by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
Sigma Chi, a fraternity banned from UNM in 2002 after a series of offenses, is planning to come back to campus this summer.
Doug Shapiro, director of expansion at the fraternity's national office, said the move is not unexpected.
"We know that this will be successful, because UNM has an amazing student body," he said. "We knew that down the line we might consider coming back to New Mexico."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
In 2000, the UNM chapter of the fraternity was put on probation for altercations with other fraternities, said Randy Boeglin, dean of students.
The most widely publicized incident came in spring 2001, when several members of the fraternity allegedly duct taped a swastika onto the roof of a African-American student's car. Following that incident, the fraternity was suspended until fall 2001, Boeglin said.
In 2002, the fraternity was suspended for four years after damaging a hotel room and violating alcohol rules, he said.
Shapiro said UNM did the right thing by suspending the fraternity.
"In 2002, we knew that the chapter had turned in the wrong direction. They had some huge racial insensitivity issues," he said. "They also had problems with drinking and irresponsibility. The typical fraternity plague is what was going on there."
Scott Wickman, a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at UNM, said Sigma Chi should not be allowed back on campus.
"I think it's ridiculous," he said. "When fraternities do stuff like that, it only reinforces the negative stereotypes against fraternities."
Wickman said he understands that fraternities aren't perfect and some will get in trouble from drinking violations from time to time.
"But the incidents involved in them getting kicked off campus are really extreme," he said.
Student Ryan Garcia said he is against the fraternity starting again at UNM.
"They're still going to have the same kind of influence, and people are still going to see them as doing that kind of stuff," he said. "I just haven't had a very good experience with frats."
Shapiro said it is the fraternity's policy to wait four years before coming back to a school that used to have a chapter.
"It gives everyone who was part of it a chance to graduate, so we can start fresh," he said.
The problems the fraternity had were caused by individuals and are not indicative of the overall culture of the fraternity, he said.
"This is not the 'Animal House' alcohol-based culture," he said.
Sigma Chi will start a new chapter at UNM rather than simply bringing back the old one, he said. That means the national office has the opportunity to pick responsible leaders for the chapter, he said.
Debbie Morris, director of Student Activities, said that is a good thing.
"Obviously the individuals that were in there before they were suspended were not the kind of individuals we want here," she said. "That certainly leaves a cloud, but none of those people are still around."
The fraternity is allowed back on campus this summer, Boeglin said. However, the earliest they can move back into their house, now the Telos House near Dane Smith Hall, will be fall 2008, he said.
The fraternity will go through the same process as one that has never been at UNM, Shapiro said.
First, members of the national office will recruit a few students to form a Sigma Chi colony, which will go through the necessary work to become a full-fledged chapter, he said.
Alumni of the fraternity will supervise the members of the colony, he said.
Student Joanna Branham said it does not matter whether the fraternity is on campus.
"If they do come back or don't come back, it's not a big deal," she said. "And if they do come back and act the same, it would be nice to have some entertainment - a little bit of scandal."
