‘Balanced Man’ creed brings back Sig Eps

Nationwide, Sigma Phi Epsilon is the largest fraternalorganization, and now the SMU Sig Eps have improved their chaptermarkedly with 80 active members, making them the sixth largestfraternity on campus.

Already this year the Sig Eps have added 25 new members, placingthem as one of the fastest growing chapters in the nation.Following their success, many other Sigma Phi Epsilon chapters areusing the SMU chapter as an inspiration and model for their ownfloundering fraternities.

It was only two years ago when SMU’s own Sigma Phi Epsilonchapter was in danger of being removed from campus. At the end ofthe fall semester of 2001 the Texas Upsilon chapter was given theultimatum to train and implement the ‘Balanced Man’program, or risk losing its chapter forever.

“This situation is unique in my experience. It is rare fora chapter to be immediately reorganized as Sig Ep was,”Barber said.

The biggest change for the fraternity was the introduction ofyear-round recruitment process and the changes made to theinitiation period that most fraternal organizations refer to as”pledgeship.”

The new members are accepted into Sigma Phi Epsilon any time ofthe academic year. But once the day of acceptance has passed thenew members are required to pass several ‘challenges,’as imposed by the ‘Balanced Man’ program.

These challenges include maintaining a set GPA, playingintramurals, studying the history of the fraternity and beingcommitted and involved to the fraternity as well as supportingother greek organizations.

Although the Texas Upsilon chapter was temporarily removed fromcampus in Nov. 2001, existing members of the chapter were givenalumni status and the chapter began reorganizing in Jan. 2002.

Currently, the Texas Upsilon charter is being held in the careof the national board of directors, local alumni and volunteersuntil the newly reorganized group meets the requirements to becomea fully recognized chapter.

“No members were ever ‘removed’ from thefraternity, nor was there any wrong-doing by the members to callfor removal,” said coordinator of student activities andgreek affairs Jim Barber. “All 18 active members are stilllife-long members of Sigma Phi Epsilon.”

After the temporary hold on the fraternity’s charter, afew men decided to make a difference and improve the standards bywhich members were chosen to become a part of the fraternity.

The ‘Balanced Man’ creed began in 1991 when theSigma Phi Epsilon Headquarters reviewed the declining membershipnumbers nationwide. This notion included inducting members based ona well-rounded attitude, involvement and desire to stay committedduring all four years of college.

“We are generally the nice guys,” said TrevorWeichmann, social chair of Sig Ep at SMU. “We are the guyswho are looking for something a little deeper from our collegeexperience.”

However, in order for the Sig Eps to regain status here at SMU,many changes had to be made. They sought alumni for advice,guidance and ideas on improving the failing fraternity.

In addition to alumni support, other major players in thesurvival of SMU’s chapter included Ryan Jacobson, the SigmaPhi Epsilon director of new chapter development, Dr. Jim Caswell,the vice president of student affairs and the department ofResidence Life and Student Housing.

“It was not always an easy transition,” Barber said.”But I think anyone can see that the reorganization efforthas been a huge success. I’m very proud of the work of thecurrent members, alums, national staff and the fraternity as awhole.”

In order to acknowledge its recruitment successes, the chapteris having a formal chartering banquet on April 16 when the SMUSigma Phi Epsilon chapter receives its official charter.

“It’s fun to see all our hard work beingrewarded,” Weichmann said. “After starting fromscratch, we are all really excited to receive our charter andbecome recognized nationwide.”

“As an adviser, administrator and alumnus, the group ofmen who wear the letters Sigma Phi Epsilon on our campus make meproud,” Barber stated in a letter to the members of thenational board of directors. 

“They set out to be different on a campus where differentis not always accepted.  They accepted this challenge withouthesitation and can now see the results of their hardwork.”