After a turbulent semester that saw eight members summonsed to district court and its chapter placed on probation, the university’s chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity cleaned house two weeks ago, electing a fresh, five-person executive committee to head the organization.

The chapter was placed on probation early last month by the Greek Executive Council, a decision that remains in effect until next fall, following a three-month investigation into an off-campus party that led to many students being reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution (OSCCR).

“I want to put whatever happened in the fall behind us and continue on,” said new chapter president William Bruen, a junior criminal justice major. “I sort of see this as, it’s the same year, but we’re moving forward.”

Bruen said former executive committee members chose not to run again when their terms in office expired at the end of last semester.

The chapter president, known in interfraternity circles as the grand master, has traditionally been a year-long position. This year for elections, fraternity members voted to reduce the term to match the rest of the committee, he said.

As a result, Bruen said former president Rob Ranley never issued a letter of resignation but instead declined to run in the elections.

Bruen declined to disclose when the decision had come to a vote, and did not elaborate about whether it was put forth as a result of the university’s investigation.

“Because of different decisions that were made, we all decided this year to hold elections on a semester basis for the entire executive committee,” he said.

It remains to be seen whether the university’s judicial board ruled individual members of the fraternity violated its code of student conduct as part of the fallout from the party and were unable to hold office due to sanctioning.

Ranley could not be reached for comment.

Bruen said he didn’t “know if it was really a surprise, per se,” that Ranley did not choose to maintain his candidacy, but said he was certain the former president based his decision on “what he felt was best for the chapter as a whole.”

Bruen, reflecting on his new role as he discussed plans for his first recruitment period, happening now, said the transition from one executive committee to the next has gone “very smoothly.”

“It’s a time for all of our brothers to overcome things from last semester and to recruit new members who will benefit our chapter,” he said. “I’m excited for it and I know everyone else is.”