DSP-UVa douses pledges with (bad stuff)
 

The brothers of the Alpha Mu chapter of Delta Sigma Phi would like visitors to this forum to understand that the situation outlined in this topic has been fully resolved, the chapter has been rebuilt around a non-hazing philosophy, and the house contains no men who were involved with the chapter at the time of these events. If you're looking for more information about us, please see our website. Thank you.

U.Va. frat pledge reports being doused with vinegar, urine

Associated Press
© November 6, 2003 | Last updated 11:28 AM Nov. 6
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A University of Virginia student reported that he and other students were doused with vinegar and urine as part of a fraternity pledge ritual, and said he decided to tell authorities because he was tired of the abuse.

The 19-year-old Delta Sigma Phi pledge also reported that his apartment was vandalized, Charlottesville police Lt. Gary Pleasants said. Physical altercations also took place there, but the man did not give details, police said.

"His arms were shaking" after arriving home to his ransacked apartment, according to a police report. "His body was wet and smelled of vinegar and urine. He said that he was a pledge of a fraternity."

The student complained of "increasingly violent and disgusting hazing rituals including dousing the pledges with vinegar, urine and other substances," the report said.

"He was fed up with the abuse and wanted to press charges," the report said. The man, whom police declined to identify to protect his safety, told police that his entire pledge class had decided to quit pursuing membership in Delta Sigma Phi.



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University officials and representatives from the fraternity's national organization are investigating.

Scott Wiley, executive director of the national fraternity, said that his office is investigating allegations that the fraternity's risk-management policy had been violated, but he refused to elaborate further.

Charlottesville police responded to a call on Oct. 28 that two men had broken into the student's apartment and dismantled furniture and other items and threw them outside. The student's roommates later identified a man who damaged the student's property, saying they had seen him drive away.

No arrests have been made, but police have suspects, Pleasants said.

The U.Va. chapter is under temporary probation by the national organization as the investigation takes place, Wiley said.

U.Va.'s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life started its own probe, and it will present a report to the university's dean of students, who will decide on what, if any, punishment is given the house.

:(

Gosh, I just wish that sort of stuff wouldn't happen.....it makes me sad......

Re: DSP-UVa douses pledges with (bad stuff)
 

Hmmm: "his entire pledge class had decided to quit pursuing membership in Delta Sigma Phi" -- sounds like a good decision, if all (or even part) of what is alleged took place. The seemingly eternal questions come to mind:

-- if the members loathe the new members/pledges enough to treat them like that, WHY did they bid them in the first place?

-- what is the fascination with filth? Urine in this case, feces for suburban Chicago's "powderpuff" fiasco.

-- where are the values of respect for others, kindness, compassion, brotherhood, and gentlemanly behavior?

Man, Kappa Delta isn't even that old a chapter and this happens.

Once again....we don't need this during a rebuilding stage.

:(

Kappa Delta is Virginia Tech. UVA is Alpha Mu, originally chartered in the 20's.

My bad

vinegar and urine... I wonder if that's in their ritual book?

Re: Re: DSP-UVa douses pledges with (bad stuff)
 

I've often wondered this with any GLO that hazes.........it just seems completely pointless to me. All the time they spend hazing pledges/new members could be spent really getting to know everyone, bonding/strengthening the brotherhood/sisterhood, and even learning new things about oneself. These incidents cost big money to GLO's every year in lawsuits and insurance fees, which is money that could be better spent on brotherhoods/sisterhoods, ritual appreciations, educational programming, and putting greek life in a more positive light.

Think people.......is any of it worth it at all? Really worth it? What about in cases where a brother or sister dies as a result? Is it all really worth the life of a brother or sister? I dont care which governing council your GLO is a member of NPC, IFC, NPHC.......or even an independent group......there is no justification for this behavior sorry.

Well said, ThetaPrincess.

I don't understand how some of the stuff that these pledges are made to do promotes brotherhood. If you ask a brother (or a sister, the girls do it too!), their reason is usually "Well, I had to do it, so they have to do it too." Well, if you had to do it, and it made you not want to be a part of the organization at the time you were doing it, wouldn't you want to change that when you got to the other side?

