Despite the allegations, rumors and even recent charges slapped on a suspended member, the Iowa State chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon isn’t just sitting around while their walls come tumbling down.

As the investigation into an alleged sexual assault at the SAE house continues, people inside the fraternity’s national offices say the ISU chapter is on the rebound instead of the decline.

Ben Lewis, spokesman for the SAE national organization, said the ISU house is currently under the supervision of an alumni advisory council that will oversee the operations of the fraternity.

Lewis said he has no idea how long the council will oversee the fraternity’s operations.

“There is no predetermined set of time for this operation,” Lewis said. “We have seen advisory councils in place anywhere from three or four months to three or four years.”

Lewis said the chapter has been in a rut since all the rumors and suspensions started, and he said the goal of the advisory council is to help the men of SAE pull themselves out of the hole.

Many of the rumors that spread around the ISU campus were centered around the use of the date rape drug Rohypnol, also known as “roofies.”

Rumors also began circulating that members of the fraternity were in possession of the drug, and even that it had been used.

After a three-day investigation by the SAE national office, four unnamed members of the ISU chapter were suspended, pending a further investigation.

The Ames Police Department then began a preliminary investigation of the rumors, which became a criminal investigation after two unidentified women came forward and talked to police.

But the suspension of the four fraternity members was only the beginning.

The ISU administration also responded to the rumors by suspending the fraternity from participating in events such as Greek Week until its own investigation is completed.

As a result of its investigation, Ames Police issued an arrest warrant for John Richard Tate, 24, of Spirit Lake. Tate, who turned himself into police on March 16, is one of the four men suspended by the fraternity.

Although charges have been filed, Lewis said the fraternity hasn’t planned any action against Tate at this time.

Because Tate has not yet been convicted, Lewis said he is unsure if any action will be taken against him.

“He has been arrested and charged, but not convicted, and we don’t want to be the one to convict him,” Lewis said.

Lewis went on to say that the fraternity will expel Tate if he is convicted of the charges against him, but until a verdict is reached, he will remain on suspension.

In attempts to improve the appearance and standing of the fraternity, Lewis said the advisory council will govern the fraternity until it feels the student members are ready to retake control.

The council will shadow the officers during their tenure, he said, and make sure they are doing the proper things and making the right moves to get the chapter back on its feet.

In an effort to get things back on track, the fraternity has made some changes within the past two months.

Not long after the rumors began circulating and Tate and the other three members were suspended on Feb. 8, remaining members of the fraternity took it upon themselves to vote the fraternity alcohol- and substance-free.

Despite repeated phone calls to SAE, none of the members could be reached for comment.