
As of this semester, the Gamma Gamma chapter of Sigma Nu’s fraternity house will be closed until fall 2026.
According to current President of Sigma Nu and Dallas sophomore Nicholas Sheffler, the decision – announced in an email from Student Development – was the result of an investigation into an event held in the house during the fall 2024 semester.
Sheffler said the event in question was a gathering for a member leaving to study abroad.
“But it wasn’t a party. It was just like a ‘seeing you off,’” Sheffler said.
Each fraternity member is allowed two guests, and Sheffler said they initially had 20 guests in addition to 12 brothers at the party.
“20 turned to 30, 30 turned to 40,” Sheffler said. “We don’t know the exact numbers, we were just having a good time.”
After the event, Sheffler said Campus Safety checked the cameras. The 360-degree camera in the house lobby showed footage of people “with alcohol out, and people coming in and out of the door,” Sheffler said.
Director of Campus Safety Dave Leib said he cannot comment on the specific circumstances that led to the fraternity’s removal from their house, but cameras in residence halls are only used for investigative purposes following a report.
“The fraternity houses are owned by the college, not the fraternities, so the students are held to standards similar to students who live in any other residence hall,” Leib said. “Every student here has to follow the policies that are in the student handbook, and fraternities are not an exception to that.”
According to Rochester Hills senior and 2024 Sigma Nu President Chad Antone, the fraternity has been on probation since a fight broke out during a party in the house in 2022. In the years since then, there have been more violations, Antone said.
According to Sheffler, per the probation, Sigma Nu was barred from holding parties and from using their basement or kitchen.
Recruitment, Working With Student Development
Sheffler said his fraternity had been appealing the decision to remove them from the house before the letter was sent via email to Antone, in the hopes of being able to use the house for recruiting events.
As of now, Sheffler said the chapter is made up of 12 members: nine seniors and three sophomores.
“Out of 231 sorority and fraternity members, 91 are seniors. A third of the people in Greek life are about to graduate,” Sheffler said. “With those numbers, you’re going to start to see a lot of fraternities, sororities struggle.”
For Sigma Nu brother and Assistant Coach for Track and Field Trevor Knowles, alumnus ‘22, “not having the house on campus is eventually just going to hurt the chapter and its numbers.”
Knowles added that for fraternities, there’s social pressure to “be the social heartbeat” on campus.
“That pressure to be the only social space on campus is what I feel like pressures some of these houses to sometimes step out of their probation periods and have friends over, because these kids can’t go anywhere else,” Knowles said.
Knowles said in his interactions with Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students Leroy Wright, it’s been clear that his priority is students’ safety, but that Wright has been inconsistent with his communication with Greek life leaders.
“The lack of communication, just playing it close to the vest, I understand that it might be the best thing to keep kids safe,” Knowles said. “But, it’s ruining other kids’ experiences on campus, and I don’t think he’s understanding that.”
The Pleiad reached out to Wright via email on Jan. 28. He declined to comment.
On Jan. 23, the chapter made a post to their Instagram account announcing the current status of the fraternity on campus:
“As you may know, the Sigma Nu house is closed, but the chapter is still VERY ACTIVE in the Greek community of Albion,” the Instagram post said.

Sheffler said the post took a week for the chapter, in collaboration with alumni, to write.
“It was a long and tedious process, no one person could agree on everything,” Sheffler said.
Since becoming president of the chapter at the start of the semester, Sheffler said the school isn’t helping their situation.
“Honestly I feel like they’re just hurting us,” Sheffler said.
Specifically, he said Associate Vice President for Student Development Connie Smith, who he had been communicating with about the chapter’s status, “doesn’t want it like we want it.”
The Pleiad reached out to Smith via email on Jan. 24, 27, 28 and Monday. She did not respond in time for publication.
“It’s going to be a huge struggle to keep this fraternity alive,” Sheffler said. “If the leader doesn’t want it just as much or more, how are you supposed to prevail?”
However, Sheffler added that this semester, Smith has been “extraordinarily more receptive to ideas and ways to make fraternity life better.”
“I’m not saying she’s the best advisor, but I can see where she is trying,” Sheffler said.
The Future of Sigma Nu
While the fraternity house is closed, Antone said Sigma Nu is still recruiting new members. For him, joining Sigma Nu is a chance to “really lead and make a difference on campus.”
Sheffler said he hopes to continue Sigma Nu’s legacy at Albion College.
“Although we are down, we are not out,” Sheffler said. “Don’t count us out too early. We really are trying to build community.”
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