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SIUC sorority cleared by university in theft incident

ID: 0FE4629BCF6BDF65
Published: October 18, 2003
Section: A

Caption,PAMELA KAY SCHMALENBERGER / THE SOUTHERN

Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc.
Author: CALEB HALE

THE SOUTHERN

CARBONDALE — The Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc. sorority's name has
been
cleared on the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus.

A student judiciary hearing was held on campus Thursday where it was
revealed the organization had no part in a misdemeanor theft
incident over the summer, according to Sigma Gamma Rho members.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Larry Dietz said
the hearing took place to determine whether restrictions would be
lifted from the group.

Two SIUC students, Jamila Coachman, 23, of Carbondale and Renita
Davis, 19, of Riverdale were found guilty in September in circuit
court in Jackson County of stealing $195.64 worth of socks from the Carbondale Wal-Mart on June 16. The women claimed they had stolen the items as part of an initiation into Sigma Gamma Rho.

Coachman's and Davis' claims prompted Assistant State's Attorney for Jackson County Linda Austin to send a letter to the university's student development office, warning that such behavior would not be tolerated.

Austin was unavailable for comment Friday.

SIUC spokeswoman Sue Davis confirmed the allegations placed against the sorority were found to be untrue. "The Wal-Mart incident was in no way connected with Sigma Gamma Rho," she said.

Nelida Hubbard, a 19-year-old sorority member, said in Thursday's hearing, university officials revealed that the two women had lied about their involvement with Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc.

"These two girls had nothing whatsoever to do with this
organization," Hubbard said.

Members of the sorority said they don't do initiations or hazing.
SIUC officials had placed temporary restrictions on Sigma Gamma Rho, which kept the women from participating as an organization in last week's SIUC homecoming celebration.

Ciara Perry, a 21-year-old sorority member and senior, said neither Davis nor Coachman were present at Thursday's hearing. "The number one question we wanted to ask them was, why?" she said.

Ta Vaughn Moore, 20, said her fellow sorority members can only guess why the two women pinpointed Sigma Gamma Rho. "I don't think they knew the severity of what they did," she said.

For the past month and a half, the sorority members have been the butt of on-campus jokes and have had to face the suspicions of professors and even family members, they said.

"We were at a loss, because someone cried wolf," Hubbard said.

Moore said the sorority held no animosity toward either Davis or
Coachman, but she said what happened to Sigma Gamma Rho could happen to any fraternity or sorority. She said it was unfortunate it happened to them, but confidently added the sorority will rise above the problem.

Hubbard said she and the rest of the group are happy they have
cleared their name.

"Bad news travels really fast, and we want people to know we had no part in this," she said. "It's such an exciting thing when justice is served."

Sigma Gamma Rho has 16 active members. Tonea Simmons is president and Tiffany Davis is vice president.