More Chico: Phi Tau's making porn
 

March 26, 2005 -

Fraternity suspended for participating in porn film


By MELISSA DAUGHERTY - Staff Writer


A local fraternity that's admitted to taking part in a hard-core pornographic film is on suspension pending an investigation by Chico State University officials.

Chico's Phi Kappa Tau house on West Fifth Street does appear to be the site of the taping of an adult film that's available for sale on the Internet, university officials said.

Rumors about the fraternity were circulating this week on the Chico State campus, but weren't confirmed until Friday, said Joe Wills, university director of public affairs.

"It's very disturbing and we're dismayed that a rumor like this is apparently true," said Wills, just hours after getting confirmation.

It's still not clear how many members took part in the film, but the actions do include sexual activity. Wills said the university knows who's selling the film, which comes in DVD form.

That company - Shane's World - hails from Van Nuys and is known for having college students in its videos.

According an article in Rolling Stone magazine, the company provides the women - porn stars - and heads to private residences of college students, many of whom are drunk when the cameras are rolling.

Chico State officials aren't certain, but suspect that alcohol was involved in the incident. Wills said the university is looking into whether any illegal activity took place during filming.

Rick Rees, associate director of student activities, said it appears the video was shot several months ago. Rees spoke with the Phi Kappa Tau's president, who apologized for its member's participation.

"They want to fully cooperate with the university and said it was a bad decision," Rees said.

This news follows two highly-publicized incidents within Chico's Greek system in the past two months.

In February, Chico State student Matthew Carrington died from an apparent hazing during an initiation into Chi Tau, a fraternity that lost its affiliation with the university several years ago. Weeks earlier, a Butte College student pledging the Sigma Chi fraternity nearly died from alcohol poisoning.

Rees said Phi Kappa Tau has not been a particularly problematic fraternity and that it ranks about average for the number of calls to the Chico Police Department - compared to other fraternities.

The fraternity is also suspended by Chico State's Interfraternity Council - the governing body for fraternities - and its national headquarters based in Ohio. Officials there are conducting their own investigation.

In a written statement, Steve Hartman, the national fraternity's chief executive officer, said Phi Kappa Tau is embarrassed by the Chico chapter's involvement in the video.

Nick Hollingsworth, Chico State Interfraternity Council president, said the incident reflects poorly on the Greek community and that he's glad the suspensions are unilateral.

The fraternity, he said, strayed far from its ideals and values by participating in the film.

"It's definitely not chivalrous," he said.

The article posted above is from the March 26 issue of the local Chico paper, the Enterprise-Record. at

http://www.chicoer.com/Stories/0,141...8~2783674,00.h

Sounds like seriously poor judgment by some of the Phi Kappa Taus at Chico. Things like this won't make it easier to defend the Greek system -- or at least the fraternities -- at Chico State.

This is to friggen funny!:D

Damn, trying to make a buck or two for the Chapter.

It hit Reuters on the main page of their website...

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=8025497

Ah, So That's What Fraternity Means...
Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:21 AM ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A California university, once ranked by Playboy magazine as the top U.S. party school, is probing a fraternity for a party where a hard-core sex film was made, a school spokesman said on Monday.
California State University Chico has suspended its 25-member chapter of Phi Kappa Tau, while it investigates the party at which professional porn actors were filmed having sex last October, said school spokesman Joe Wills.

Shane's World, a Southern California maker of adult films, including ones featuring partying college students, provided four female and two male actors for the film, a spokeswoman said.

A trailer of the toga-themed film, on sale on DVD for $24.95, appears on the filmmaker's Web site. Three Chico State students had sex on film, said Shane's World spokeswoman Nicole Henderson.

"On Friday we suspended the fraternity," said Wills. "We're trying to gather information as fast as we can right now."

The fraternity chapter will not be able to participate in school events until the university concludes its investigation, which stemmed from a rumor circulating on campus, said Rick Rees, a student activities official.

The fraternity chapter could not be reached for comment on the film, the most recent scandal to hit Chico State. Earlier this month police arrested students in connection with the death of a student during a Chi Tau fraternity hazing ritual.

Chico is a college town in a rural area of northern California.

Film company spokeswoman Henderson said the filmmaker is contacted for its films by college students, who must verify they are older than 18 and sign release forms to be at parties and appear in its "College Invasion" series of films.

