GreekChat.com Forums - Childish behavior...helpful response

It is a real shame that this kind of thing is not at all uncommon. We have had this kind of experience in a number of cases, including a chapter shut down for cause who trashed a house which had been refurbished to the tune of $1.5 million raised by chapter alumni.

The "silver lining" in this cloud is the response of other fraternities in the neighborhood.

Sorry about the length, but it is an attempt to cover all sides of the story.

From: Fraternity/Sorority Newsclips <doug.case@sdsu.edu>
Subject: Vandals destroy Cal State-Fullerton fraternity house

Daily Titan
California State University, Fullerton
December 10, 2002

Vandals destroy Cal State-Fullerton frat house

By Kimberly Pierceall & Jessi McFarland, Daily Titan

Recognizable only by the greek letters covered in graffiti on the
outside, the Sigma Pi fraternity house at California State
University-Fullerton was vandalized less than a day after the
fraternity was evicted.

Behind the broken windows, graffiti sketched walls and an eviction
notice taped to the door -- broken glass, trash and mangled couches
cluttered the courtyard and back rooms of the house. Inside, cooked
poultry parts were crammed into holes in the walls. A message, one of
the few appropriate to print, spray-painted on the living room wall
said, "You can move in but this will always be my house."

Campus police are still in the early stages of the investigation, Lt.
Will Glen said.

Members of Sigma Pi could not be reached for comment.

On Monday, fraternity members received an eviction notice and began
moving out of 2100 Terry Place. In the early morning hours of Tuesday
the property was vandalized.

The eviction notice pits Restrepo vs. Steele -- Sacramento Restrepo,
landlord, and Marvin Steele, Sigma Pi chapter president.

Restrepo's son, Edgar, said the fraternity hadn't paid their rent for
three months, even after receiving early eviction notices over a
month ago. He said that two separate contractors estimated the
damages could be anywhere from $ 50,000 to $ 60,000 or even $ 100,000
to $ 125,000.

"Property damage is never acceptable," Dean of Students Kandy Mink said.

Sigma Pi is no longer a recognized fraternity after their chapter was
placed on probation a year ago.

A black CSUF marked speaker sat in a corner of one room. Police found
other stolen property on the premises, including a broken yellow car
boot, Restrepo said.

Notes written on the wall make reference to Sigma Pi living in the
house for 25 years. A year ago, Sacramento Restrepo bought the house
but Sigma Pi members continued to pay rent to live there. Edgar
Restrepo said the cost of rent hadn't changed between owners.

Restrepo said the surrounding fraternities have been helpful and
offered to clean the property.

"They've all been very cooperative," he said.

Part of the legal language printed on the Orange County Sheriff's
eviction notice states, "If you re-enter these premises, you are in
violation of the law."

Charges haven't been made against anyone.

"We will take appropriate action based on our determination if any
university policies or regulations were violated by students
affiliated with the fraternity," Glen said.

The fraternity was suspended in Nov. 2001 for abusive behavior, Mink said.

Out-going Inter-Fraternity Council president Mike Dykier said the
fraternity's probation came after Sigma Pi members engaged in a fight
at the annual Greek Week games that raises money for Camp Titan.
According to a Daily Titan article from April 14, 2001, Sigma Pi and
Pi Kappa Phi members began arguing after Karl Kottke, then co-chair
of Greek Week and member of Sigma Pi named his own fraternity the
winner of the tug-of-war. Pi Kappa Phi was later named the true
winners of the competition. Because of the altercation, the rest of
Greek Week was cancelled.

Sigma Pi is scheduled to appear before the Dean of Students and other
student life officials in May, so their fraternity status can be
reinstated. If the board approves the group, Sigma Pi would then have
to be approved by two thirds of voting Inter-Fraternity Council
members, Dykier said.

The national Sigma Pi Web site still lists CSUF's Sigma Pi chapter
(Epsilon Nu) and said that as of Nov. 20, the chapter had 28 members
and 13 new pledges.

(C) 2002 Daily Titan

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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 23:26:58 -0800
From: Fraternity/Sorority Newsclips <doug.case@sdsu.edu>
Subject: CMU police chief apologizes for Sigma Nu search faux pas

The Tartan
Carnegie Mellon University
December 10, 2002

Chief apologizes for Carnegie Mellon U. Sigma Nu search faux pas

By Hannah Yi, The Tartan

Chief of Police Creig Doyle has written an apology letter to the
Sigma Nu fraternity for an unwarranted search his department
conducted on November 21. Brothers waited for 15 minutes outside in
the brisk fall weather for two uniformed police officers, one
uniformed security guard, and a plainclothes detective to leave their
house.

The police conducted an unscheduled fire drill, during which time
they visually inspected the house for an antique bell stolen from the
Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. But in an interview Doyle denied that it
was a search, referring to it as a "fire drill." He also said that
police could have obtained a warrant, but wanted the matter to remain
internal. The police activated the fire alarm without informing the
fraternity beforehand when the exercise would occur. Doyle confirmed
that it was the only unscheduled fire drill he had conducted. Both
Doyle and Dean of Student Affairs Michael Murphy said it was highly
unlikely that the police would ever conduct a similar operation again.

