SigEp cares about the safety and well being of its members and wants to ensure that individuals joining our organization have the best fraternity experience possible. We are committed to eliminating risky behaviors associated with alcohol and drug use, hazing, sexual abuse and physical assault.
Risk needs to be a consideration in everything the chapter does. A risk management mindset allows brothers to prevent, avoid and minimize problems before they occur. Brothers must take personal responsibility for their actions to help ensure the safety of their fellow brothers, guests and the community.
Member safety is an essential investment in time and effort. This section provides you with SigEp’s Risk Management Policies and Procedures as well as some useful resources to help you effectively manage risk and create a safe and healthy environment for your brothers.
Policies and Expectations
SigEp’s Risk Management policies embody the values and expectations of our Fraternity. All undergraduate members and volunteers are expected to abide by these policies when conducting chapter activities.
View SigEp's risk management policies.
It is important that chapter officers review these policies with their alumni volunteers (chapter counselor) when they assume their position of responsibility. As chapter officers, you are not only expected to abide by these policies, but also hold your brothers accountable to them. Therefore, after familiarizing yourself with the policies, you are responsible for reviewing them with the chapter membership. It is recommended that these policies be reviewed at least once a semester as well as prior to hosting a chapter social event. By conducting these reviews, you are reinforcing the risk management mindset that will keep your chapter’s activities safe over time because you and your brothers will use better judgment in every chapter decision.
As stated in SigEp’s risk management policies, failure to comply with the policies jeopardizes your insurance coverage. When a member is denied coverage by Sigma Phi Epsilon’s insurance company for violating policies then the member must turn to their own personal liability policy or their parents’ homeowner’s policy.
Education and Resources
Alcohol and drug use, hazing, sexual abuse and physical assault can have a devastating effect on your brotherhood. SigEp offers resources to ensure these risky behaviors don’t negatively impact your chapter.
To understand how all these resources work together, members can check out the Utilizing Member Safety Resources document in the Event Planning & Member Safety Folder on mySigEp.
Your Chapter’s Policies and Procedures
As chapter leaders, you dictate your chapter’s environment. This privilege comes with the obligation to make this environment safe and healthy for all brothers and guests. This requires you to set risk management expectations for your brothers and hold others accountable for their actions. The Your Chapter’s Risk Management Procedures document in the Event Planning & Member Safety Folder on mySigEp will help you take important first steps in this process.
How to plan your next chapter event
Once your chapter has comprehensive policies and procedures in place, you must implement them through the event planning process. By engaging in this process you will be more equipped to plan and manage your event safely by identifying potential risks that arise when organizing an event. The Social Event Planning Guide in the Event Planning & Member Safety Folder on mySigEp provides step by step instructions on how to plan an event that is in full compliance with SigEp's Risk Management Policies. As soon as you begin planning for an event, use this valuable tool to ensure your event is safe and well planned.
There may be times when your chapter is interested in hosting a concert, athletic event or a large social event that is outside the scope of SigEp’s risk management policies. In these cases, the chapter must apply for “special event” liability insurance coverage with a limit of at least $1,000,000. Go to special event insurance to learn more about when this type of coverage is necessary and how to apply for it. You must submit your application at least 30 days in advance of the event to allow sufficient time to obtain premium quotes.
Should you have any questions or need assistance, contact Member Safety Director Chad Stegemiller.
Additional Resources
SigEp has created and compiled several resources to allow your chapter to create a comprehensive and well rounded risk management and member safety plan. These resources can be found in the Event Planning & Member Safety Folder on mySigEp. Included in these resources are:
Event Planning
- Social Event Planning Guide
- Crisis Management Guidelines
- SigEp’s Risk Management Policies
- How to Utilize Member Safety Resources to Plan Safe Events
- Sober Monitor Guidelines
- Third-party Vendor Event Checklist
- SigEp Chapter Risk Management Procedures Template
- BYOB Event Checklist
- Guidelines for Designated Driver Programs
- Security Vendor Checklist
- Member Safety Assessment
- Holmes Murphy Event Planning App
- Substance Free Programming Ideas
Incident Reporting
- Crisis Management Guidelines
- Incident Reporting
Alcohol and Hazing
- Facts about alcohol poisoning
- Hazing resource
Sexual assault resources
- SigEp and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority — Live Your Oath Partnership
Our insurance broker, Holmes Murphy, also has several useful resources under the Resources tab on their site.