"We bring the porn stars and the cameras, and we just film," Henderson said. "We get hundreds of letters every month from college students wanting us to come out to their schools."

Shane's World has made six College Invasion films since 2000 and is in talks with university students for future films, Henderson said.

-Rudey

And ABC News is reporting that, according to CSU-Chico, some members of the fraternity participated in some of the sexual activities filmed / taped.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=622900&page=1

This source

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050330/D895D4I80.html

quotes the Chico President that the ENTIRE system may be shut down if it is found "beyond repair"...


Given the incidents there this year alone...I would not be surprised if it is shut down.

While I think that this was horrible judgment on the part of the fraternity members and shows a complete disrespect for the values of the fraternity, I do find it odd that Chico considers this the straw that broke the camel's back. It was inappropriate for these students to do this in their fraternity house. However, the house is a private off campus residence, according to the article. Everyone involved was over 18 and no laws were broken. If this incident had occured at a non-greek off campus party, the university wouldn't be able to do anything about it and there would be nowhere near the press about it. Apparently, this company has already made films at other universities and I haven't heard anything about that in the media. Technically these people are adults and they can do what they want ... no matter how stupid their actions are.

True, but, fraternities are perceived by most of the public to be directly affiliated with the host university (and in reality they are) - so any black eye on the fraternity is also a black eye on the university.

There comes a time when "enough is enough" in the eyes of the administration. Unfortunately, as we see all too often, it's the actions of just a few individuals that destroyed the system for all the members.

I doubt this will be the last time a campus not only threatens, but makes good on a threat. I don't see where they might not have another alternative. The actions and public outcry is getting louder, and I don't see enough actions being taken by the greeks themselves (as in self-policing or corrective actions) as being seen as enough in the eyes of administrations or the public at large.

The question remains: will the greeks finally start doing something beyond talk about fixing their own problems before outside influences do it for them permanently?

I'm not sure this particular incident is a risk management issue on it's own (i.e. just the filming of porn) unless it violated some sort of Student Code of Conduct. I'm guessing it is the possible alcohol violations which may be the teeth behind the suspension by the university. Now the Fraternity can suspend due to *their* standards etc.

However, combined with other recent incidents at Chico, it has taken on more significance than perhaps it should.

I wouldn't be surprised either... it's like every other thread in the RIsk Management forum are about fraternities from Chico.

A lot of media attention was paid a couple or three years ago when the same kind of thing happened at Arizona State. Among other things, the vice president of the student body was more or less forced out of office (he was taped showering with one of the female porn stars). One of the comments he made in his defense was "It's not like this is Harvard." Newspapers and TV stations had a field day with the fraternities and the university.

So having a fraternity involved in making porn is not something new and unheard of, and neither is the media attention.

An ordinary Google search on the words

arizona state fraternity porn

will turn up plenty of articles on the web. One, for instance, is

http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/96/25/01_4.html

Edited to add: The CSU-Chico student paper has a new article raising the issue of the risk of STDs for students involved in the filming and for those students' other partners:

http://www.orion-online.net/vnews/di.../424a17bd53566

The problem is, they've tried to shut fraternities down there and they keep going on, unrecognized.

The only remedy I see at this point is for national HQs to come in and recolonize the groups and make THEM the policemen as to people using letters that shouldn't.

Just when you thought it can't get any wilder or worse....

this is not helping the greek system's image.

Yep I agree... I think at this point shutting down the fraternity system could potentially increase the problem beyond the school's control.

With all the stuff going on, I'm not sure if any nationals would want to colonize b/c of all the things going on recently.

I haven't been keeping up with what the school admin. is doing to the individuals involved in the hazing incidents, but they need to show the students they mean business ... maybe even if they have to make an example of someone. Does the school have some kind of code of conduct or something? When stuff like this happens (even though this particular incident doesn't really sound like hazing) not only does it make Greeks in general, and Greeks on the campus look bad, but it reflects poorly on the school as well. (at least in my opinion)

CSU-Chico has established some task forces and has hired a consultant, according to the local (not student) paper in an article about factual errors in another paper's story. Golly, what more could anyone ask? To be fair and realistic, of course, the university almost surely has to tread carefully and act only after getting sound legal -- and political -- advice,

http://www.chicoer.com/Stories/0,141...789273,00.html

. . . .Right now, perceptions are important to Chico State. The university is mandated to increase its enrollment by 212 percent next year as part of the California State University system's compact with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Zingg [the president of the university] said the university has made all of its offers to potential students and is now waiting for responses. Tuesday's story won't help, he added.

