The Sigma Chi Fraternity is founded upon and irrevocably committed to fundamental values rooted in personal responsibility. At all levels and in all aspects of the Fraternity experience, membership in Sigma Chi entails a commitment to educational attainment, personal growth and a continuing contribution of value to collegiate and external communities.

Any involvement of illegal drugs or the illegal or irresponsible use of alcoholic beverages in Sigma Chi chapter living environments or Fraternity-related activities poses a significant threat to health and safety and is contrary to the objectives and ideals for which Sigma Chi stands.

Sigma Chi chapters and their individual members in all Fraternity-related or -sponsored activities must operate in compliance with all applicable federal, state, provincial and local laws relating to alcohol and drugs, and must conform to all regulations, codes of conduct, standards or policies that are or may be established by our host colleges and universities. Clearly recognizing that brotherhood in Sigma Chi entails expectations of gentlemanly conduct and personal responsibility broader than basic compliance with laws and regulations, and that risk to the health and safety of members, guests and communities must be minimized, further measures are necessary and appropriate.

Accordingly, the following shall apply throughout the Fraternity in connection with any Fraternity-related or sponsored activity, at all levels of membership, and specifically in all undergraduate chapter operations, programs, events and activities. These policy provisions represent minimal requirements to be observed throughout the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Such further requirements or stricter limitations that exist or may be necessary in any particular jurisdiction shall be observed, and nothing in this policy shall be interpreted in any manner that would undermine compliance with any more restrictive regulation, rule or policy applicable in any such jurisdiction.

Provisions applicable throughout the Fraternity:

1.      The illegal use, illegal possession, illegal sale or illegal distribution of any controlled substance or alcoholic beverage at a chapter house or during a Fraternity function is prohibited.

2.      No chapter members, collectively or individually, shall at any time purchase for, sell to or serve alcoholic beverages to any person under the legal drinking age.

3.      Where the jurisdictional or university campus laws prohibit alcoholic beverages at recruitment functions, no chapter shall permit the use, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages at any recruitment function, whether held at the chapter house or elsewhere. It is prohibited to use alcohol as a promotional vehicle for recruitment events. It is the responsibility and duty of all chapters to promote the consumption of alternative beverages to that of alcohol at recruitment events.

4.      Where permitted by applicable local, state, or provincial laws, and any applicable college or university regulations or policies, the serving and consumption of alcoholic beverages shall be in compliance with all such requirements, both in and outside Fraternity facilities, on and off campus.

5.      No chapter shall host an open social function where alcoholic beverages are present. Non­members attending a chapter function may do so only by invitation of a chapter member. A list of individual guests with the names of the Sigma Chi host must be maintained, and all persons desiring admission to the function must be monitored at the door for entry. It is expected that at all such events, Sigma Chi hosts will exercise due regard for the safety and welfare of guests, and will be diligent in assuring the personal responsibility of guests in order to prevent injury to members or guests and to prevent damage to chapter or Fraternity facilities. Effective August 1, 2018, chapter functions will be capped at a maximum size of a ratio of three (3) guests per initiated member or at the applicable size for the fire code of the facility where the chapter function is taking place, whichever is lower.

6.      Should any member or guest at a chapter function or present in Fraternity facilities appear to be intoxicated, chapter members shall take reasonable steps to safely escort that person to his or her place of lodging. In particular, chapter members shall take all reasonable steps to prevent apparently intoxicated persons from operating a motor vehicle or walking themselves home. Such persons should be accompanied by a sober and responsible member who is capable of assisting as needed.

7.      At any chapter function or activity where alcoholic beverages are served, valid identification of those persons claiming to be of legal age for alcohol consumption (where legal consumption is permitted) is required.

8.      At any and all Fraternity functions or activities where legal consumption of alcoholic beverages is permitted, the following shall be observed:

a.       Ample alternative beverages must be available and served.

b.      Monitor(s) who shall not consume alcoholic beverages shall be designated from the membership or independently hired, and shall throughout the function make reasonable efforts to prevent uninvited or intoxicated persons from entering, and to prevent any person who appears to be intoxicated from leaving alone.

9.      No Fraternity activity or function should encourage the rapid consumption of alcohol.

10.    Due to the destructive and immediate effect of high alcohol concentration, the use of grain alcohol or any distilled liquor exceeding 100-proof in any form or mixture at a Fraternity ­sponsored event should be discouraged.

11.    No alcoholic beverages shall be served, provided or purchased for any member or pledge in connection with any aspect of the pledge education program.

a.      Alcohol above 15% ABV (30 proof) is prohibited from the premises of all facilities that are in fact or are reasonably considered to be chapter houses, lodges, or meeting spaces of Sigma Chi chapters.

12.    To promote continuing awareness and understanding of applicable laws and expectations of conduct associated with the involvement of alcoholic beverages in any Fraternity activity, each chapter shall instruct members and pledges on the laws regarding the legal drinking age, the regulation of the sale and distribution of alcohol, open container laws and other laws applicable in the state, province or community in which the chapter is located. Such instruction shall include, at a minimum, an explanation of Dram Shop laws, implied consent and host liquor liability.

13.     During a period of time when a chapter is actively engaged in an effort to recruit, pledge or train new members, the chapter may organize, host, participate in, or contribute to the organization of up to four (4) events where alcohol is served, present or otherwise made available.

14.     No persons whose status with the fraternity is that of pledge or new member may be present at a social event where alcohol is available.

In order to promote the highest sense of responsibility for the health and safety of persons who consume alcoholic beverages, instruction shall also be provided with the goal of encouraging intervention that would prevent any person from drinking to excess, or from engaging in any potentially dangerous activity while under the influence of alcohol, and with respect to procedures to be following in the event of an accident, injury or other alcohol- or drug-related emergency.