There’s a new fraternity in town, but Sigma Rhomeo isn’t quite the same as the rest.

After being formally recognized at the last Associated Student Government meeting spring, the Fraternal Order of Classy Gentlemen is looking to hit the ground running this semester with plans to expand the chapter and change things up at Emporia State.

Jason Brooks, director of Multicultural Affairs, is the chapter advisor for Sigma Rhomeo, and he said he has high hopes for the coming year.

“The goals for this particular year are to ensure that our membership is top notch, that we have quality over quantity and that we’re doing all the community service based on the national organizations recommendations,” Brooks said.

However, while it is technically a fraternity, Sigma Rhomeo doesn’t fall into the same category as other groups within the Interfraternal Council.

Brooks said that Sigma Rhomeo falls into a grey area outside of the traditional Greek groups. The group is unique in that members can have dual membership with other fraternities, provided that those fraternities’ bylaws permit membership.

James Jones, president of Sigma Rhomeo, said he wanted to start the group because he’d always wanted to pledge to an organization, and when he found and talked to members of Sigma Rhomeo he decided that he wanted to be a part of it.

“What we really plan on doing is just trying to get established on campus, make sure we have a presence known. That’s our first priority because without a presence we can’t really do anything,” Jones said.

Brooks said Greek Life has encouraged Sigma Rhomeo to help start a Multicultural Greek Council on ESU’s campus, along with the Sigma Gamma Rho and Zeta Phi Beta sororities. Taylor Kriley, assistant director of Greek Life, has been working with Brooks to help the process along.

“Historically, on our campus, our multicultural organizations have struggled, but we’re at a really great place right now where we have three chapters that are really working very hard in order to thrive here at Emporia State,” Kriley said. “I think one of the key components is for the Interfraternal Council and Panhellenic Association to help educate themselves and others on that opportunity and that the value that the Greek members should appreciate in their own organizations is the same as the Multicultural Organizations.”

Aside from forming the Multicultural Greek Council, Sigma Rhomeo has other goals for this semester, including a goal of having a 20 member chapter, strong community service and working toward purchasing a house, which would also be the first house for any Sigma Rhomeo chapter nationally.

Brooks said the group is primarily based out of Texas, Okla., Fla., Tenn. and N.J., so having a chapter in Kansas is breaking new ground for the organization. The Iota Chapter of Sigma Rhomeo had their first informational meeting Aug. 28.