"It comes at a terrible time," he said. "It will likely dissuade students and their parents from selecting Chico as their college of choice."

Officials don't deny that there are problems within the Greek system. While the author notes the community's disgust with the acts that led to Carrington's death, Zingg said an obvious omission is the response from the university.

Task forces have been formed and are beginning to meet; the university brought in a consultant who has a year-long contract for a week's stay. . . .

212 percent?? That sounds insane. Are they hiring enough faculty and building enough housing to accomodate that?

Random question:
Which one is correct: Chico State University or California State University - Chico? I'm seeing both being used.

don't know why, but the Pitt News felt the need to write an editorial opinion about this
http://www.pittnews.com/vnews/displa.../424b821616922

Yeah I am wondering how many of the Greeks have private housing since that would make it really difficult to break down the system if they house students for the school.

-Rudey

The official name is The California State University, Chico. However, Chico State is commonly used since the CSU system is made up 23 campuses.

CSU Campuses

California State University Bakersfield
California State University Channel Islands
California State University Chico
California State University Dominguez Hills
California State University East Bay
California State University Fresno
California State University Fullerton
Humboldt State University
California State University Long Beach
California State University Los Angeles
California Maritime Academy
California State University Monterey Bay
California State University Northridge
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State University Sacramento
California State University San Bernardino
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San Jose State University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
California State University San Marcos
Sonoma State University
California State University Stanislaus

Map of CSU Campus Locations

Note: The CSU is a separate system than the University of California system.

UC Campuses

Berkeley
Davis
Irvine
Los Angeles
Merced (opens Fall 2005)
Riverside
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz

Given the current situation at Chico, a somewhat supportive editorial.

And the last three paragraphs.

At a special event on campus (Wed. Mar. 30, 2005) the executive director of Theta Chi told an audience of CSU-Chico Greeks that the Greek system at Chico is "hanging on by a thread." The student paper's story is at

http://www.orion-online.net/vnews/di.../424b8bed101c4

Excellent quotes by Mr. Westol.

and...

Isnt it the old saying,

"If The Foo Shits, Then One Must Wear it"?

If the Greeks are so out of control, then where is the IHQs who Normaly work with Colleges or is it a College trying to Prove Who is Boss?

Seems to be a total break down of communication somewhere.:(

Who is pissing on whose wheaties this week?:confused:

Has Mr. Westol been Theta Chi's director for a long time? I recall a video seminar I watched once where the director for Theta Chi railed against hazing - he was very engaging. I remember his quote: "If you think hazing is so great, why don't you advertise it during rush? 'Rush our fraternity, we'll beat the (snot) out of you!'"

I don't know how long Mr. Westol has served. But according to the Theta Chi web site, Mr. Westol is still their Executive Director.

I have heard that quote before as well. Yet I believe that a different four letter word - starting with *s* - was was used instead of 'snot'.

PSK 480, where are you? I know you want to comment on this :)

A Letter to the editor

April 02, 2005 - 12:03:06 AM PST

No right to suspend fraternity


The university violated the laws of the land when they suspended the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity for filming an X-rated film in their private residence. The individual members of the fraternity have the right to form their own association. The university cannot pick and chose which associations to recognize and allow use of state facilities. This clearly is the law of the country the right of association. The U.S. Supreme court in Healy vs. James clearly defined this.

The court in this case sets out circumstances where this right of association may be interrupted. The university must find the fraternity guilty of violating a published valid campus rule (law). Further the university must provide due process.

Citizens of this country have the right of privacy. What valid campus rule did these citizens violate in the privacy of their own home? The state of California needs to get out of the bedrooms of these citizens.



In this case the university has violated the law. They have interfered with the fraternity members' right of association. The president of the university or any member of the university has the right and perhaps the obligation to comment but not the legal right to take any other action.

President Paul Zingg should immediately lift the suspension of the fraternity and apologize to its members and the community for his actions.

Charles W. Preusser, Chico