free
thursday
march 27, 2014 high 45°, low 37°
t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k |
N • Man of mystery
An SU professor created a film about Richard Garwin, creator of the first Hydrogen bomb, to show that he was influential in more ways than one. Page 3
P • Check yourself
dailyorange.com
Tae Kim, an SU freshman, emerges as a leader in the SU Chess Club after beating several chess masters in a tournament. Page 11
S • Measuring up
Jerome Smith and 11 other former Syracuse football players competed in SU Pro Day on Wednesday. Page 24
After nine fraternity-related deaths nationwide, SAE chapters are being forced to
COMPLY OR CLOSE By Claire Moran staff writer
I
n December 2013, Bloomberg News called the Sigma Alpha Epsilon national organization the deadliest fraternity in the country. Since 2006, nine people have died in events related to SAE across the nation, including the hazing process that takes place after recruitment. The Supreme Council for SAE has decided to address the hazing problems that many SAE chapters have faced across the country. On March 9, SAE eliminated the pledging process and the term “pledge” from its vernacular. Once recruits are initiated, they are deemed “new members.” These members must be initiated within 96 hours of receiving their bids. The new initiative is called the True Gentleman Experience and includes instructions for SAE chapters to educate new members “about the Fraternity’s values, mission, creed and history and develop personally over the course of their collegiate tenure,” according to the SAE True Gentleman Experience website. “This returns the membership experience to what our Sigma Alpha Epsilon, one of the nation’s oldest founding fathers enviand largest fraternities, eliminated its pledging sioned,” said Brandon process on March 9. courtesy of su archives Weghorst, the associate executive director of communications for SAE. “When we were founded in 1856 and then for about 70 or 80 years after that, this is how it was whenever you joined SAE. There was no pledging, there was no concept of
pledges or the pledge process.” Nationally, since 2005, more than 60 fraternityrelated deaths have occurred. Of those 60, SAE accounts for nine of them. In an article published in December of 2013, Bloomberg recounted the stories of a former SAE pledge from Salisbury University in Maryland. The student’s pledging process allegedly involved confinement in a basement, excessive drinking and beatings. “We look at some of the unfortunate incidents or negative exposure that Sigma Alpha Epsilon has had over the last couple of years, many of those instances, not all of them, but many of them were in Under its new policies, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon somehow way shape fraternity now has 96 hours to initiate new mememma fierberg asst. photo editor or form related to the bers.
pledge process or to the concept of the brother versus pledge,” Weghorst said. Syracuse University has a strict no-hazing policy. Five fraternities are currently on semester suspension or probation for hazing, according to Syracuse University’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, but Sigma Alpha Epsilon is not one of those chapters. Though in 2006, SAE came under fire for “kidnapping” a pledge as part of spring rush. A student witnessed some SAE brothers kidnapping a pledge and called the police thinking it was suspicious behavior. After extensive review from the Interfraternity Council’s Peer Review Board, the fraternity was found guilty of hazing. Theta Chi fraternity was also found guilty for hazing in a separate incident in 2006. Roy Baker, SU’s associate dean of students in 2006, said in a Daily Orange article from that year the definition of hazing can encompass acts as see sae page 10
university senate
Senators hold forum on boycott Attendees discuss SU’s rejection of American Studies Association decision By Maddy Berner development editor
Two months after Syracuse University released a statement rejecting the American Studies Association’s boycott of Israeli universities, several university members expressed dissatisfaction that they were not consulted about it. “It’s quite clear to me that there needs to be input of faculty, staff and students on any political position that the university takes in our name,” said Chandra Talpade Mohanty, a women’s see usen page 10
crime
Homeless man appears in court Duncan Miller is charged with trespass, burglary in academic buildings By Dylan Segelbaum staff writer
A homeless man who was arrested last month on the Syracuse University campus appeared in Syracuse City Court on Wednesday, though no resolution was reached with any of the cases against him for trespass and burglary at academic buildings. Duncan “Wonderboy” Miller went before City Court Judge James Cecile shortly after 11 a.m. The appearance lasted only a few minutes, and a new court date was set for April 14. see miller page 10