Hannah Fuller, Tia Kaschauer, and Noah Flenard contributed to this post.

The Sigma Chi fraternity in State College alleged it was subject to racist vandalism from the Sigma Pi fraternity, two sources told Onward State. Both sources, who spoke with Onward State on the condition of anonymity, said members of Sigma Pi spray-painted a fence outside the Sigma Chi house on Prospect Avenue with expletive language, including a racial slur.

One source was a current executive board member at Sigma Chi, and the other was a former executive board member at Sigma Chi. According to both brothers, the incident happened after a late-night alcohol-fueled altercation between members of the two fraternities.

Both brothers said that members of both fraternities were involved in an altercation late Friday night in which at least one participant was drunk. After a fight, a Sigma Pi brother gathered several other Sigma Pi brothers and came to the Sigma Chi house to vandalize the fence.

Both brothers said Sigma Chi was contacted on Saturday by Sigma Pi, which offered to pay for damages to the fence. The Sigma Chi brothers saw that as an admission of guilt.

Sigma Chi, which is not affiliated with Penn State, is trying to decide what its next steps will be.

Sigma Chi is one of Penn State’s more diverse fraternities, the brothers said, and expects to have 15% of its membership as Black students after spring rush, which is above the national average of 2.3%.

Sigma Pi is in good standing with Penn State’s Interfraternity Council and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. Sigma Chi cut its affiliation with Penn State after an interim suspension from 2021 for breaking COVID-19 regulations.

Two members of Sigma Pi’s executive board did not respond to requests for comment from Onward State.