I was in Sigma Phi Delta.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Being an outside observer of what it is or what it appears to be isn't enough?

And if it isn't what it appears to be, then why does it appear that way?

Mass media. When is the last time you heard fraternities or sororities raising thousands of dollars for an marginalization? Or waking up early on a Saturday to go do hunger clean up? Never. These things happen but it doesnt sell papers.

[forgetful]

I was in Sigma Phi Delta while I was at Marquette. Our house was built with donations from our alumni, but donated to the university because it is not tax deductible to donate to a Fraternity or Sorority. Marquette did not pay one cent in the building of our house. In the Spring of 2003 (around St. Valentine's day) we had a party on campus. nothing bad happened at the party, nothing bad every happened at our parties. It was just loud music, dancing, and beer. Campus police came to the door and told us to shut down the party, so we did. Campus police never came into the house. The week before finals we receive an eviction notice from the university. No where on the eviction notice does it say WHY we were being evicted, just that the University could. After some of our powerful alumni called and spoke with the powers that be, it came out that the university cited a "history of misconduct" and they primarily used events dating back to when I was in MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I have no idea what really happened with these accusations, and I will not claim to. What I do know is that when I was in the fraternity it was one of the best experiences of my life. Sigma Phi Delta, as well as Triangle, are professional organizations. We are all engineers and we use the fraternity to network to help each other both personally and professionally. Members and former members are always putting out messages to one another when a job opens up, or when an internship opens up for a MU student, and we have developed lifelong relationships. Fraternities are not some dark, secret organization. They are a bunch of guys with a common bond (Engineering) who come together to discuss courses they are taking and have some fun on the weekends. They are NOT John Belushi in Animal House. Yes, there were screw-ups who took seven years to graduate, but I honestly believe if not for the structure of the fraternity they would not have graduated at all and would be in a much worse state in life.

The fact that Marquette has decided to go after the three biggest fraternities AT THE SAME TIME stinks to high heaven to me. The odds that all three fraternities would have similar allegations IN THE SAME WEEK are almost as good as hitting the Powerball lottery twice in a row.

The day I was evicted by Marquette (the week before finals) I realized a few very important things.
1) Marquette only cares about money and in no way cares about the well being of the students that graduate from there.
2) Marquette has a hatred for Fraternities and will take any small charge they can and try to make it as big as possible without and substance.

Again, I have no idea what really happened here, and I do not pretend do. The fact that all three would be put under the microscope at the same time stinks to high heaven to me. And having dealt with the university personally with a similar situation I have NO FAITH that the university has any basis for their claims.

I love Marquette basketball, and I am proud to say that I went to Marquette. However the way the University treats men that decide to join a fraternity for professional reasons is deplorable.

We Are Marquette. Unless you're in a fraternity, then you're on your own.

All three had instances directly reported to the campus police/security or whatever they call it now.  This is not a hitting the lottery type thing.  The current generation does not put up with crap (aka hazing/bullying), in the past certain things would go unreported as being "just part of the system/fun"…not anymore.  After several high profile cases around the country, any report must be seriously looked at.

Coupled with many University presidents wanting to get away from the negative image of greek life and you get what is currently going on.  Other notable Universities tried to shut down greek organizations and didn't succeed because of threats from big donors, if there aren't equivalent threats at MU, expect them to be shut down.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

 if there aren't equivalent threats at MU, expect them to be shut down.

Not gonna happen and heres why. MU just expanded, a new fraternity and sorority are coming to campus next year. Along those same lines the reason MU expanded is because Gov. Walkers son threw a hissy fit that he didnt like any of the fraternities on campus (After only visiting 2 I may add) so MU is not gonna piss off the governor.

[reinko]

I dont understand why there is such vitriolic hatred for something you were not a part of and therefore do not fully understand?

It's not anti-Greek, it's anti Frat.  Why don't sororities have these types of issues?  It's a honest question.  And the answer is not, diving into Google and finding the handful of sorority hazing incidents that happen each year, so don't event try.

