Ohio State’s Sigma Alpha Mu chapter was closed by its international headquarters in 2018 for hazing and alcohol violations. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Lantern File Photo
Following reports of underground Sigma Alpha Mu activity at Ohio State, the international fraternity headquarters sent a survey to the Greek life community to prevent any unofficial members from rejoining when the chapter’s suspension lifts in fall 2022.
Ohio State Sorority and Fraternity Life shared a message from Sigma Alpha Mu’s Executive Director Andy Huston regarding reports of the closed chapter’s unrecognized activity to fraternity and sorority chapter leaders and advisers March 22.
The message contained a survey created after a male Ohio State student reached out to the international headquarters about joining during recruitment season, Huston said. The goal of the survey is to prevent individuals associated with the underground fraternity from rejoining the Ohio State chapter when it is able to reopen fall 2022.
“We want to protect our trademarks, we also want to protect the Ohio State student body,” Huston said. “If there are people reporting themselves as members of Sigma Alpha Mu who are not, that is problematic.”
The chapter must inform Sorority and Fraternity Life and the Interfraternity Council of its plans to return at least one year in advance, Ryan Sheffield, IFC president and a third-year in business, said. As part of its return, numerous approvals, meetings and educational programming must occur before and during the process.
In 2018, Sigma Alpha Mu’s Ohio State chapter was suspended by its international headquarters for hazing and alcohol violations. The decision to close the fraternity was a result of an internal investigation by the international headquarters.
The names and contact information of those who report individuals in the survey will remain anonymous to the university and named students.
The group of students is suspected of running operations out of 1945 Indianola Ave., according to the survey.
“If people are identified as being associated with an underground, a rogue, a closed chapter, if and when we return we want nothing to do with those individuals,” Huston said. “So this will also safeguard our future success.”
Huston said lawyers for the international headquarters have prepared cease and desist letters — which require individuals to stop claiming association to the fraternity and using trademarks or face legal penalty — to be sent to reported students.
Related: A cycle of sanctions: How repeatedly disciplined fraternities stay on campus
Fraternities have been a part of Ohio State’s campus since the late 1800s, and in the more than 100 years since their establishment, nothing has ever caused the university to remove a fraternity from campus — not even death.
The individuals claiming to be a part of Sigma Alpha Mu at Ohio State are not members of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, Huston said. Sheffield said the students are also not recognized by Ohio State or the IFC.
Sorority and Fraternity life remains in contact with the staff at Sigma Alpha Mu International Headquarters as reports of continued activity are filed through the Council Grievance form and Student Conduct reporting structures, Hunter Hartwig, assistant director of sorority and fraternity life within the Office of Student Life, said in a statement.
Hartwig said students and community members are encouraged to use the international headquarters’ form to provide staff with information about unrecognized activity. The fraternity may follow-up with any individual who continues to unlawfully use the name of Sigma Alpha Mu.