The fire drill at the Sigma Nu house was a follow-up on input that
Campus Police had obtained since the beginning of the investigation.

"We had received substantial information from a reliable source that
the stolen bell was located inside the Sigma Nu house," wrote Doyle
in an email to The Tartan.

"The fire drill was a tactic used during the investigation, intended
to resolve a criminal matter internally," stated Doyle, who added
that there was an indication that illegal entry was made to steal the
bell, which makes the crime a felony and not theft.

In an email to The Tartan, Ian Kash, Sigma Nu president, stated

"While they [Campus Police] did not actively search, they kept their
eyes open for a piece of stolen property that they believed we had,
based on a single statement from a third party."

The police walk-through was not a search because a warrant had not
been issued, stated Doyle. Places of concealment, like closets and
drawers, were not opened or closely inspected.

Police said they recovered two highway signs that will be returned to
PennDot authorities. A marijuana pipe was also recovered and will be
destroyed. But no bell was found.

James G. Gordon, of the law firm James G. Gordon & Associates said,
"If this is a ruse, then obviously they broke the law."

"They have to have a warrant to conduct a search," he said.

According to Kash, the police went to each bedroom in the fraternity
and knocked. If someone answered, he was asked to leave because of
the fire drill. If no one answered, they opened the door and checked
to make sure it was empty.

The stolen property is a 1927 antique bell from a fire truck, which
went missing from PiKA's garage sometime in October. PiKA contacted
University Police on November 17 but did not pinpoint any particular
suspect.

After the search Kash contacted Renee Camerlengo, the director of
student life, to discuss the fire drill.

"We were upset with what we felt was an unwarranted invasion of our
privacy," stated Kash.

"Sigma Nu wanted to better understand the path of travel that the
police had taken so I was there to facilitate a meeting between their
executive board and Chief Doyle," said Camerlengo.

The meeting convened the week before Thanksgiving. Bill Elliot, vice
president of enrollment, Jennifer Church, the associate dean of
student affairs, Camerlengo, Doyle, Kash, and two Sigma Nu
representatives were present.

There was an explanation of the fire drill and reconciliation was
made between both parties.

According to Kash, the police apologized and agreed that the use of
the fire drill had been a poor decision and not justified by the
nature of the crime that they had been investigating.

Doyle said he sent a letter to Kash that apologized for "any
inconvience [sic] that the fire drill may have caused them."

Doyle said he is learning that in a university environment, he and
the department must be honest and upfront with their constituents.

"I appreciate that you need to treat them [students] as adults and
with respect," he said.

Sigma Nu is not facing any disciplinary action. If new leads do not
develop, the University Police will close the investigation into the
missing bell.

(C) 2002 The Tartan

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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 23:32:43 -0800
From: Fraternity/Sorority Newsclips <doug.case@sdsu.edu>
Subject: UMass-Amherst implements new alcohol policies

The Associated Press
December 5, 2002

UMass-Amherst implements new alcohol policies

AMHERST, Mass. -- The University of Massachusetts in Amherst will not
allow most freshmen to live in fraternity or sorority houses and will
establish an alcohol-free dormitory at the start of the next school
year.

The Faculty Senate voted for the changes on Thursday, following the
recommendations of a campus task force studying how to prevent
alcohol abuse. Deputy Chancellor John Dubach said the administration
would implement the new policies by September 2003.

"The current alcohol culture on our campus hinders our ability to
reach higher academic standards," said education professor Robert
Sinclair, task force co-chair.

Students who are 21 years old are allowed to have alcohol in their
dormitory rooms. Some dorms now have alcohol-free floors, but
administrators said many students have expressed an interest in
living in an alcohol-free building.

Not allowing traditional freshmen to live in Greek housing will give
those students more time to think about whether they really want to
live off campus, said Jo-Anne Vanin, vice chancellor for student
affairs.

Currently, freshmen can move into fraternity or sorority houses
during their second semester, she said.

"It's less about the alcohol than having a cohesive first year in
college," she said.

The task force also called for existing alcohol policies to be reviewed.

(c) 2002 The Associated Press.

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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 23:41:49 -0800
From: Fraternity/Sorority Newsclips <doug.case@sdsu.edu>
Subject: 3 articles on CSUF Sigma Pi house vandalism

Orange County (CA) Register
December 5, 2002

Frat house trashed
After a Cal State Fullerton fraternity was evicted, the building was
vandalized.

By BARBARA GIASONE
The Orange County Register

FULLERTON - Vandals trashed Sigma Pi fraternity's chapter house,
stuffing raw chickens into punched-out walls, scrawling racist
graffiti targeting landlords, and strewing cupboard doors and broken
gates amid crushed beer bottles on the front lawn.

