Chapter member: Resident Scholar program was implemented at SC-Alpha
I am a member of the SC-Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon writing this letter in response to the recent online article “USC’s Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter closed by national association” by Cassie Cope and Thad Moore.
The claims made in this article are at best poorly researched and at worst criminally libelous. For example the authors write, presumably based on information from Dennis Pruitt, that part of our problem was our failure to implement the Balanced Man or Resident Scholar programs.
Had any research been done into these statements, the authors would have found that our chapter has been a Traditional (Pledge Model) chapter with the blessing of our national organization since its founding at USC in 1904. Due to a series of minor infractions, of which none are identified in the article, our chapter was compelled to perform a membership review toward the end of this semester, at which time Jerry Brewer (not our national organization) said the only way we could remain on campus would be to implement the Balanced Man program starting Spring 2012.
As to the Resident Scholar program, a Resident Scholar has filled the apartment in our house every semester since I have been a part of this fraternity. Currently, Jesse Ford, who actively assists brothers with accessing university resources such as tutoring programs, occupies that position.
I realize that some of this misinformation has simply been quoted from university officials, which is in itself disturbing; however, it is the responsibility of the publication to ensure that published information is factual and not defamatory.
Regardless of the picture painted by Mr. Brewer that “social activities became [our] whole existence,” fraternities at South Carolina have and continue to be one of the largest mediums of community service and philanthropy on this campus, and I, for one, hope that The Daily Gamecock and the Carolina community as a whole can recognize that, even if our university officials do not.
— David Prim, third-year biomedical engineering student