After a hiatus of approximately a decade, the women's music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota has had its Alpha Mu chapter reinstated at Carnegie Mellon.

Sigma Alpha Iota first came to Carnegie Mellon in 1930, when the University was the Carnegie Institute of Technology, and was formed out of a women's music club. Although SAI has a long history at Carnegie Mellon – the Alpha Mu chapter has over 300 alumnae, including Margaret Blackburn who wrote the women's fraternity's official chorale – the Alpha Mu chapter became inactive during the 1990's. Alumna Virginia Schatz approached some music students in 2003 to encourage them to restart the chapter; by October 2005, much of the paperwork was finished, and recruitment began.

On February 12, Alpha Mu was re-installed with 14 new, dedicated members. Being part of Carnegie Mellon's Sigma Alpha Iota chapter has some special benefits: in addition to SAI's members-only scholarships, the Alpha Mu chapter has a very active alumnae community that is excited for the chapter's re-installation. But above all, the rebirth of Sigma Alpha Iota has brought together a group of musically inclined friends as sisters.

"The bond that the girls in the Alpha Mu chapter have formed is incredible," said Laura Bassett, CFA junior and SAI's corresponding secretary.

Aside from benefits for the members, Sigma Alpha Iota also plans to help the Pittsburgh community by raising awareness of Carnegie Mellon music events. Already, the organization has established an e-mail announcement list called the "Concert Club" and has designed "Carnegie Mellon Music" t-shirts, of which approximately 100 have been sold.

"This is a really great opportunity to raise the presence of music on the campus," said Meg Zervoulis, CFA senior and SAI's president.

SAI has been working with the Carnegie Mellon Music Preparatory School, which offers professional-quality music lessons for local Pittsburgh children. SAI also plans to participate in off-campus philanthropic projects. For example, the international Sigma Alpha Iota sponsors People-to-People projects, which provide materials for music education to underprivileged countries.

"Sigma Alpha Iota is a very real way to turn our passion, which is music, into a tool to better our campus and community," Bassett said.

Sigma Alpha Iota is open to all female students who have a serious interest in music and have taken at least one semester of a music course. However, this restriction is causing some troubles for SAI. Currently, the women's fraternity is recognized by the School of Music, but it has been rejected for broader recognition from Student Senate.

"Even though we are a Title IX exempt organization, CMU Senate cannot recognize us because we cannot include the Carnegie Mellon Statement of Assurance in our bylaws," Zervoulis explained.

As Kirk Higgins, MCS junior and Senate's Funding and Recognition Committee Chair, stated, Sigma Alpha Iota is a special case. SAI can neither be established as a social Greek organization under Student Life because it's an academic fraternity, nor can it be counted as an organization under Student Activities because it does not allow for male members.

If Sigma Alpha Iota succeeds in gaining recognition from Student Senate, the organization will be given an Andrew account, a University mailbox, and an Oracle string for finances, among other privileges.

"We would like to be treated as an actual organization!" Zervoulis said.

It is possible, but more difficult, for SAI to obtain at least some of these privileges without Student Government recognition.

"At their discretion, Student Activities may temporarily grant unrecognized groups the opportunity to reserve a room or advertise on-campus," Higgins said.

Currently, SAI is working with the School of Music and Student Senate to gain further University recognition. Despite any hindrances ahead, Sigma Alpha Iota's Alpha Mu chapter is ready and willing to do whatever needs to be done to integrate SAI back into the Carnegie Mellon community.

SAI's next recruitment period will be the fall of 2006. To learn more about Sigma Alpha Iota, visit the fraternity's national website or e-mail Laura Bassett.

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