National Society for Leadership and Success under investigation by campus officials
Denison Security questions the use of university letterhead to solicit payment of membership fees.
Alex Walling
Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: News
When Henry "H.B." Augustine, a philosophy and communication double major, returned to Denison after a restful winter break, he expected his fledgling honors society, The National Society for Leadership and Success (also known as Sigma Alpha Pi or NSLS), to welcome its first recruits.
Instead, he received an unpleasant and startling surprise when Denison Security asked to interview him about allegations that he had violated school policy.
The accuser, Brian Cox, a history and economics double major, charged that Augustine had defrauded parents when he mailed a letter, using the Denison University letterhead typically used for administrative and admissions purposes, promoting the society and soliciting a dues payment of $75 in exchange for membership.
Cox became suspicious of NSLS when he noticed the unusually low GPA requirement for entry, a minimum of 2.75. His doubts were further compounded when he failed to find the organization listed on the IRS records for non-profits, where other preeminent honors-societies are listed.
Cox also alleged that both NSLS and Denison violated Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) rights when school officials provided Augustine with a list of students with a GPA above 2.0.
Augustine forthrightly admitted that the organization was for-profit, but insisted that the revenue it received was all for a good cause.
"Well, you have to make money in this society, right?," he said. "I guess there are two ways you can do that. You can make money only for yourself, helping nobody in the process, or you can do so and change the world simultaneously."
Cookie Sunkle, assistant to the director of the honors program, confirmed that the organization was legitimate.
"I did have one student ask me about joining before I knew there was a controversy. I Googled Sigma Alpha Pi and it appears to be a large, legitimate and beneficial organization with many chapters nationwide," she said.
Augustine further contended that Denison officials failed to notify him of a potential infringement on Denison policy when they authorized him to use the letterhead.
Instead, he received an unpleasant and startling surprise when Denison Security asked to interview him about allegations that he had violated school policy.
The accuser, Brian Cox, a history and economics double major, charged that Augustine had defrauded parents when he mailed a letter, using the Denison University letterhead typically used for administrative and admissions purposes, promoting the society and soliciting a dues payment of $75 in exchange for membership.
Cox became suspicious of NSLS when he noticed the unusually low GPA requirement for entry, a minimum of 2.75. His doubts were further compounded when he failed to find the organization listed on the IRS records for non-profits, where other preeminent honors-societies are listed.
Cox also alleged that both NSLS and Denison violated Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) rights when school officials provided Augustine with a list of students with a GPA above 2.0.
Augustine forthrightly admitted that the organization was for-profit, but insisted that the revenue it received was all for a good cause.
"Well, you have to make money in this society, right?," he said. "I guess there are two ways you can do that. You can make money only for yourself, helping nobody in the process, or you can do so and change the world simultaneously."
Cookie Sunkle, assistant to the director of the honors program, confirmed that the organization was legitimate.
"I did have one student ask me about joining before I knew there was a controversy. I Googled Sigma Alpha Pi and it appears to be a large, legitimate and beneficial organization with many chapters nationwide," she said.
Augustine further contended that Denison officials failed to notify him of a potential infringement on Denison policy when they authorized him to use the letterhead.
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