Is it the end for Alpha Sigma Phi?

For now, maybe.

One of Western’s fraternities on campus, Alpha Sigma Phi, has announced it’s inactive status, which will begin next semester.
Student Engagement Director Don Willis said the fraternity is not in trouble, but they just don’t have the time to keep going.
“I know that they didn’t take in any new members this year,” Willis said.

The issue is not that they are on probation or causing problems – they just have the highest standards of all the fraternities and sororities on campus, and they have not been able to recruit any members who meet these standards completely.

This fraternity has the highest GPA requirement of all fraternities on campus, which is a 2.5 to pledge, while the group has to keep a cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Even freshman are required to have at least a 2.8 GPA, and must be willing to commit themselves and constantly maintain good grades.
It is a common belief that if students do not have that basic foundation, they won’t be able to take responsibility for anything else.
Students wanting to become involved with this fraternity are also required to be part of at least two other organizations on campus.
Membership has been getting lower each semester as the standards are raised each year.

President Sean Pruitt, who is the scholarship chair and in charge of recruitment, said there are plenty of people interested in joining their fraternity.

However, either their GPA is not high enough, or they are just not ready for the responsibilities of being an Alpha Sigma Phi member.
He does not want to lower their standards just to get more members.

“We [Alpha Sigma Phi] really value what we stand for,” Pruitt said. “We were active, we did everything we could to break the mold and the stereotype.”

He would rather the fraternity become inactive while things are going well for them, and while they are living up to every one of their expectations, than watch everything they have worked for go downhill.

He also believes Missouri Western has a hard time getting members involved the right way.

There was the minor possibility that the fraternity could stay open next semester, but it was unanimously decided among members that it would not be a very good idea.

With nine members, it would be hard to get recruitment.

Also, two members will be graduating, and two are moving out of town for internship opportunities.

Pruitt believes everyone in the group is basically satisfied with the decision.

“Everyone has kind of come to terms with this,” Pruitt said.

A couple members were hesitant to begin with, but after several long, serious discussions about shutting the fraternity down for a while, the decision was made with everyone’s approval.

Luke Herrington, treasurer, was a little hesitant about shutting the fraternity down at first.

“It seemed to be the easy way out,” Herrington said.

He eventually realized, however, that this would be the best decision for the group.

Trevor Kincaid, another Alpha Sigma Phi member, shared Herrington’s initial thoughts, but also changed his mind in the end and believed it wouldn’t be the best idea to keep going at this point in time.

“With all the responsibilities, it would just be really hard,” Kincaid said.

Alpha Sigma Phi could still be reactivated again someday.

Ironically, the official symbol of the fraternity is the Phoenix, the mythological bird that rises from its ashes.

Herrington believes this is fitting for what they are currently going through.

“Like the Phoenix, we can always rise back up,” Herrington said.

Pruitt also said he would like to come back in five years and see that the fraternity is up and running again, still meeting all the expectations and continuing in the direction they left off.