How SigEp can change the face of fraternity AGAIN In 1992, SigEp launched the
Balanced Man Program which, among other changes, removed pledging from the undergraduate experience. Two decades later, SigEp is the strongest it’s ever been. With an all-time high GPA of 3.15 and more undergraduate brothers than any other national fraternity, the virtues of the BMP have been praised across the Greek and higher education communities. Other fraternities are mirroring SigEp’s approach—launching and perfecting their own versions of the BMP. Meanwhile, SigEp continues to refine the program for a singular purpose: adapting to the changing needs of today’s college male.
On the following pages, we
share the perspective from one campus that has taken a very public stand on how Greek life needs to evolve, Cornell. And in Career Crusaders, you will see how two alumni have answered the need for helping brothers compete in their careers. We also look at today’s college man, the Millienial Male, to understand the unique challenges he is facing. These articles illuminate the landscape of education today and SigEp’s ongoing pursuit to reshape fraternity AGAIN.
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sigep journal Fall 2013 | sigep.org
Cornell leads the way for universities in evolving Greek life
C
ornell University’s president, David Skorton, took a bold and public stand when he called for “an end to pledging as we know it” in a 2011 New York Times op-ed article. The message was clear: if the Greek system was to survive at Cornell, it would need to find a new way of doing business. The call to action followed the alcohol-fueled hazing death of Sigma Alpha Epsilon sophomore George Desdunes. Having seen the progress made by SigEp’s Balanced Man Program and similar efforts by other national fraternities, universities like Cornell are expecting more from Greek life. Since then, Dr. Susan Murphy, Cornell vice president for student and academic services and coauthor of the recent USA Today editorial, “Hazing is never OK,” has continued to make headlines with her proactive, no-nonsense approach to saving the Greek system. Dr. Murphy is quick to say that things need to be better at Cornell, but she believes in Greek life. Through her involvement as a sister at Pi Beta Phi’s Cornell chapter, she’s felt the positive impact of Greek organizations, and she is committed to helping them improve. Her staff members are rolling up their sleeves to help undergraduates, alumni and many national headquarters lead change similar to that championed by SigEp in the early 90s. The Fraternity needs the support of universities like Cornell to seed long-lasting change. SigEp’s CEO Brian C. Warren Jr., visited with Dr. Murphy to discuss Cornell’s changing culture and how SigEp can continue to lead.