The national Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity is pioneering a new chapter at Boston University this fall, according to a press release from ASP’s national Coordinator of Expansion and Growth Joe Nelson.
The Yale-founded fraternity has been in talks with the BU administration since 2009, and has been working on forming a solid relationship before making its campus debut, said Director of Expansion and Growth L.T. Piver.
“[BU is] a campus that we’ve been working with directly and indirectly for many years and [we are] looking to build a partnership and relationship with the campus community,” Piver said. “Knowing that BU has an exceptional campus and exceptional students, I know it’s a place that Alpha Sigma Phi would fit well into. The type of individuals that BU has on campus will help progress the fraternity forward.”
ASP will begin recruiting potential members, the chapter’s “Founding Fathers,” in the next few weeks. Rather than participating in fall rush, it will send its professional staff to vet its first round of applicants before its initiation ceremony next month. Next semester, ASP plans to take part in spring rush, Piver said.
Abhi Natarajan, the president of BU’s new ASP chapter, said the group of brothers will try to break the typical fraternity typecast.
“[ASP] has a goal to better the world through better men,” the College of Arts and Sciences junior said. “Essentially, we’re about coming out here and trying to create a different fraternity that differs from the normal frat that we see. We differ from the stereotype of being fratty. We want to create something in our own legacy that leaves an impact on BU.”
ASP will require that members have a GPA of at least 2.7, be enrolled full-time at BU’s Charles River Campus and be of a “good moral standard,” according to Piver.
Natarajan said the fraternity hopes its recruits will surpass these standards.
“[ASP] stands as an outlet to become the best that you can be,” Natarajan said. “It is a group of guys coming together to really show that we are one solid collective, and we want to make sure that we are being the best possible individuals [and] we are helping each other do that.”
Nelson said they have already heard from several interested prospects and hope to hear from more in the coming weeks.
Current BU fraternity brothers have mixed feelings about the new fraternity coming to campus.
Dean Zeldich, a senior in the College of Engineering, said he thinks a new fraternity isn’t necessary.
“BU does not need another fraternity,” Zeldich said. “BU is not very Greek-friendly, and I can’t see what another fraternity will bring to campus. I don’t think [ASP] will have much to offer that the existing fraternities don’t have.”
Jamy Baron, a senior in the Questrom School of Business, said the addition of a new fraternity chapter could be useful in improving Greek life’s reputation on campus.
“A stronger Greek presence builds a stronger Interfraternity Council,” Baron said. “It’s needed considering how much the BU administration is anti-Greek life.”
Christian Troccoli, a junior in CAS, said he hopes the addition will shine a positive light on Greek Life as a whole.
“I don’t know if BU needs another fraternity, but it’s always good to see the IFC grow,” Troccoli said. “BU lacks a lot in its Greek life and I’d really like to see it build up. I just hope they build up and don’t bring any negative attention to Greek life.”
As someone who came to BU specifically because of the lack of Greek Life culture, I’m pretty glad to hear it took eight years for this frat to open up on campus. I just hope this doesn’t lead to more frats being allowed on-campus; I really like having to actually make friends and finding parties rather than having to compete with people who pay each other $600 a semester for friendship and fun.
The Boston University Administration and the Interfraternity Council do not recognize Alpha Sigma Phi as a Fraternity at Boston University.