by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
Student Jay Tillman said he is not happy that UNM is allowing the Sigma Chi fraternity to return to campus.
Tillman, an ASUNM senator, is involved with the Black Student Union.
"Racism is racism at the end of the day," he said. "They did this thing right here four or five years ago. That's still their views. They may not express it like that. It's going undercover basically."
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Sigma Chi was suspended in 2001 because of four conduct violations, including alcohol violations and an incident in which members of Sigma Chi vandalized an African-American student's vehicle and taped a swastika to it.
Michael Church, director of expansion for Sigma Chi, said that incident was the ultimate reason why the UNM chapter was suspended.
John Dicks, Sigma Chi's associate director of expansion, said the fraternity's return to campus means he can make a fresh start with a new group of students.
"This is great for the fraternity's New Mexico chapter (and) the fraternity as a whole," he said.
The University suspended the fraternity for a four-year period, said Randy Boeglin, dean of students.
Dicks said the national headquarters for Sigma Chi suspended its UNM chapter until all the members at the time of the incident had graduated.
Stipulations for Sigma Chi's return include strong alumni support and guidance, locally and with the national headquarters, Dicks said.
Sigma Chi alumni who live in Albuquerque will make up a 15-member board which will oversee all chapter activities until the fraternity can be reinstalled at the end of the fall 2007 semester, Dicks said.
Church said Sigma Chi is also taking steps to ensure no racial incidents occur again, including a mandatory cultural-sensitivity class every semester until the chapter is installed in 2007.
After the installation, it will be up to the chapter whether or not the classes continue, he said.
Michelle Touson, president of the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association, said the sensitivity classes are not the solution.
"That sounds like we're all going to be standing around in a room together singing 'Kumbaya,'" she said. "That's not enough. Make them go and work in New Orleans in the recovery effort with a black community there. Make them go to a black college for a year and see what it's like."
Dicks said the main goal for starting a new Sigma Chi chapter at UNM is to change the fraternity's reputation and perception.
"We want to move past that negative image we got in the past and show UNM what Sigma Chi is really all about," he said.
Tillman said the few students responsible for giving Sigma Chi a bad reputation at UNM misrepresented the entire organization.
"There is a strong history that goes with a fraternity and sorority," Tillman said. "There are standards that that organization represents, and for them to do that right there, they sent out a message that we are a racist organization at the University."
Despite the fraternity's past actions, it should be allowed back on campus, Touson said.
"Everybody deserves a second chance," she said. "Everybody deserves a chance to change."
Dicks said the fraternity's community service and other philanthropic efforts make its presence at UNM desired.
"The University wants to have us come back," he said.
Boeglin agreed.
"As a campus, we're looking forward to having a healthy Sigma Chi chapter," he said.