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The brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) were welcomed back to campus on Monday evening as a university-recognized fraternity. SAE lost its charter more than three years ago due to alcohol-related violations and other actions that conflicted with police and views of Greek Life and the University of Maine.
Beta Theta Pi brother Joel Martin, along with 35 other Beta brothers, expressed his happiness for SAE.
“It’s great for them to be seen as a fraternity. I hope the brotherhood will grow and be stronger,” Martin Said
SAE President Tim Schriver spoke about the process of reinstatement and shared the story of the phoenix, which is told to pledging brothers. The process began through a series of meetings with Director of Campus Activities and Events Gustavo Burkett and Robert Dana, vice president of student affairs. Both brothers and alumni of the chapter were in communication with the dean’s office and compiled a document that was more than 100 pages long, which outlined the logistics of the chapter.
Dana commented on the potential SAE has for UMaine. He said Greek Life is a “commitment to somebody other than yourself,” and SAE is in a unique situation where recognizing and using this new potential can benefit itself and UMaine as a whole. He ended by stating that it is their commitment to “restore SAE to pre-eminence.”
Owen Foss, a brother of SAE, is enthusiastic about the recognition.
“When I joined, we were not a part of the Greek system. We were always unrecognized, but now it’s completely different,” he said.
Foss and his brothers have high hopes for philanthropic activities and other Greek Life events.
Former Student Body President Bill Pomerleau is the vice president of SAE and helped bring the fraternity back to recognition.
“The burden has been substantial but everyone has added something to it,” he said.
Burkett also commented on the reinstatement of SAE. “I’m happy to see them back,” he said. “We’ve been working for a few months, and it’s been a process.”
Pomerleau commented on the experience that brought them to the point of reinstallment, “At long last, after all the roads had been crossed, the bridges burned and rebuilt, we’re back. It’s good to be home.”
