This story was updated at 3:32 PST to reflect the reason Sigma Nu was kicked off campus in 2012.
The Interfraternity Council welcomed back Sigma Nu to San Diego State’s campus this fall.
After being chartered with SDSU for almost fifty years, the fraternity was removed from campus the spring of 2012 by its headquarters for not meeting the expectation of excellence the fraternity has for its members.
A 2012 press release from the national Sigma Nu office said, “The violations included the misuse of alcohol, unauthorized social activities with alcohol and hazing activities that included the use of alcohol in the candidate (pledge) member program.”
Caryl Montero-Adams, the assistant director for Student Life and Leadership for Greek Life did not comment on the exact reasons for the fraternity leaving campus.
Representatives from Sigma Nu have been in contact with SLL since the removal of the chapter to ensure the fraternity would be able to return to campus.
Alex Taylor, director of expansion and recruitment for Sigma Nu headquarters, said he hopes the new chapter will mirror the diversity of SDSU’s student body.
“[SDSU is] where students want to be involved and be engaged,” Taylor said. “Those are the types of students we want, the students that want to make a difference and make a lasting impact. SDSU does that and we hope to add to that culture.”
An expansion and recruitment consultant for Sigma Nu headquarters, Preston Sam, has been conducting interviews for potential new members that will add to the legacy of excellence the fraternity holds.
“We believe what we do as an organization prepares these individuals to perform at or above the average of their peers,” Sam said.
The fraternity is looking for men who exceed the average IFC GPA of 2.9 and are involved in at least one other organization on campus. While he has found several men who fit the criteria, Sam hopes to reach the average chapter size of 76-80 members.
“[The men] have really bought into this idea of being a student leader on campus,” he said. “Being involved with the San Diego State community and the county around us as well as a lifelong commitment to a fraternity which really has a rich history in the fraternal world,” he said.
Chapter members will be allowed to move back into the property Sigma Nu owns in Fraternity Row once they have been chartered by headquarters, which means they are a nationally recognized chapter.
Scott Semel, IFC president, said the growth of the greek council allows for more students to participate in fraternity life.
“It gives organizations the opportunity to find more students who have been looking for a place to get involved but haven’t found it yet,” Semel said. “I really do think it allows students to branch out.”
This will be the fourteenth social fraternity on campus.
