Greeks and independents, young and old, Ball Staters and Muncie-ites, it has been a while since my thoughtful words and powerful phrases have run in this space, but they can't keep a good man down. I'm back in full effect and ready for round two.
Perhaps you have noticed a group of gentlemen walking around campus wearing different letters. They're not Sig Eps, certainly not Delts, nor are they Theta Chis. These men are Kappa Sigma. Honestly, when I first saw them, I thought I had a mild case of dyslexia and that Sigma Kappa sorority had decided to change its image through recruitment. So I decided to do a little homework.
It seems like everything at Ball State that surrounds the greek system is full of anger, resentment and controversy. Well, the Kappa Sig fiasco is turning into a low-key war. You see, for a fraternity to become affiliated with Ball State it must have Interfraternity Council approval. Normally what happens is a group of men who want to start a fraternity will approach IFC who will have various fraternities come and make presentations and then a selection will be made by IFC which group comes to campus.
What not to do, according to IFC, is pick out a fraternity you like, contact its national headquarters, and then "crash campus." But you see, here is where it gets tricky. Rob Turning, assistant director of Student Organizations and Activities, has made it clear that Kappa Sig did just that. Their nationals wanted to be a part of Ball State, which Turning said "has no room for expansion." Their members tell a different story.
According to Bart Renner, Kappa Sig president, they approached Ball State through the help of a mutual friend. It was not a Kappa Sig recruitment fest as everyone says. Renner has told me he feels IFC is "dragging its feet" and "unwilling to help." It is truly a shame when two stories are 180 degrees apart. Somewhere in the middle lies the difficult area known as the truth.
First of all, I have met just a few Kappa Sigs, but the few I met gave me a great impression of the way they run things. With that said, however, I have to agree with Turning when it comes to procedure. I had the benefit of watching as FIJI has grown from a small colony to a greek counterpart of the very best. It can be done, but the way you go about it is crucial. To the men of Kappa Sigma, do it the right way, because I can guarantee you it is the only way you will succeed.
With all of this said, I feel there is some room for expansion here. Admissions numbers continue to skyrocket, and yet greek numbers continue to plummet. Why? I believe the reason is simply quality. We may have enough fraternities numbers-wise, but the plain and simple truth is that recruits only have a few options when it comes to a quality fraternity on campus.
Kappa Sig may not be recognized, but they show up en masse to events, they wear their letters with pride, and they give a good impression. It is time for Ball State to get rid of the deadweight in the IFC. It is then, and only then, that quality organizations can give our community the jump-start it so desperately needs.
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