Former Sig Eps meet with IU officials

Former members of recently closed Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity met with IU Student Legal Services on Tuesday to discuss possible legal action they could take against the national chapter or the former house owners to seek lost funds.\nComplaints stem from the national chapter closing the Indiana Beta Chapter of Sig Ep on Dec. 21 due to substantial debts. With only 35 members living in the 90-person building, the financial condition of the fraternity had "deteriorated to the point that the chapter could no longer assure suitable housing conditions for the spring term," the fraternity's nationals said. As a result, members were evicted from their residence and were forced to find new living quarters during finals week.\nNow members are trying to determine ways to get back their $600 security deposit and yearly membership fees from house owners Robert Hanrahan and Fred Prall.\nAngered by the decision, members vandalized both the inside and outside of the house, spraypainting "R.I.P." on the chapter's headstone, totaling over $5000 worth of damage, IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger said. \nDue to these damages, each member lost their $600 security deposit, former chapter President Patrick Foley said, adding that he feels every member should be repaid the amount. \n"We are willing to deal with any problems because of the vandalism," Foley said. "I certainly do not condone the behavior, but they understand what they did."\nFoley added that the former members do not feel their damages exceed the money they feel they deserve. \n"We don't feel the vandalism merits us losing all of the money they owe us," Foley said. "There was just permanent markings and paint on the wall and those easily can be removed. I realize most of the damage was to furniture, but I don't think it warrants us losing that much money."\nFormer Sig Eps still haven't decided who they are actually fighting against yet, but Foley said legal action most likely will be taken with the fraternity's national chapter. \n"Our complaints are mainly with the national organization," Foley said. "I don't think we will take any action against Prall and Hanrahan."\nFoley said Prall has been the most cooperative, even offering to work a deal with the former members.\nPrall, who is considering running for mayor of Bloomington, said he may hold a press conference to explain his side of the story regarding the fraternity.\nPrall said he feels many facts have been altered in the past, among those being his involvement with the fraternity.\n"I certainly don't own the house," Prall said. "I am simply one of the volunteer board members."\nPrall added that he is not worried about any impending lawsuits, saying he is not in opposition to the former members.\n"We're not on opposite sides," Prall said.\nFoley said the members and the SLS have not contacted Prall and Hanrahan yet, but they do not see a settlement as something to occur in the near future. \n"I don't see that happening," Foley said. "It's such a significant amount of money and we will not accept anything less than we deserve. I suppose, it's a possibility, but we haven't really discussed it enough yet."\nFoley said the members have discussed compensation for stress as a result of looking for a new place to live during finals week. \nIU Student Association President Bill Gray and Vice President Judd Arnold have supported the Sig Eps in this issue by mailing a letter to the national chapter to express their disappointment in the organization's timing of their decision.\n"Surely the decision to close the house could have been made, and probably was, several weeks before the end of the semester," Gray and Arnold said in the letter. "At least then the house members, who are now alumni of your fraternity, could have had sufficient time to seek housing for second semester."\nFoley said he appreciates the reaction on campus, noting that Dean of Students Richard McKaig has shown considerable support to the members. \n"Most people have been very supportive," Foley said. "Everyone knows it was a financial issue, not that we kicked off for alcohol or anything. People have come up to us and been very sympathetic, which we appreciate"