Content Warning: This letter is from the president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and references allegations of drugging and sexual assault

As president of the newly reinstated Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, I feel it is my duty to the Northwestern community to be transparent about the concerns regarding our return. In the past, SAE has been criticized for making this campus unsafe, prioritizing “having fun” and lacking accountability for its actions. The SAE that is starting this fall is different, and I want to use this space to explain why we have decided to return and what concrete action we are taking as we restart the chapter.

I first want to address why we have decided to restart the chapter. The class that I joined was part of the chapter for a month prior to the allegations of druggings and sexual assault. While we never received any information on the investigation into the allegations, we understand that the chapter we initially joined was reckless and contributed to making the Greek community less safe. We are returning to campus because we want to be a part of the solution to the problems facing the Interfraternity Council and the NU community. I chose to be president because I know that every member of the new chapter is committed to making SAE a fraternity that has a positive impact on the community. On a personal level, I want to leave an impact on this campus that I am proud of, and there is nothing I would be more proud of than if our work makes NU and its Greek community a safer environment.

Regardless of our reasoning for restarting the chapter, I know there will be skepticism until concrete actions are outlined to demonstrate how we are becoming more transparent and accountable. In keeping with the University’s requirements for the chapter to return to campus, all current and new members will be attending Drinking (or Drugging) Culture Close Up, Red Watch Band Bystander Intervention Training, Sexual Assault Prevention and Peer Inclusion Educators Social Identities workshops. We see these workshops as more than just mandatory measures — they are opportunities for us to learn more about how we can have a more inclusive and safe chapter culture. Additionally, our live-in housing director and I are also in communication with University Police on the development of a bystander intervention training program that will be required for all members. Internally, after introspective discussion on how past policies created unsafe environments, we are starting from scratch when it comes to our health and safety policies, community engagement requirements and recruitment strategy.

In the past, SAE recruitment was organized around parties and drinking events, and we believe this heavily contributed to the dangerous culture that developed. Instead, by getting to know potential new members on a more personal level during recruitment, we hope to find students that want to take leadership roles in developing the culture for the new SAE.

We want to appeal to those students rushing who do not want to join an existing fraternity but instead be part of a new fraternity, one based around brotherhood and safety. We want to bring in new members who are involved on campus beyond our chapter and can develop their own reputation independent of our past. We know that our reputation on campus is synonymous with everything wrong with the Greek community, including sexual assault, but I hope people keep an open mind about our return and do not assume that the new SAE will conduct business as before.

I would also like to invite any student or organization that has further questions or concerns about our return to reach out to me individually. I am happy to be transparent about our experience in the old SAE and our vision for the new SAE.

—Tommy Vaughan, President of Northwestern’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon
[email protected]