Kappa Sigma - Epsilon Nu

Alumni Chapter News

2010-01-06T09:55:00.000-08:00

Brothers,

I am writing to let you know the current status of the Epsilon Nu Alumni Chapter. Since the Epsilon Nu chapter was suspended and moved out of the chapter house in mid-2008, we have incurred over $2,000 in expenses related to moving and storing the contents of the house. (Steve Hall personally footed the bill for this, but we have reimbursed him for his costs). We will continue to pay $139/month until the chapter is re-admitted to the house, at which point we will be able to discontinue this expense and turn over all the contents to the new chapter.

In the past, we have asked for $20 annual dues (voluntary). While I would like everyone to renew those annual dues, I would also ask that you consider an additional donation to help cover the costs to store the chapter's belongings. Please mail checks to:

Kappa Sigma Epsilon Nu Alumni Assn.
PO Box 16432
Jackson, MS 39236-6432

AEKDB,

Homecoming 2009

2009-10-20T06:46:00.000-07:00

Gentlemen,

Just a reminder of this weekend's homecoming activities (Saturday, October 24):

1. The third annual MO-Morial golf tournament. 8:00 a.m. shotgun start at Shadow Ridge Golf Course in Hattiesburg. Contact David Sutton for more information. suttonb1@aol.com. All proceeds will benefit the Marc Moses Endowment Scholarship Fund at USM.

2. We (Kappa Sigma alumni) have been invited to tour the chapter house on campus at 2:00 pm to see what improvements have been done to the house while the university occupies it in the fraternity's temporary absence. If you know you will make it to this, please do respond to me to let me know. I'd like to have a healthy turnout to demonstrate to school officials that we remain involved. They will also allow us some time after the tour to meet at the house to give any updates on the chapter.

3. Brother J.R. Moses will be tailgating just north of Mississippi Hall and has invited everyone to come by and visit.

Chapter House news

2009-05-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

Gentlemen,

As you may be aware, plans are underway to for a non-Greek affiliated organization at USM to use the Kappa Sigma house during the fraternity's absence. An ad hoc group of Epsilon Nu alumni, including Gee Ogletree, Luke Schissel, Jim Payne, Randy Mascagni, Chris White and I, have been involved in discussions with Dr. Joseph Paul, VP of student relations, and other university officials. We have also recently sent a mailing to all available valid addresses of alumni. The university plans to house a group of exceptional students from the school of business for a residential/learning environment that will be a pilot program for other schools to use in the future. We have received assurance from top university officials that the chapter house will be a temporary home for this program. For the school to use the house, they are going to invest over $100,000 in improvements to the facility, which will benefit the fraternity when it ultimately returns, which will most likely be around the fall of 2012.

All involved are convinced that this is in the best interest of the fraternity's future prosperity at USM. I am personally excited to see the University invest in the much needed renovations of the house and to put it to some use until the chapter is back. If you have any questions, please ask and I'll do my best to answer them.

AEKDB

John McCallum

Out with Old, In with the New....

2008-12-31T19:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, Brothers....

As we leave 2008 behind, and look forward to 2009 let us all remember our blessings aand work toward making 2009 a great year. Our beloved chapter has seen it's low point and it is now time to look to the future and restoring Epsilon Nu to it's former glory. Please join me in making a commitment in 2009 and beyond to making this return to the top a reality...remember, we called it "The House of Champions" for a reason.....

AEKDB,

Scott Stone

Chapter Celestial - Bubba Hopkins

2008-11-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

It is with sadness that I report that we have lost yet another brother to an untimely death. Following is an excerpt from the obituary printed in the Clarion Ledger 11/17/08.

William Clinton "Bubba" Hopkins, 44, died Saturday, November 15, 2008, at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson.
Bubba was born November 29, 1963 in Jackson, where he lived most of his life. He was a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He and his family were members of Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson. He spent 20 years in the Medical Sales field, where he helped countless others with their needs, which was his greatest pleasure.
Bubba was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish, and he was happiest in the woods or on the lake. He was extremely kind and generous and always ready to help others with his time and talents. God blessed him with a giving heart, and he never met a stranger.
In his final hours, Bubba was surrounded by his multitude of family and friends. True to his generous nature, even in death, he will help numerous others through organ donation. He was beloved by everyone who knew him and will be dearly missed by all, especially by his wife and 2 children, who he loved most of all.
Survivors include his loving wife of 11 years, Kristi Heflin Hopkins; his son, Ross; and daughter, Caroline; his parents, Dr. and Mrs. George Truett of Jackson and Dr. and Mrs. Donald Hopkins of Gulfport; his twin sister, Betsy (Houston) Primos of Jackson; his brother, Wes (Kate) Truett of New Orleans, LA; his sister, DeLynn (Billy) James of Anchorage, AK; his brother, Brad (Lisa) Truett of PIano TX; his sister, Amanda (Trent) Watkins of Austin TX; his sister, Lynn Sheppard of Gulfport; his aunt, GiGi (Jeff) Smith of Crystal Springs; his grandmother, Mrs. Mildred Hopkins of Gulfport; and many other extended family members.
A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held today at 1 :00 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson. Memorials may be made to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation 1233 20th. Street NW Suite 402, Washington D.C. 20036, or to the Wells United Methodist Church Food Pantry 2019 Bailey Avenue, Jackson, MS 39213.