[RyanConroy]

I dont understand why there is such vitriolic hatred for something you were not a part of and therefore do not fully understand?

I have a full understanding of greek life at Marquette. As does most of the student body. It isn't difficult to comprehend.

[Lighthouse 84]

I did not move the day I got the notice, I moved at the end of the month. But YOU try to focus on studying for finals when you also have no idea where you are going to be living in two weeks. The point is that I am trying to show the lack of caring the University has for anyone that gets in their way. If they really cared about the student they could have served the notice at the end of finals week or the week after.

 Two weeks?  Don't you know tenants have rights?  There's a process that they'd have to go through to get you out. That takes a hell of a lot longer than two weeks to "evict you".  When finals are over, you move back home for the summer, and the whole eviction thing goes away.  I'm not disputing the fact that you may have thought you'd be living there the following year, but what's the BFD about getting an eviction notice right before finals?

[🏀]

Mass media. When is the last time you heard fraternities or sororities raising thousands of dollars for an marginalization? Or waking up early on a Saturday to go do hunger clean up? Never. These things happen but it doesnt sell papers.

Well, the vast majority of hunger cleanup is not frats, but anyways...

The mass media hasn't effected my view of frats at Marquette, my own experience does, so back to the original question...spade is a spade.

[Hards Alumni]

I am a Greek. I am a member of one of the fraternities that is not being investigated.

I went to events and parties hosted by all three of these fraternities (2007-2011). And I saw plenty to be ashamed of. I can think of three separate occasions where I had to step between a man and woman because the man had raised a hand to or was threatening a woman. I can think of another instance when one of my friends passed out and we took her to the hospital. It turned out she had been given a heavy dose of rohypnol. And finally another time when I walked into a bedroom and found a guy on top of an unconscious girl. I reported every one of those instances and only in the last one did the university do anything about it.

So when I heard about these accusations, all I could think was "It's about time."

I'm sorry that you were wrongly evicted, but these organizations are not the same as when you were a student. I have no idea if there is any merit to the current accusations, but I witnessed plenty in my four years to make believe that they may have some merit.

As for the fact that the university going after all three at the same time being suspicious, think about what month it is. It is Greek Week. That week is always accompanied by the worst of this behavior. It wouldn't surprise me at all if all three did something during Greek Week to get themselves in trouble.

Believe it or not, the university does not make up things like this. Prosecuting fraternities is a huge embarrassment to the university. They only stand to lose money from this. Blaming the university is only deflecting the blame off the students who truly deserve it.

Thanks for shedding a little light on the situation.

[Hards Alumni]

I dont understand why there is such vitriolic hatred for something you were not a part of and therefore do not fully understand?

The problem is the nature of the frat itself.  It is a group of guys that are by their very definition noninclusive.  When you don't let EVERYONE in, people are going to wonder why.  Obviously, there is enough shady behavior that goes on in circles of guys not called frats, but when you join up and put yourself together as a noninclusive group, there is bound to be resentment, and classification.

It is easier to attack a group of guys called "Sigma Chi" than it is to attack a group of guys without association... "Dave and his friends".

If you make a group and don't let everyone in (for free) don't expect anyone that isn't a part of that group to like you.  Sorry, its just the way the world works.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I'll repost this in this thread.  A very good read on fraternities from the February 2014 print edition of The Atlantic.

It goes into detail the insurance issue and how fraternities "loop hole" it.  How fraternities "nationalized" in the 80's out of need.  A good write-up on an example from Wesleyan University.  Also goes into detail on fraternity happenings at Washington State U and it's practical neighbor Idaho State U. 

The Dark Power of Fraternities

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/02/the-dark-power-of-fraternities/357580/

[Boozemon Barro]

I'll never understand why someone would go to Marquette to join a frat. That'd be like moving to Kansas to learn how to salt water fish.

[martyconlonontherun]

The thing that always pissed me off at Marquette was that they made you jump through hoops for everything or risk losing your charter and getting kicked off campus. But then other clubs that were officially registered with Marquette had no paperwork or consequences. If ultimate planned a drinking road trip to savannah, no one cared or got them in trouble. It was a pr thing to be tough on fraternities since there isn't as big of a stigma with them.

