Sigma Chi returning to OU's campus.

Return Requirements

Sigma Chi must fulfill certain terms to be reinstated at OU, including:

o Presenting a business plan for chapter operations and activities.

o Complying with OU's alcohol policy.

o Appointing an alumni supervisory committee.

o Reactivating the charter of Beta Kappa of Sigma Chi by the International Fraternity.

Source: OU President David L. Boren

Early approval for reactivation would come from the Sigma Chi executive committee, Doug Shapiro, director of chapter services for Sigma Chi, said by e-mail. Shapiro said the issue has been on the committee's agenda every quarter since the chapter was suspended.

OU President David L. Boren issued a press release Tuesday detailing six conditions for Sigma Chi to be reinstated on OU's campus.

The conditions are:

o Sigma Chi must present a business plan for chapter operations and activities prior to any reorganization on campus.

o Sigma Chi must institute a full, fair and extensive membership review of those undergraduates attending OU who petition to become affiliated with and a member of the reinstated chapter. The review must be conducted by an alumni review committee and must provide a full report on this review in terms of its process and results to Clarke Stroud.

o Sigma Chi must agree to comply fully with OU's Comprehensive Plan to Combat Alcohol Abuse.

o Sigma Chi must appoint an alumni supervisory committee comprised of chapter alumni as well as alumni from other chapters of Sigma Chi to engage in full oversight, authority and supervision of any and all activities of the chapter. This committee would be in effect through at least 2008.

o The reactivation of the charter of Beta Kappa of Sigma Chi by the international fraternity and the recognition as a student organization by OU shall occur simultaneously and will not preclude the Beta Kappa chapter's ability to initiate any current members or members previously recruited for spring 2006, with the approval of the alumni review committee and the Sigma Chi International Fraternity.

o Beta Kappa chapter of Sigma Chi shall not recruit members until the completion of the above terms, and such recruitment shall be effective for fall 2006.

The Beta Kappa chapter of Sigma Chi will be able to participate in IFC fall 2006 formal recruitment if it completes these requirements, Stroud said.

"Sigma Chi will not be recognized [at OU] unless they meet the conditions set by the university and the International fraternity," Stroud said. "It is a cooperative effort to ensure they understand what is necessary to be recognized again."

Mark Andersen, then-president of the Sigma Chi corporation in Evanston, Ill., told The Daily in September 2004 that the organization traditionally requires a closed chapter to remain off campus for four years before reopening.

Andersen, now executive secretary for the Sigma Chi International Fraternity, said in Tuesday's release: "Sigma Chi appreciates the opportunity to return to the OU campus and believes that the terms set forth by the university and President Boren are fair and necessary."

OU removed recognition of the chapter as a student organization, and their international fraternity suspended the chapter's charter in 2004 following the alcohol-related death of OU freshman pledge Blake Adam Hammontree.

"The president made it clear from the outset that Sigma Chi would be able to come back to campus," Stroud said. "It wasn't like this was meant to be a permanent thing."

Stroud said the international fraternity will do the membership evaluation and that OU will not do its own membership evaluation.

He said he didn't know whether the Hammontree incident would affect the readmission of specific individuals, such as those charged in his death.

"I would be surprised if they didn't take previous conduct into consideration," Stroud said.

In 2000, the Sigma Chi chapter at Northwestern University was kicked off campus for having alcohol at a fraternity event.

The chapter, which had been on probation when it was kicked off, started to recruit again in 2004, according to the student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern.
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