Back from the SEC meeting

2008-10-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just to update everyone, I attended the SEC meeting this past weekend, October 11, in Portales, New Mexico.

As for the official proceedings, nothing truly earth shattering happened. The SEC voted to revoke the charter of Epsilon Nu and to expel all the current undergraduate members, which means they are no longer Kappa Sigmas. They will have an opportunity to apply for reinstatement on an individual basis at a future SEC meeting. I spoke to the panel briefly about the current state of the alumni chapter and let them know that we will be available to help with the future recolonization of the chapter.

I also spoke individually with members of the SEC and they assured me that Kappa Sigma is anxious to return to Southern Miss. Although no official timeline has been set, it will most likely be a longer absence from campus than stipulated by the university. Take that however you like, but I am confident that we will see Kappa Sigma back on campus in five years or fewer.

AEKDB

John R. McCallum

SEC meeting

2008-09-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

Gentlemen,

Here is the latest, as I know it. As I previously reported, the Supreme Executive Committee of Kappa Sigma will meet on October 11, 2008 in Portales, New Mexico. The SEC has requested that the active chapter appear before them at this meeting regarding the future of Kappa Sigma at USM. I have asked the executive director of Kappa Sigma, Mitchell Wilson (Mic), if it would be advisable for the alumni to send a representative to appear at this meeting. Mic responded that it would be a good idea. I've consulted with various other alumni on this matter and we all agree that it would be in our best interests, as alumni, to send someone to the meeting.

One major problem with this meeting is the timing: the date is the same as that of the "Mo-morial" golf tournament, and many alumni will be participating in that event. Also, with the Boise State football game on campus that night, many alumni will certainly be attending the game. It appears now that I may be our only representative at the meeting, as much as I hate to miss the golf tourney and the BSU game.

I plan to convey to the SEC that we, as alumni of the Epsilon Nu Chapter, are committed to bringing Kappa Sigma back to USM as soon as possible. They also need to know that we will support the recolonization effort financially.

We still need your financial support. In addition to the trip to the SEC meeting, we will be faced with $6,000-plus expenses from nationals for re-chartering and miscellaneous fees. Send checks to:

Kappa Sigma Epsilon Nu Alumni Association

C/o John McCallum

P. O. Box 16432
Jackson, MS 39236

Someone issued the challenge that each of us pony up $50.00. Many have responded. That will definitely help. If everyone reading this blog meets the challenge, we will be in pretty good shape.

John R.McCallum

jmccallum@granthampoole.com

Mo-Morial Golf Tournament

2008-09-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

This is just to remind everyone that the "Mo-Morial" (Marc Memorial Scholarship) Golf Tournament will be held, as scheduled on October 11, 2008, with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Contact David Sutton at 601-543-2417 for detailed information.

Also, a note about homecoming: we've decided to scale back the alumni association's homecoming activities this year. We will not sponsor a live band perform at the tailgate, as we have in recent years. The main reason for this decision is that with the current state of the active chapter, we feel like we need to devote our resources to the re-colonization effort. We will still plan to get together at the tailgate for food and fellowship and it should be a good central meeting place for Kappa Sigs, nonetheless.

Update - September 18, 2008

2008-09-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

Gentlemen,

Thanks to Brother Scott Stone for setting up this blog (and helping me to overcome my fear of the blogosphere).

To update you all on the latest happenings with Epsilon Nu, I have been in contact with Mitchell Wilson, executive director of Kappa Sigma. Mitchell agrees that it will be a good idea for the alumni association to send a delegate to the SEC meeting on October 11th. This will give us first-hand knowledge of the SEC's decision regarding the chapter as well as the proceedings that lead to that decision. It will also illustrate to the SEC that we, as alumni, are committed to the fraternity and the university.

Mitchell also shared with me the notice that the chapter received from USM regarding their removal from campus. The letter listed the numerous university policies that were violated and listed the resulting sanctions. Also detailed in the letter are USM's terms for reinstatement: "members can request approval from the Dean of Students to begin the petition process after 8/1/09, with a full review of the the remaining undergraduate members by the national office (of KS) strongly recommended by USM. The national office of Kappa Sigma can petition for re-colonization beginning January 1, 2010." Kappa Sigma's national office may well impose more severe penalties. We will know more after October 11.

We will have a mass teleconference in the near future (within two weeks) to answer questions and to discuss the game plan going forward.

Please do also try to attend the Mo-Morial (Marc Moses Memorial Scholarship) Golf Tournament, also on October 11th, with an 8:30 shotgun start at Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Hattiesburg. For more information, call David Sutton at 601-543-2417.

For those that have sent in donations, thank you! We will need funds to get this chapter back and restore the "House of Champions". Send checks to:

Kappa Sigma Epsilon Nu Alumni Association
c/o John McCallum
P. O. Box 16432
Jackson, MS 39236

Welcome Brothers

2008-09-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

Greetings,
We have established this blog to provide updates and information regarding the status of the Epsilon Nu Chapter of Kappa Sigma, and the recently begun efforts to re-colonize and have our charter restored at USM.

Please feel free to comment on any of the posts, and direct your questions to:

jmccallum@granthampoole.com

AEKDB,
Scott Stone & John McCallum