October … November… March… July… October…
The hardest part was, I know i’m a good person, and now i’m questioning if I am, and it hurt so bad to not know If I was a good person anymore.
People, for the most part moved on eventually, as they do. That semester, there were a few more protests. There were calls to disband the fraternity, internally and externally. The university did a great job at promising a change and bringing none. Greek life was suspended (somewhat) that entire semester.
The following spring semester, there were a few more protests, smaller in scale. Later, 4 other houses were suspended for past sexual assault allegations. The university did not publicize these or inform the student body, each house went on social probation for a semester.
Eventually, fed up with Universities new restrictions and policies, members of IFC disassociated itself and created a new governing body outside of USC’s purview.
Per the case, Title IX, in compliance with its policy, launched a 90-day investigation to determine whether Sigma Nu had violated any of it or USCs laws and restrictions. During their “fact-finding” phase, they gather extensive evidence and interviewed any willing member of the fraternity or anyone who had attended any of Sigma Nu’s parties or social events that semester.
They extended the “fact-finding” phase multiple times, and it ultimately took over 9 months.
I wanted answers, but it was clear early on that there were none and wouldn’t be for a while.
Following this, Title IX held a closed trial. There is only one excerpt available from the trial or decision. It was shared with members of Sigma Nu by their lawyer. Neither USC nor Title IX never acknowledged the decision or released any statements regarding the conclusion of the trial.
In brief preview, after reviewing and considering all relevant evidence that pursuant to the Policy and the Resolution Process I am permitted to consider […] I have concluded that the preponderance of evidence does not establish that Respondent is responsible for violation of the Policy based upon the allegations at issue in this matter. Based, in part, on these conclusions, I have also concluded that there is insufficient evidence, by a preponderance of the evidence, to find the Respondent responsible for violations of the University’s student conduct code policy (“SCampus Policy”) implicated by the reported conduct, as specifically set forth in the Reporting Parties’ allegations, described in greater detail below.
It was then communicated to members of Sigma Nu, nearly a year to the date of the email, that they were exonerated on all charges and no longer suspended. They are once again active on the row.
Well, that’s the thing is I don’t know everything because there was a whole legal proceeding afterwards. I don’t know exactly what happened with the president or what didn’t happen with the president. I believe that the charges were dropped, but then again, that doesn’t really mean anything in the grand scheme of things. He could, he very well could have still been responsible for what happened or not.
We were a bunch of 17 18 19 20 21 year olds like we were like trying to figure out everything else at the same time as everybody else.
They’re going to question me. I never tell people that I’m in SNU still unless they ask. And their follow -up question is typically about the situation. And then I have to delve into that again and how I just don’t know.
I’ve been so scared to talk about it because I still because it’s still hard to know like I’ve been very scared because it’s still hard to know what is the right thing to say and what’s the wrong thing to say it feels like you’re walking a rope not because I don’t believe what I’m saying is the truth but because I do believe what I’m saying is the truth but I don’t know that people will necessarily take it that way and I want people to believe that I want people to believe that we are all good people.
