Sigma Pi, Mu Chapter
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| Sigma Pi, Mu chapter | |
|---|---|
| ΣΠ | |
 Chapter house | |
| Founded | 1917 |
| Type | Social |
| Status | Active |
| Colors | Purple and Gold |
| Chartered | May 18, 1917 |
| Headquarters | 730 University Avenue Ithaca, New York United States |
| Website | www |
Mu is the chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity incorporated at Cornell University.[1][2] The organization is an all-male fraternity. The chapter's house is located at 730 University Ave. Ithaca, New York, standing at the bottom of Cornell's Libe Slope near West Campus.[3] As of late 2023, the chapter hosted 70 undergraduate brothers and over 1,100 alumni.[2] The house's cumulative grade point average was 3.47 as of Fall 2023.[2]
History
[edit]
Mu chapter's precursor was the Alpha chapter of the local Omega Delta Fraternity. That organization was incorporated by 15 Cornell undergrads in the spring of 1913 at 636 Stewart Ave. In 1915, the chapter purchased 730 University Ave, the chapter's current home, for $20,000. As the house grew, they petitioned Sigma Pi Fraternity for membership in the national organization and were chartered as the Mu chapter in May of 1917.
During a 1994 remodel of the chapter house, a structure fire broke out that burned down the building.[4] The house received an insurance payout of $670,000 and subsequently sued the contracting company for uninsured losses due to their alleged negligence in use of acetylene torches. The structure was replaced by a house in a very similar design as the original save a handful of new features.[4]
House
[edit]Sigma Pi's house has been at 730 University Avenue since the organization was the Alpha chapter of Omega Delta.[3][5] It has four floors including a dining hall, industrial kitchen, theater, two large living rooms, a library, front porch, billiards room, and elevated patio. The house fits 44 brothers at full capacity.
The house is known for "The Beach," an outdoor, third-floor patio with a panoramic view of Tompkins County.
The house is not owned by Cornell, but instead is owned and operated by the fraternity's alumni association.[6]
Organization
[edit]The organization, like most fraternities, is mostly student run. The undergraduate brothers work in tandem with alumni to keep the house running. Its executive board consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, steward, house manager, herald, alumni secretary, and fire safety chair. The current president is Manoc Joa-Griffith.
Events
[edit]The organization holds frequent social gatherings on weekends. They often organize fundraisers and philanthropic events that benefit the local Ithaca community, like their annual Rock the CASA charity sand volleyball tournament that raises money for Court Appointed Special Advocates, a children's charity; or their Jazz Music Night benefiting the Ithaca Fire Department and the Children's Brittle Bone Foundation.[7][8]
Notable alumni
[edit]- Dan Gerson, screenwriter for movies like Big Hero 6 and Monsters, Inc.[9]
- Andrew Ross Sorkin, MSNBC host of Squawk Box and DealBook host[10]
- Barry Weiss, music executive[11]
- John Zimmer, Co-founder of Lyft[12]
References
[edit]- ^ Marcus, Jasmine (December 4, 2008). "IFC Votes to Re-Recognize Sigma Pi Fraternity; House Will Be Required to Have Dry Rush - The Cornell Daily Sun". cornellsun.com. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ a b c "Organization Scorecard | Student & Campus Life". scl.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ a b "Assessment Rolls | Tompkins County NY". www.tompkinscountyny.gov. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ a b "Mu Chapter of the Sigma Pi Fraternity of the United States, Inc. v. Northeast Construction Services, Inc., 273 A.D.2d 579 | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ "Houses". Cornell Fraternity Life. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ Goldin, Davidson (1992-08-16). "4 Frat Houses At Cornell Shut". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ "Jazz Night Hits Sigma Pi". cornellsun.com. December 4, 2001. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ "Sigma Pi to Host Second Annual Jazz Music Night". cornellsun.com. December 6, 2002. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ "Daniel Gerson Obituary (2016) - Los Angeles, CA - New York Times". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ "Andrew Ross Sorkin - Trivia". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
- ^ "Barry Weiss". www.wikidata.org. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ "Zimmer John Co-Founder and President of Lyft". World Achievers Book. 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2024-07-18.