Sorority Harrassment Alleged at U of Colorado
 

The alleged door decorations seem to be an unpleasant touch. The Associated Press story (excerpt below) doesn't do much to improve the image of U. of Colorado Greek life.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news...24/detail.html

Sorority Pledges Cited For Allegedly Harassing CU Freshman
Student Says She Dropped Out Of Delta Delta Delta After Pledges Were Given Wine

POSTED: 12:14 pm MST November 27, 2004

BOULDER, Colo. -- Two University of Colorado freshmen have been ticketed for allegedly harassing a woman who dropped out of their sorority.

Kristen Ann Russell and Staci Ann Dratler, both 18, are accused of taping toilet paper and condoms to 18-year-old Lili Armstrong's dormitory door.

CU police said Russell and Dratler admitted they also wrote derogatory messages on the door a week after Armstrong ended her membership with the Delta Delta Delta sorority.

Police issued the tickets on Nov. 8, but did not close their investigation and release the case report until this week. Harassment is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $750.

Armstrong, also a freshman, told police she quit the sorority after attending a sleepover in October where pledges were given eight boxes of wine. She said she doesn't drink and pretended to sleep.

One of Armstrong's neighbor said she saw Russell and Dratler putting things on Armstrong's door early Nov. 8, police said. The women allegedly told the neighbor they were doing it because Armstrong had dropped out of the sorority and caused an investigation.

The witness told police that Russell and Dratler "promised to come back every week until the sorority was no longer on probation."

Delta Delta Delta members said an investigator from the national sorority came to the Boulder chapter to look into the harassment allegations, according to police. CU officials did not know of any sanctions taken against the sorority.

A message left at the sorority's national chapter by The Associated Press was not returned.

Dratler also told police the vandalism was not retaliation against Armstrong, but she was her friend and that's what friends do.

Armstrong's father, Jim, said in a written statement that the incident was a traumatic experience for his daughter.

"We also hope that the Tri Delta pledges involved in this harassment will, in the future, stop and think before they let their emotions and anger hurt another student," he said.

Just read this in the Denver Post. There is also a huge special report on "Sam" Spady and her death.

Not a great day in the newspaper for Colorado Greeks.

people are so dramatic.

Yes, people can be "so dramatic," but what did the women who did the harrassment expect? And what was the sorority chapter thinking? Greek Affairs at the U. of Colorado posts its alcohol policy on its web site, and among the policies are

". . . no member chapter of the University of Colorado Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils will tolerate the illegal underage consumption of alcohol . . ." (which would seem to preclude supplying boxes of wine to pledges, unless they strictly doled out the wine only to those 21 and older)

and

". . . no member chapter of the University of Colorado Interfraternity and Pamhellenic Councils will host any function in its house or on its property during which alcohol is distributed or consumed . . . ." (IF -- I'm saying IF -- the "sleepover" was at the sorority house, that's a violation too. If the "sleepover" was held elsewhere, it's certainly not good judgment to supply alcohol.)

I obviously don't know the "real" story, but for the sake of this post, I think it is a great example that shows what individual members do reflects on the entire organization. The chapter may or may not have had anything to do with this (I *really* hope the chapter didnt have anything to do with it) but the actions of those two individuals reflected very poorly not only on themselves but also on the entire chapter. This is why we need to stop and think before doing something like this that would cause poor publicity not only on ourselves, but the chapters as well. Being part of a GLO is a privilage, and it is a chance to be part of something way bigger than yourself which is really neat - and that's why I think sometimes we need to think about that before doing something that will end up like this situation did :(

I think she meant "People can be so dramatic" in that whole "Why are these people making such a big deal out of one girl depledging/one investigation?" In my opinion, if I were these girls -- hey, this girl who depledged has already established herself as the type of person who has no qualms about telling on you when you break the rules. So why would you go out of your way to do something that's going to not only get you in trouble again, but probably add more suspicion that you're guilty of the first charge as well? If these girls had lain low, it would have been a relatively low-key investigation by the school and probably Tri Delt HQ -- now it's national news and the sanctions are likely to be greater.

On the plus side, it sounds like these girls were pledges so their revenge scheme may not have been okay-ed by the other girls in the organization. On the negative side, I'm sure HQ will be investigating this because the whole wine thing definitely smacks of hazing.

Think the pledges will be booted from tri-delta?

That big Samantha Spady story was in the local paper in my parents hometown (The Morning Call - Allentown, PA).

shadokat in the Kansas City Star today also.:(

Didnt really sound like the Sigma Pi Fraternty was truely at fault according to the Article. Scapegoats sound more like it!:( :mad:

As for the Tri Delta situation, for some New Associates ( Pledges ) to get that upset because another decided not to stay is totally uncalled for, Ignorant, and Totally Stupid.

They should be suspended immediately, and if they wish to re rush, so be it, but I would doubt that they would.

Trty that s**t in the real world of big people who work for a living, jail and fired!

Tom,

Maybe partially a scapegoat, but they (members) did supply a 19 year old with hard liquor and beer -- and allowed her to drink in the house though they knew she was underage.

DeltAlum, yes this is true and that brings us back to age of drinking doesnt it?

It does. But even if the laws reverted to being able to drink beer at 18, the law would have been broken because they (and she) were drinking liquor.

One way or another, the chapter comes out liable, I'm afraid.

