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Sigma Phi Epsilon 17 years later. . .

June 27, 2008

In 1991 I joined Sigma Phi Epsilon at the University of Texas at Austin.  That year the fraternity developed the Balanced Man program.  Last week Scott and I met with the father of a SigEp ‘pledge’ and we were talking about the program and I thought it might be worth explaining here.  My fraternity experience was imperfect to be sure, but the program has helped SigEp to grow to become the largest fraternity in the country.

In 1991 Sigma Phi Epsilon implemented a four year, continuous development ‘Balanced Man’ program, which abolished pledging altogether, instituted year-round recruitment, encourages lifestyles based on the three cardinal principles, and includes a number of tasks geared towards creating diverse experiences that promote the ideals of “a sound mind and a sound body”. First adopted at the New Hampshire Alpha chapter at Dartmouth College, the program has been adopted by approximately 81% of Sigma Phi Epsilon chapters. SigEp headquarters credits the Balanced Man Program as the driving force behind the continued growth and success of the fraternity. Some of these accomplishments include SigEp’s 90% undergraduate retention rate, a major improvement in the national average SigEp GPA (3.04, Fall 2007), and SigEp’s status as the nation’s largest fraternity by undergraduate membership. Other fraternities have since chosen to adopt similar programs, such as Beta Theta Pi’s “Man of Principle”, Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s “True Gentleman”, Pi Kappa Alpha’s “True Pike”, and more recently Lambda Chi Alpha’s “True Brother Initiative”.

Sigma Phi Epsilon logo.jpgThe Balanced Man Program consists of four challenges labeled Sigma, Phi, Epsilon, and Brother Mentor. Each challenge contains required tasks that progressively develop a member’s self, chapter, and community. A new SigEp brother is welcomed with the introductory phase of the program, the Sigma Challenge, and must complete a program based on self-discovery, chapter activities, and community service. After completing the Sigma Challenge he enters the Phi Challenge, which is centered on building balance. Here, more advanced tasks await him that include becoming a member of other on-campus organizations and taking a leadership role in the chapter. The third challenge in the Balanced Man Program is the Epsilon Challenge, centered on being an effective campus and community leader; at this level the brother has a full understanding of the Fraternity, the brother is also expected to hold an executive or chairman position in both the Chapter, and at least one outside organization. The Brother Mentor level is an additional level introduced with the Balanced Man program. Brother Mentor signifies a brother’s commitment to his chapter by completing all three levels of the Balanced Man and by going beyond and completing the challenges set forth by the Brother Mentor program. These include a very large community service requirement and tasks that better the chapter as a whole. All challenges in the Balanced Man program are self-paced. They can also be tailored to suit the chapter’s and the individual brother’s needs.

Chapters are accepted into the Balanced Man Program only after an overwhelming majority of the chapter votes to convert from pledging model to Balance Man Project Chapter. New Sigma Epsilon chapters are started as Balanced Man Program Chapters. Once a chapter becomes a Balanced Man Program chapter they are not permitted to return to the pledging model of member development. The fraternity has a goal nationally that 90% of the undergraduate chapters will use the Balanced Man Program for member development by 2011.

Many of the remaining pledging model chapters openly protest the Balanced Man Program. Pledging model chapters claim that the Balanced Man Program members do not form the bonds that a pledging model chapter has. Pledging model chapters also contend that Balanced Man Program chapter members tend to know less about the history of the fraternity or its unwritten traditions and lore. Finally, many pledging model chapters claim that the Balanced Man Program cheapens the process by not creating any obstacles to become a SigEp.

Now, 17 years since the first implementation of the Balanced Man Program SigEp has much success with the program. Over 75% of SigEp chapters use the program. As with any organization as large as this fraternity some chapters do a better job with their member development program than others. The statistics have shown that chapters using the Balanced Man Program have better grades. Risk Management violations from Balanced Man Program chapters are less than those from Pledging Model chapters.

All chapters are expected to offer a four year member development program regardless of whether they use the Balanced Man Program or pledge model development. [via]

Written by Alexander Muse · Filed Under Blog, Personal 

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