The Sigma Pi fraternity is appealing a five-year suspension handed down by Student Development Coordinator Andy Morgan for failure to register a social event, chapter director Thomas Kent said Sunday.

The suspension strips the group of all rights and privileges it had as a Registered Student Organization. It also takes away activities such as rushing, pledging and initiation, Morgan said.

Kent said he filed the appeal because of a lack of evidence used to convict the group and the harshness of the penalty.

Kent and Morgan would not comment on the specifics of the event or the violation.

Morgan, an administrator who advises the Inter-Greek Council, presided over the fraternity’s April 18 hearing. He said the length of the suspension was necessary because of the seriousness of the violation and the fact that the group was already on probation.

The probation began in the fall when the group broke the Greek system’s risk management policy, Morgan said. He would not comment on how the group breached the policy, but said the rules cover such things as having alcohol at an event.

“Historically at SIU when a group violates their probation the next level is suspension,” Morgan said.

The appeal was made to Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Larry Dietz, who will set a date for hearing the appeal, Kent said.

Mark Briscoe, executive director of the national fraternity, said he was working with SIUC officials regarding the violation, and also said he worked with the group to file the appeal.

Morgan said reasons for appeal could include a procedural error that occurred during the initial hearing, a lack of evidence to support the violation, new evidence that could change the outcome of the initial sanction and the belief the given punishment was too harsh.

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