[77ncaachamps]

The thing that always pissed me off at Marquette was that they made you jump through hoops for everything or risk losing your charter and getting kicked off campus. But then other clubs that were officially registered with Marquette had no paperwork or consequences. If ultimate planned a drinking road trip to savannah, no one cared or got them in trouble. It was a pr thing to be tough on fraternities since there isn't as big of a stigma with them.

Because MU knew closing a frat was going to be harder than a student organization?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Not gonna happen and heres why. MU just expanded, a new fraternity and sorority are coming to campus next year. Along those same lines the reason MU expanded is because Gov. Walkers son threw a hissy fit that he didnt like any of the fraternities on campus (After only visiting 2 I may add) so MU is not gonna piss off the governor.

Is this fact, opinion, rumor, etc?  Was someone documenting the frat house visits of the kid?  I guess I find it hard to believe that a university is going to add frat houses because of a governor's son's supposed complaint about the lack of frat houses at a private university. 

[NotBuzzWilliams]

Is this fact, opinion, rumor, etc?  Was someone documenting the frat house visits of the kid?  I guess I find it hard to believe that a university is going to add frat houses because of a governor's son's supposed complaint about the lack of frat houses at a private university. 

He actually ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning.  Now I know that happens to some students, but probably not the best idea to haze the governor's son.  Also, he only had the choice of one of those 2 frats because Kappa Sigma didn't want him (my roommate and a few friends are brothers)

[Jay Bee]

Frats are weak.

(Except Beta Alpha Psi, yo.)

[ChicosBailBonds]

He actually ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning.  Now I know that happens to some students, but probably not the best idea to haze the governor's son.  Also, he only had the choice of one of those 2 frats because Kappa Sigma didn't want him (my roommate and a few friends are brothers)

So, wait...Gov's kid is in hospital due to alcohol poisoning he got while visiting \ attending MU and MU is going to bow to pressure to allow more Frats as a result?

Uhm....doesn't this sound a bit nonsensical?

[4everwarriors]

Any of y'all belong to I Felta Thi or Tappa Kegga?

[NotBuzzWilliams]

So, wait...Gov's kid is in hospital due to alcohol poisoning he got while visiting \ attending MU and MU is going to bow to pressure to allow more Frats as a result?

Uhm....doesn't this sound a bit nonsensical?

Sigma Chi was shut down for a year because of that.  Idk, maybe they just want to let Mr. Walker do what he wants so Dad isn't mad?  I'm not in a fraternity, and I don't really see the need for more of them.

[Tommy Brice for Coach]

Well, the vast majority of hunger cleanup is not frats, but anyways...

The mass media hasn't effected my view of frats at Marquette, my own experience does, so back to the original question...spade is a spade.

Would you please expand on what experience made you 100% opposed to the idea of a fraternity? I'm really curious. Thanks

[GGGG]

Most universities, especially in the midwest, have very little room for fraternities these days and come down on them whenever they can.  Mostly because the positives are completely outweighed by the negatives in the public's eye.

For instance, a feed the hungry event.  Most student organizations participate in those things...honor societies, orgs centered around your major, etc.  But those student organizations rarely have issues with binge drinking, questionable sexual boundaries, etc. 

So Marquette might very well be clamping down on fraternities for no real reason.  Oh well.

[NavinRJohnson]

I dont understand why there is such vitriolic hatred for something you were not a part of and therefore do not fully understand?

I would suggest that referring to things like, "Greek Unity" and calling themselves "brothers" would be a good place to start looking. BTW, for most I don't think its vitriolic hate, as much as it is people just seeing it as quite lame.

[MileHigh]

Frats are weak.

(Except Beta Alpha Psi, yo.)

What was the co-ed business fraternity that got busted for hazing in 08-09?

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Is there still a Theta Beta Potato house?

[MarsupialMadness]

Greek life is not becoming more prominent on MU's campus.  Anyone who thinks it is, is in some way related to a fraternity or soririty.