Two Members of Suspended Sigma Chi Fraternity are Running for IFC Board Positions

Two Sigma Chi members are allegedly slated for three Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC) Executive Board positions, according to documents leaked to The Triton. Both UC San Diego and the national chapter have suspended Sigma Chi, pending an ongoing investigation into at least six drugging and sexual assault allegations.

The IFC is the governing body for all social fraternities at UCSD. It is responsible for maintaining compliance with UCSD regulations and preserving academic and social integrity for each individual fraternity. The IFC has repeatedly declined requests for comment about the Sigma Chi allegations.

UCSD suspended Sigma Chi in May after the Panhellenic Council (PHC), which governs UCSD’s 12 sororities, placed the fraternity on social prohibition. The social prohibition against the fraternity blacklisted Sigma Chi members from participating in both social and philanthropic events with PHC members.

According to UCSD Communications Officer Erika Johnson, under Sigma Chi’s suspension, members are prohibited from recruiting new members and may not meet in groups exceeding four members at any time.

“The Sigma Chi Fraternity remains under cease and desist as the investigation continues,” Johnson said. “While the fraternity remains a registered student organization during the investigation, the chapter cannot, as a group, engage in any chapter programming activities.”

Sigma Chi is not currently listed as a 2019–20 UCSD student organization, and the IFC governing rules require member fraternities to be recognized as a university student organization to participate in elections. However, Johnson said that the IFC decided to allow Sigma Chi members to run for office.

“After reviewing its bylaws, [IFC], the governing board for member fraternities, made the decision to allow individual members of Sigma Chi to hold office and run for positions on the board pending the outcome of the investigation,” Johnson said.

The slated candidates for the executive board are selected by a nominating committee comprised of the current executive board, excluding any who are candidates. The only formal requirement for holding an IFC executive board position is that members must be registered UCSD students. Additionally, suspension of a member’s fraternity is not listed as grounds for removal from the executive board.

Kameron Rogers and Johnny Yoon are both Sigma Chi members who are slated for positions that are subject to a vote next Monday. Rogers is running for both IFC President and Vice President of Health and Safety, and he is currently listed as an IFC principal member. Yoon is running for Vice President of Finance.

The IFC President is in charge of overall operations of the IFC, while the VP of Finance is in charge of the IFC budget, including levying and collecting fines incurred by member fraternities. The VP of Health and Safety is not a listed position in the 2019 IFC bylaws.

IFC meetings are Mondays at 8:00 p.m. in the Dolores Huerta Room. Executive board elections are expected to be held next Monday.

The Triton reached out to IFC Advisor Chloe Leal and the current IFC executive board, but they did not respond to requests for comment.

Sahana Narayan is a Staff Writer for The Triton. You can follow her @saharadesert00.