I don't know, just my two cents.

That is horrible! I cant believe that people would actually do that. GRRR makes me Angry!!!


Nichole

That sucks. :( They would have made good brothers too.

Re: Re: Re: DSP-UVa douses pledges with (bad stuff)
 

well said, thetaprincess

glad to hear they all depledged after what happened.

Like Stan says this really sucks now that our fraternity is in a rebuilding stage. Hopefully something like this never happens again, (urine and vinegar) come on now.....have some respect dear lord.

Update: Delta Sigma Phi National Council Action
 

According to an Associated Press article Novemeber 21, Delta Sigma Phi HQ has suspended the U. of Virginia chapter. The chapter will be reorganized. The fraternity may expel or suspend some of the members. At this point the timeline for the suspension and reorganization is indefinite.

The fairly short article can be found at

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1103/111235.html

or by doing a Google News search.

Seems like reasonable action, assuming that the Delta Sigma Phi inquiry into the allegations came up with indications of serious problems.

Well, see... Here's where they were smart. Yeah, there was urine in there that *normally* would be transmitting disease. BUT! They added vinegar and now all is well. See how smart these guys were?

"hazing"
 

"hazing" is supose to make you want it more, and not make the voyage to membership an easy path that anyone could make. but not anything like this, it shouldnt be anything that degrating or destructive. why would you want to be hateful and cruel to the people you are considering to call your brother.

Urine is supposed to be pretty sterile. Some people recomend you drink urine for certain health problems.

Fecs on the other hand is not so sterile lol.

I dont understand how urine is considered to be sterile...........its' a waste product of the body. If left in the body as in if the kidneys are unable to filter it out of the blood and what not, you would die, plain and simple. It is also deadly to sperm. Thats why men secrete what is commonly referred to as "pre-cum" before actually ejaculating because it neutralizes any urine that may be left in the urethra that would kill the sperm.

sorry hijack the post

I also feel awful for all the other chapters of other GLOs at UVa. Not only is Delta Sig being put in a bad light, but this reflects poorly on all of the other chapters in the Greek system at UVa and beyond. A chapter should realize their actions are far-reaching in this kind of situation. What a sad day for the greek community.

Actually you're wrong. Those people that recommend it are idiots and had their governments interfere to tell them they were being foolish. It is not sterile at all. It has a higher acidity however.

-Rudey
--And I know of one house at my alma mater which doused their pledges in urine.

Urine is far from sterile. I watching on the Discovery channel (yes, I'm a dork) that if you're stranded somewhere without water it is better to go without any water than to drink you're urine. Feces happens to be the more sterile one. Either way, it's gross.

For those who visit this page looking for information on the Alpha Mu chapter of Delta Sigma Phi at the University of Virginia, please note that while this unfortunate incident did happen, most public accounts are exaggerated. (I am currently a brother in good standing at this chapter, and have had extensive conversations with brothers and alumni who were pledges during this period.) I'm not trying to downplay the situation or the severity of hazing: things were still out of control.

Regardless, know that in 2003, all but eight brothers left the house, either voluntarily or through Nationals intervention (some brothers left while still in good standing and were not involved in the situation). The house has been rebuilt since then, and currently consists of a strong brotherhood of men who understand that hazing is not what one does to one's brothers. There are no active brothers who were in the fraternity at the time of these events.

In other words, it's a completely different house.

For more information, please visit Delta Sig at UVA.

Ok, that's great and all, but why on earth would you bump a negative thread about your chapter where the last post was over 3 years ago? I'd bet most forgot about it, now you're refreshing people's minds.

Merely because this is the third or fourth result in a Google search for "UVA Delta Sig" and I'd rather address the issue than let it lie, unanswered, for potential brothers and/or their parents to find and misinterpret.

Perhaps they could question you rather than use a messageboard for information. Just a thought.

What is it with these new people and digging up old threads?

His bump was certainly warranted in that regard.