The Greek Life Standards Board is investigating a national sorority, unrecognized by NIU, that has initiated five students, said Chris Juhl, activities adviser for Greek Affairs.

Alpha Sigma Omega applied to become a recognized group at NIU but was denied, Juhl said.

ASO’s history and what it planned to offer didn’t meet standards the board required.

“They are a young organization; we want to see them establish themselves a little more,” Juhl said. “We’re sometimes hesitant to allow new groups.”

Members from ASO came from New York – after being told they weren’t accepted as part of NIU – to initiate NIU students on the weekend of Feb. 7, Juhl said.

“For them to have been contacted that they weren’t to be recognized and then for their members to fly in from New York to initiate our students and not even tell us, that’s a problem,” Juhl said.

A group of women approached Juhl in fall 2002 because it wanted to start an ASO chapter at NIU.

“National organizations of any group must contact us first, not the students who want to become members,” Juhl said.

National ASO did contact Juhl by early 2003, but the sorority was told the earliest it potentially could be recognized was spring 2004, Juhl said.

But the GLSB made the decision after examining the organization that at this time, other groups were better fit to contribute to the university, he said.

“Now there are girls walking around wearing their letters. You have to have recognition and approval before you do this,” Juhl said.

Other board members stressed the disadvantage that unrecognized organizations put on existing NIU groups.

“We all go through the accreditation process,” said Lesley Clements, Campus Activities Board adviser. “There are guidelines to getting in, and they haven’t gone through them.”

Juhl said there are many reasons why the board does not want outside groups recruiting NIU students.

“It hurts our own membership,” Juhl said. “It isn’t fair to groups that are here looking to increase their membership.”

It also takes away from the resources for recognized groups, Juhl said.

The board decided to set a deadline for the five women initiated into ASO to talk to University Programming & Activities.

If they haven’t talked with them by the set deadline, they may be referred to the judicial office, said Michelle Emmett, associate vice provost for Student Affairs.