Comments about ‘Sigma Nu works to maintain reputation at USU’

When I heard that the Sigma Nu members say that they don't take alcohol during the week, I knew that they weren't following it. I was in a local convenience store and I saw those members (with sweaters on saying "Sigma Nu") buying beer on, I beleive, a Thursday night.
I don't believe that all the frat members are flat-out lying, but officials need to take what they say with a grain of salt. When one looks further into a case like this and then things get more complex, that usually means that someone is witholding important information or is lying.

We are so sorry for the loss of this fine young man.

The national organization should permanently revoke the charter for the chapter at USU. Sigma Nu has been giving trouble for years.
Same thing for the women. These young people destroyed a life. They should take their Greek affiliations to another university.

The Greek system at USU needs to be completely done away with. There are a whopping 308 students in the entire group. Student Services, with fees paid by the studenty body at large, have to baby them and tend to them - and do their best to keep them out of trouble. The student activities director is a USU greek alumna who is too involved in supporting them. It is such a small percentage of the studentbody and yet they throw resources at them - not direct money - but paying for advisors and counselors and people to track their grades. It is a joke. Do away with them.

Sounds like Sigma Nu's reputation hasn't improved much since I attended USU back in the 1960's.

Haven't we reached the point that these groups are silly anachronisms? All they do is congratulate themselves on how much "neater" they are than everybody else. It's silly, immature and snobbish. This immaturity has now lead to the death of a kid who was stupid enough to go along with their silly games.

These are probably the guys who are an embarrassment to the University at the football games. Why not have the class to get rid of them.

Get rid of all the greek organizations: They are a wast of resorces and too many lives are ruined by these arganizations.

I attended USU in the 80s and they had a bad rep back then.

I don't believe for one second that there was alcohol involved in this case. I have been around these frat boys before and let me tell you, they are the most humble law abiding citizens around. Oh, wait, I'm sorry I had them confused with somebody else. The fart boys I have dealt with were some of the most arrogant, stuck up people I ever met. I say it is time to do away with the farts. It is to bad that it took someone losing their life to wake the University up to what is going on there.

I pledged Sigma Nu in 1957, and did not "go active" for two reasons - money and alcohol. Sigma Nu was the drinking frat. They also had a reputation as the musical ones, and that was why I was interested, but the drinking label was deserved, regrettably.

This young man might of done some fine things during his lifetime. Who knows what we've lost? Yet, his life was apparently considered cheap -- something to be risked in frat house pranks. Are these fraternities really worth the cost?

Do not let the actions of a few affect the organizations as a whole. A pure tragedy, but the Greek system is not at fault. Unfortunately, this young man made a choice to drink and to drink excessively. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to those involved with this event.

USU Fraternities and Sororities are a joke and had no reputation at Utah State to begin with...shut them all down and save us all the trouble that comes with them...smokin and drinkin on the porches as all the students walk by is REEEEAAAAL appealing.

A lot has changed, i knew this kid very well i was in his pledge class at sigma nu. Fraternities are not built around drinking. During my time at sigma nu i have never been forced, pressured, or encouraged to drink. I have never gotten drunk in my life Yet i still find significant value in Sigma Nu. Why? Because they encourage its members to live by the moral compass they subscribe to, rather than subscribe to a moral compass someone else has chosen for them. The greek community produces grade A individuls. All save two of U.S. presidents were in fraternities. there are at least four or five of the current twelve apostles/first presidency that were in fraternities. Fraternities do not build "frat" boys they build fraternity men. Men that have an appreciation for brotherly love; something long missing from society. So while many talk trash on the Greek community take a look at the other side of things.
This death is a tragedy, all of sigma nu mourns his loss, may God bless his soul and family.

"Sigma Nu seeks to maintain reputation at USU"...it is maintaining its reputation alright. I remember the organization as having a party reputation even 35 years ago when I attended the school.

It's a tough deal for the family. I wish them the best.

To those seeking blame. I recently visited the USU Sigma Nus and met these young men including Mr. Starks. I can say that Michael Starks, and all the members I had the opportunity to meet at that time characterized themselves as honorable people. Michael was one that stood out among them and I will remember him, as a gentleman, he epitomized what is Sigma Nu. Furthermore to vilify Sigma Nu, Chi Omega, or any of the fraternity/sorority organizations one has to first know the members. For anyone to make the assumption that all or even most fraternity/sorority members are troubled would be surprised to learn that the names of many of our greatest leaders, athletes, entertainers, and people in general have come from the ranks of fraternity and sorority members. For those who doubt these words I will say that Ezra Taft Benson, Gerald Sherratt, and Michael Starks are just three such individuals that have graced what is Sigma Nu at USU. Lastly having spent time with Michael and getting the opportunity to know him I am convinced that he would be standing up against the injustice of what has happened since for he will always be a Sigma Nu.

As a high school student who played in a rock band in the 60's I witnessed the environment at every fraternity on the USU campus. Our band performed at many of their parties and I don't remember a single one that did not involve A LOT of drinking. I was a minor at the time and was offered alcohol at every event we performed for. It was available to all in great abundance. I also remember that Sigma Nu was among the worst for having drunken gatherings. We didn't like to play for their parties because they were always too drunk to appreciate our our music. I'm actually quite surprised a tragedy like this hasn't happened sooner.

I currently attend USU, and have for the past 5 years. To the person named "wrong assumptions" my experience with the frats at USU is that YOU have the wrong assumption!

You could go to nearly any apartment in Logan and find more honorable high class people than you would at any frat I know of. If you have any questions about that just go knock on the door of a frat at 8:00AM on Saturday and you will find a good dozen guys completely drunk that haven't been to bed yet. And half of them will be minors.

Maybe frats used to do great things for people, or maybe they do at other universities around the country, but at USU they destroy young lives. 300+ of them.

For anyone to say that drinking is not apart of Fraternity and Sorority life at USU is wrong. I hope they shut all of them down. I attended there 35 years ago and they made everyone feel that the only way you could be someone is if you were part of the "cool" sorority crowd.

It is a sad day for a death of an 18 year old to bring to light the seriousness of the drinking problems associated with the Greek system. Let's get real this boy had an alcohol level in him of .35!! What a tragedy for his family.

I hope USU does the right thing and shuts down Sigma Nu and Chi Omega for good!

I have read the many posts and mourn for the loss of Michael a fine young man who truly believed in Sigma Nu and what it truly meant to be Sigma Nu. I say this because I happened to speak with him at the Sigma Nu house a short few weeks ago when I gave a class to his pledge group. One question I asked during my class was why did you choose to become a member of a fraternity and specifically Sigma Nu. Most of the responses including Michaels, stated they believed in the principals that are Sigma Nu and the values of the friends they had come to know in the few weeks they had been around the Sigma Nu house. These young men are not the problem children they have been made out to be and until ALL the facts are known, those that speculate or pass judgement are just showing their true ignorance.