Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity facing charges

by Jenny Wilkins
THE POST

As Ohio University's fraternities started issuing bids to potential new members last night, one chapter waits to be penalized by the Interfraternity Council Judicial Board for violating the recruitment section of the IFC constitution.

The Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity placed an advertisement in Monday's edition of The Post to lure recruits. But the ad violated the constitution of the IFC of OU, said Scott Copley, OU director of student activities for fraternity and sorority affairs.

"There will be no advertising allowed in any local newspaper by any IFC member chapter," according to the constitution, which was updated in October of 1999 by the IFC and member chapters.

"The Interfraternity Council board will review the case and decide a punishment severe enough to deter other chapters from making this mistake in the future," said Graham Blackwell, vice president of recruitment for the interfraternity council. "However, I would not expect major sanctions to be placed on the Sammies."

The IFC plans to meet to discuss the issue soon, but Gerald Pallante, president of IFC, said he would not comment about the violation at this time.

"Since we are still going through recruitment right now, everyone is pretty busy," Copley said. "After it is over, IFC will meet to discuss the violation."

Kevin McCormick, treasurer of Sigma Alpha Mu, said the fraternity did not realize placing the ad violated the constitution.

"We did not know it was a violation," he said. "It was a mistake."

But Copley said the IFC issued copies of the constitution to delegates of each fraternity after it was revised.

Similar cases have been reviewed and dealt with by the IFC Judicial Board, Blackwell said. The Phi Kappa Theta fraternity committed a similar violation two years ago and faced minor consequences. Phi Kappa Theta members had to paint an advertisement on the graffiti wall on Richland Avenue urging men to join greek life.

"Each year there are always complaints about fraternities and the judicial board looks at them all," Copley said.

Blackwell said he thinks the violation stems from a misunderstanding.

"Each chapter recruitment chairman knows the rules, but unfortunately the Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity public relations chairman did not," Blackwell said. "The PR chair acted on his own without the consent of the rush chair."