CORNELL OBTAINS CHARTER

Evan Caruso, Cornell '11

After a five-year absence, the brothers of the New York Beta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon have reestablished themselves at Cornell. The chapter’s re-chartering banquet was held on August 28, the opening weekend of the school year, at Cornell’s renowned Statler Hotel. Fifty-four undergraduate brothers attended, along with their dates, and about 30 alumni and guests. Dean of Students Kent Hubbel, and the Associate Dean of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Kara Miller represented the university.

Two members of the Headquarters staff also attended, Chapter Services Director Michael Repasky, Ohio State ’08, and Events and Programming Coordinator Kristen Reid. Other notable guests included, Paul Litcher, Indiana Tech ’88, a volunteer at multiple SigEp chapters, and a close friend of Alumni and Volunteer Corporation President David Roman, Cornell ‘73; District Governor David Middlemiss, Syracuse ’91; and National Director Billy Maddalon, North Carolina State ’90, who was also the keynote speaker.

From the welcome to the riveting keynote speech and the presentation of the charter, the event was memorable for all attendees. The charter unveiling was met with thunderous applause and teary-eyed expressions. Said executive board member Paul Barber, ’12, “It was the culmination of an effort that goes back before my time. It was a truly gratifying experience.”

The chapter was founded on September 24, 1912. It stood as a centerpiece of the Cornell Greek system for over 80 years, before the original charter was revoked. In 2006, the Headquarters staff and a determined alumni base worked to bring SigEp back to Cornell. From the very first days, the chapter developed a strong year-round recruitment process, an exciting and involved member development program, and a meaningful relationship with the AVC. The brothers have seen their hard work pay off, with recruitment totals of 18, 21, and 24 over the last three years, building a strong foundation for the chapter.

While growth has been a major focus, the chapter also managed to build a unified brotherhood, with members who take pride in supporting each other on a daily basis. They have tackled major projects together, including landscaping outside of the chapter house, and remodeling the trophy and chapter rooms. Upon arriving for the chartering weekend, Roman said it was the best he had seen the chapter house in over 25 years.

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