Truthfully, though, even if the drinking age were 18 for anything, there is probably liability because just about everyone knew that she was getting drunk and allowed her to keep drinking. As you know, bars have been found liable for accidents after they let patrons drink too much. That's not apples and apples, but I don't think it's much of a leap for an attorney make.

sugar and spice, you're most likely right in saying that Tri Delta's national office may get involved. The U. of Colorado student paper reports that UC Greek Affairs has contacted Tri Delta HQ (excerpt below):

Greek life examined
By ERIN WIGGINS Colorado Daily Staff Writer

The university has contacted the national chapter of the Delta Delta Delta, the sorority house of two CU-Boulder freshmen who were ticketed for harassment Nov. 8 after condoms and toilet paper were found on the dorm room door of a CU-Boulder freshman.

The university is looking into potential Judicial Affairs adjudication in the matter, CU officials said Monday.

"The university's judicial system does not take action against groups," said Bob Maust, chair of CU's standing committee against alcohol abuse, "so it will be the individuals if Judicial Affairs gets involved, whether that's the individual leadership in providing alcohol or whether it will be the individuals who may be responsible for harassment of a non-member."

Freshmen Delta Delta Delta sorority pledges Kristin Ann Russell and Staci Ann Dratler were charged with harassment Nov. 8 for taping condoms and toilet paper to fellow freshman Lili Armstrong's door. Armstrong was a pledge in the sorority prior to the alleged occurrence, but told police she dropped out of the sorority because she felt uncomfortable with alcohol provided at a sorority sleepover in October.

CUPD spokesman Tim McGraw said the investigation is now closed from a police perspective, but added the department is giving a copy of the report to Judicial Affairs.


"It's closed as so far as what we can deal with here is concerned," he said.

Maust said Laura Strohminger, Greek affairs director, contacted the national Delta Delta Delta chapter before going out of town last week. The Colorado Daily was not able to reach the national chapter in Texas Monday.

Full article is at

http://www.coloradodaily.com/article...ews/news03.txt

Update: Sorority on Probation, HQ Investigation Continuing, More Sanctions May Result

The sorority was put on probation in November. HQ investigation is also looking at the alleged harrassment. The article does mention that the "sleepover" where wine was allegedly provided was held off-campus, in Littleton, Colorado -- apparently not in the sorority house.

http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/buffz...368769,00.html

I can't read the article (mainly b/c I don't want to register with them :p ) but does it matter if it was held off-campus? I just ask b/c I'm not really sure about the exact rules. I guess it would depend on whether the sleepover was considered an "event" for the sorority?

Where the wine was being supplied I don't think it the most relevant here... (of course I am probably wrong! :p), I think what matters most is that a young woman felt uncomfortable, so she decided to leave the chapter, and 2 of the other new members made a point to harass her.

Should she have had qualms about saying something to the police about the alcohol given to the pledges? No...she depledged because of the incident and it was because of the harrassment that she mentioned the drinking to the police.

I see nothing wrong in what she did and I admire her for sticking to her beliefs. She felt uncomfortable and depledged. She souldn't be looked at as "type of person who has no qualms about telling on you when you break the rules".

It's called having a brain and she chose to use hers.

texas*princess, I agree that "where" the alcohol was provided is not the most important thing here. I only mentioned the location because in a previous post I had quoted a U. of Colorado Greek policy forbidding functions with alcohol in fraternity or sorority houses, and had said that "IF" the sleepover was in the house (which it wasn't, according to my reading of the new details) that would be a policy violation.

No one is criticizing her, they're saying if she wasn't afraid to stick up for herself before she certainly isn't going to be afraid to do it now. I.E. the sisters were stupid to pick on her.

Gotcha...I read it a different way! :)

Yea I totally understand ... I just wasn't sure if the location mattered if that would be a risk management issue according to bylaws (of the sorority) or whatnot. I think I am probably thinking more of the National org. side rather than the police side.

Like if the function did include minors and was supposed to be an "event" for the chapter. I believe most all NPCs forbid alcohol at "events" unless it is provided by a third-party vendor. If the sleepover was supposed to be an "event" - regardless if it was at the sorority house or someone's apartment - they could have possibly been in violation of those types of rules.

By "event" I mean a function the chapter is going to participate in that is a part of their event calendar.

Sometimes I really think that the drinking water in Boulder is laced with LSD or crack or something.

You're not alone in that thought.

So that explains why I felt so good after lunch when I was visiting.

Westword, an "alternative newspaper" in Denver, has a long cover story on this incident in its new (December 16, 2004) issue:

http://www.westword.com/issues/curre...s/feature.html

It's a feature story with lots of quotes, more details than most of the previous articles have included, and an obvious point of view.

wow that article was interesting. i am surprised they printed so much from the apology letters. they sounded pretty insincere and rehearsed to me.

that article was incredible. i really liked the last line, about words not meaning that much. its really powerfull and praise the author. i do think it is interesting, the letters of appology from the 2 girls. I this they both sound illiterate and i hope not an example of the fine scholarly work done at such an intitution. It really makes me not want to associate with people like that. i really hope that lily finds good friends who will support her.
debbie

Tell me about it. We've seen all the LifeTime Moment of Truth movies -- no one's ever that apologetic and sincere anymore.

co-sign.