Sigma Chi - University of Missouri

The The Tiger Sig Published by the Xi Xi ChaPter alumni assoCiation of sigma Chi fraternity COLUMBIA, MISSOURI SUMMER 2019 FILLING IN THE GAPS (Continued on page 2) W e had previously communicated via email the status of events up to late fall. These comments will take things to the present while reminding you of early details. Shortly after the start of school some actives, ignoring alcohol and hazing rules, decided to get to know the pledges better by conducting a room tour in the house during which alcohol was offered. A few others had pledges return later for a lineup. These actions were reported to Greek Life. Greek Life entered into conversation and subsequent direct meetings with the International Fraternity regarding the course of action to be taken. The contents of the Restorative Justice Program were given to Greek Life. When the Restorative Justice Program was reviewed, Greek Life agreed that Sigma Chi should take all responsibility for supervising the Chapter's future as long as all parties kept in total communication with them. The interview process was held in early December and it followed pat- terns experienced by other chapters with a majority of upperclassmen ask- ing out. Our financial survival depended on moving dorm-dwelling freshmen back into the house (this was ironic since we had been the only major Chapter on campus to follow the University's wish of no in-house freshmen). The university cooperated by cutting the penalty for breaking dorm contracts, so we entered the second semester housing 35 freshmen and 16 actives. Based on the provisions of the RJP, we will be able to recruit between 20-25 men this fall. They will, of course, live in the house and we should have the numbers to be sound when all fraternities must abide by the new "no freshmen in houses" policy of the university, which will take effect in the fall of 2020. A new group of Chapter officers was selected from the remaining actives. Freshmen were initiated and moved in. As John Costigan '19 describes, a new structure was set to maximize involvement in Chapter direction. Small committees were formed to focus on ritual, scholarship, recruit- ment, house management and philanthropy. They functioned well as evi- denced by their progress in planning. One of the problems faced by the freshmen-heavy Chapter was policing suspended actives who attempted to ignore their status and come into the Chapter House. Obviously, it's tough for a freshman to face down a senior. With minor incidences, this was kept at a minimum. The culmination of this process has been the formation of a unity among university personnel, the International Fraternity, and the Chapter. This Triumph Born out of Turmoil Sigma Chi Mizzou Celebrates Annual Scholarship Banquet O n a windy Saturday in late April Xi Xi actives, their moth- ers, a group of alumni (just a portion of whom are rep- resented in the photo above), and our university systems president ascended to a rooftop restaurant in Downtown Columbia to honor scholarships in our Chapter. Even more meaningful was that this event represented the rather miraculous accomplishment of all present in bringing Xi Xi from a condition of profound disorder to a status of energy, strength through unity and acceptance of new di- rection. Had this not happened, a scholarship luncheon would never have materialized. In the ensuing articles we will take you back starting at the April celebration through rapid-fire days of redirection of the Chapter to negotiation with the university and International Fraternity to the in- cident which set everything in motion. Before that, we recognize will be made stronger in the coming school year when Andy Kassel '95, former province praetor, assumes the role of further unifying this coopera- tive venture. We now have a smaller-than-usual but stronger-than-usual group of de- termined members. Substantive order arose from chaos. The scholarship event gave tangible evidence of the success of the Chapter. Larry McMullen '53 addresses mothers and Xi Xi sons at our scholarship luncheon.

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