The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: News

SAE (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) vice president Taylor Barnett, left, and fraternity president David Sparling, right, celebrate among other fraternity members after hearing the news that the SAE fraternity will be reinstated as an official chapter at CSU. The Inter-Fraternity Council had failed to pass the vote prior, but after three attempts, SAE succeeded in reinstating their fraternity.

Ousted fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon regained recognition as a CSU colony Monday after a member from another fraternity pushed for Greeks to reconsider the fraternity's bid.

More than one year after SAE became the scourge of CSU Greek Life for allegations of underage drinking and other misconduct, the Interfraternity Council, the group that governs fraternities, voted unanimously to bring them back.

Fraternity members were overjoyed with the council's decision, as the fraternity had been stiff-armed in their previous attempts.

"We couldn't be happier," said David Sparling, SAE president. "We feel like we've finally gotten across to IFC, and we feel like we've done it the right way. We feel like we can come back as an organization."

SAE, once a flourishing fraternity with deep roots at CSU, lost recognition last year after a 17-year-old freshman girl nearly died of alcohol poisoning after drinking at a party in the fraternity house, a white brick building at the intersection of Laurel and Howes streets,

Following the incident, the chapter was suspended by their national organization, and members living in the house were forced to move out. SAE also conducted a "housing cleaning" in which 45 members were booted out.

Previous attempts by SAE to be recognized were denied after a secret ballot vote by the IFC.

But council members voted down a motion for a secret ballot Monday, opting instead to vote via roll call.

Several fraternities were denied their voting privilege, as they had failed to fully pay their dues to the IFC, including Delta Tau Delta, which had been leading the opposition against SAE.

Continued...

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