Unfortunate Drug Bust (and Greek) Publicity: Columbia and U of Kentucky
 

Unfortunately, two drug bust stories involving fraternity members have hit the news, one at Columbia and another at Kentucky. The Columbia bust / allegations, of course, are getting greater coverage right now. Examples of articles:

Columbia U (NY)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/columbia-un...ry?id=12335634

Excerpt:

. . . According to the investigators, most of the sales took place in the common areas of Alpha Epsilon Pi, Pi Kappa Alpha and Psi Upsilon. . . .

Similar story is on many news sites, and a blog at:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...er=rss&emc=rss

U of Kentucky

http://kykernel.com/2010/12/07/delta...g-trafficking/

Excerpt:

December 7, 2010 by Patrick Sullivan
*
A Delta Tau Delta member was dealing drugs out of the chapter’s house and most of his 30 or so clients were his own fraternity brothers, police said in a court hearing . . .

I had to reread the second one. The kid gave them permission to search his room even though he had weed out and people were smoking. really?

That's what's reported. If there was a lot of smoking going on, the kid may not have been functioning as the brightest LED light on the string.

Three other links on Columbia University fraternity drug busts-including two from school's news paper:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-1...olice-say.html

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/201...-row-drug-bust
http://spectrum.columbiaspectator.co...-row-drug-bust
COMMENTS on both are rather interesting.

This sucks because I know a couple of the Columbia kids.

there was a pretty big story on the Today show this morning.

This story, judging from what has been posted today on http://twitter.com/Plegd is not going away anytime soon:
Ivy League students accused of dealing LSD 'sweets' and cocaine claim they sold drugs to pay tuition fees



By Daily Mail Reporter

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz17XTvjV4H

Five Students Arrested in Drug Bust, “Operation Ivy League”
http://bwog.com/2010/12/07/five-stud...-in-drug-bust/

Thoughts on yesterday's fiasco
By Editorial Board
Published December 8, 2010
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/201...-happened-here

Columbia Five in 'Ivy' Sting

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...googlenews_wsj

And they keep on coming:

http://gawker.com/5708350/the-great-...yline=true&s=i

This one is of interest. "Good News, Bad New". Bad news travels faster and longer than good news.
Something we should all keep in mind.
The stuff at went on (and is still going on no doubt) at Columbia, is going on all over the place.
More than likely every campus. Whereever there are users, there will be sellers.
They all should keep in mind that someday it could be their door that gets broken in.
http://aflv.blogspot.com/2010/12/goo...-bad-news.html

School Newspaper is still all over this:
http://spectrum.columbiaspectator.co...ed-after-hours

So, that's how I was supposed to pay for grad school. Not student loans, selling drugs. facepalm

As a Columbia graduate and a proud alum of another Ivy, I think the media's reaction to this is hilarious. People are scandalized. Why? College kids do drugs--even (or especially) kids at "prestigious" schools. Where do you think they're buying their drugs? Dorms, fraternity houses, and gym locker rooms--not from Bill the sketchy dealer.

Adderall/Ritalin/Concerta is as easy to get as aspirin. So many kids come to college already on the stuff; far more get "diagnosed" as ADD and prescribed while students. Still others buy it from friends.

On the illegal tip, I remember my senior year--some dudes from Westport, CT were excited when this kid came in as a freshman--because he was a well-known drug dealer (as a high schooler). This was 10 years ago--I imagine it's gotten far worse.

Did people really think that students at Ivy League schools did nothing but study?

Update: Interim Suspension

As one might expect ---

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/201...ced-suspension

Excerpts from article ^ in The Spectator:

The Alpha Epsilon Pi, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Psi Upsilon fraternities were placed on interim suspension Wednesday night after the arrests on Tuesday of several members who allegedly sold illegal drugs from their 114th Street brownstones.

Dean of Student Affairs Kevin Shollenberger announced in a statement that the three fraternities had been instructed to cease all activities—including recruitment, initiation, and social events—pending further review.

. . . The charters for each of the fraternities remained intact as of Wednesday night. . . .

ETA: At least two of the gentlemen who were arrested are out on bail:

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/201...eleased-prison

Interesting how the intercultural house didn't get into any trouble but the fraternities did. Also there is one part that really confuses me. IT implies that one of teh people involved was a pledge.

Sorry but I LOLed. Apparently Columbia admissions standards do not measure common sense.

There is an extensive article in today's (12/18) NY Times about the Columbia situation.

Columbia -- update on sanctions, etc., as reported by the student paper:

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/201...se-brownstones

Excerpt:

. . . According to members of the organizations and a statement from the Division of Student Affairs, Pi Kappa Alpha, Psi Upsilon, and Alpha Epsilon Pi will lose their brownstones and will have only probationary recognition from the University for the next three years.
Other consequences will include extended social probation until fall 2011 and required three-year improvement plans. . . .