Chapter Rebirth Update

Good news! Earlier this month the National Office of Sigma Alpha Epsilon received a formal invitation from California State University, Northridge to return to campus after its five year absence. The National Office has advised the California Nu Alumni Association (CNAA) that it is now empowered to form an SAE Colony and will assist in that effort to whatever extent is necessary. This will entail setting up an oversight organization of Chapter Alumni, recruitment of the initial Colony membership base with the assistance of active members of other SAE Chapters in Province Chi, close oversight until the group begins to function successfully, initiation of the initial group into the Colony and continued oversight until the Colony becomes a full Chapter of SAE.
Steve Abram and I met with the group of mid-'90's Chapter Alumni who formed CNAA and the SAE National representative on April 5, 2007 to go over the process and milestones SAE uses for Colony formation and some firsthand advice on the experience of other such groups throughout the country. The other good news is that there is a Cal Nu Chapter Housing Corporation (which actually has some assets) that took possession of the old pledge projects, paddles, scrapbooks, etc, when the Chapter was expelled from campus and has these items safely in storage somewhere in the Valley. Apparently quite a few alumni from various years have epressed an interest in participating in the rebirth of the Chapter and the core group that we have been meeting with since February will be expanding. The next task is to establish goals and timelines, assign alumni to carry out the various tasks to achieve them, coordinate recruiting efforts with other Province alumni and current active members of Province Chapters and provide sufficient support to get the new group off to a good solid start.
Darin Patton, the SAE National staffer who met with us on April 5, indicated that fraternities in general are not held in high esteem on campuses today throughout the country and therefore recruitment of mew members requires a much more extensive effort than in the past. Both Steve and I, as well as John Cagle who met Darin in the fraternity setting at Fresno, are impressed with the level of knowledge and expertise he brings to this process and feel that he will be of invaluable assistance as this effort progresses. We're all hoping to be able to get the new Colony up and running in the Fall of this year and begin the process of restoring the legacy that we all hold so dear. I'll try to keep you all informed as this process moves ahead. - Dave Peterson PKT F.'64 SAE Cal Nu '67