The fourplex's stunned owners, who had evicted members of the
suspended California State University, Fullerton, fraternity, filed a
police report Tuesday.

Sacramento and Jorge Restrepo, brothers who emigrated from Colombia
27 years ago, purchased the building in 2000 as a way of securing
their retirement.

"They put $35,000 into remodeling the place and contractors told us
today it could take more than $50,000 to clean the place up,"
Sacramento's son, Edgar Restrepo, said Wednesday.

The family blames Sigma Pi's 28-member Epsilon Nu chapter, which they
said failed to pay rent for three months before being evicted Monday.
The chapter was suspended from the university's Greek system in
November 2001 because of a fight, said Kandy Mink, acting dean of
students.

Fullerton police Lt. Mike Fields said the department doesn't know who
is responsible for the damage. He said 22 calls ranging from assault
to vandalism were logged this year at the chapter house, located at
the northeast corner of Milton Avenue and Teri Place.

The city filed a civil complaint in Superior Court in 1997, declaring
the house a public nuisance. At the time, police reported 74
incidents from 1992 to 1997, including one rape, two robberies, three
assaults and 80 calls for service.

Sigma Pi fraternity chapter members could not be reached for comment
Wednesday, and national officials were at a conference.

Fields said neighbors reported a wild party raging Monday night after
the Orange County Sheriff's Department posted eviction notices.

On Wednesday, a turkey carcass sat atop the stove, a broken railing
dangled from the balcony and bashed computers lay in a heap.

"These college students are our future leaders?" neighboring property
owner Ron Langford asked. "May God have mercy on that house."

If fraternity members are found to be responsible, the chapter could
be permanently suspended from Cal State Fullerton, Mink said.

"These kinds of incidents go through a campus judicial process," Mink said.

Edward Restrepo said the vandalism betrayed his father's trust.
"Dad's motto was, 'Give good treatment and you will get the same
treatment in return.' He thought these were educated guys, but I
guess the Golden Rule doesn't always work out," he said. Restrepo
said fraternity brothers from neighboring houses offered to help
clean up the mess.

"This is really giving off a bad image for the whole Greek system,"
said student Brandon Westrup, looking over the damage. "This is a bad
seed in something's that good."

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Frat leader blames expelled members
Sigma Pi president tries to explain destruction at former chapter house.

By BARBARA GIASONE and ZAHEERA WAHID
The Orange County Register

FULLERTON - Sigma Pi's chapter president Thursday blamed expelled
members of the fraternity for trashing a fourplex from which the
group was evicted Monday - including pouring paint on bathroom
fixtures, punching holes in walls and strewing debris.

Marvin Steele met with California State University, Fullerton, campus
police to pledge his cooperation in the investigation of the
estimated $50,000 in damage done at 2100 Teri Place.

"I'm embarrassed," Steele, 21, said Thursday. "When I saw it, I
started crying. These idiots ruined someone's life. I can't fathom
why they would do that."

Steele said he believes the culprits knew his name was on the lease
and might have been retaliating for his role in their expulsion.

Landlords Jorge and Sacramento Restrepo of Santa Ana filed a police
complaint Tuesday. They evicted the fraternity, on suspension since
November 2001, for failure to pay rent.

"The destruction is incredible, worse than 'Animal House,'" said
Fullerton police Sgt. Steve Matson, who visited the house Thursday.

Steele said he, about 24 other fraternity members and about 15 alumni
left the house just before midnight Monday. He spent the rest of the
night at a friend's house down the street working on a liberal
studies paper and was not involved in the destruction, he said.

"Up until we left (that night), we had a good time, drinking,
singing, telling stories about what happened at the house," he said.
"Except for the house being messy, it was fine."

Steele said he left behind empty beer bottles and, on the stove, the
bones of a Thanksgiving Day turkey. But he didn't break anything or
scrawl graffiti, and he didn't see anyone else vandalizing anything,
he said.

About 14 Sigma Pi members lived in the house, he said.

The house was broken into Saturday night, Steele added, and the
burglars stole the fraternity's awards and trophies.

Pi Kappa Phi members Chris Dumas and Steve Orona said Sigma Pi had
been a good neighbor.

"But you have to pay your rent in the real world," Dumas said.

Steele said Sigma Pi paid its $4,150 rent in September and had the
money for October's rent, but the landlord didn't bother to collect
it.

Nicole Gevers, alumnae president of the North Orange County chapter
of Sigma Kappa Sorority, said she doesn't think the entire Greek
system at the university "should have to reap the consequences of
terrible stereotypes due to one chapter's behavior."

"It is a shame that one fraternity can get the media's attention when
they do something horrible like vandalism, yet when others raise
thousands of dollars in order to send children to camp, it goes
unrecognized," Gevers said.

Mike Dykier, president of Cal State Fullerton's Greek system, said
he's trying to organize a Greek-wide effort to help the owners of the
fraternity house clean up the mess.

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December 7, 2002

Fraternities offer vandalism cleanup

Fraternity leaders and California State University, Fullerton,
officials met Friday to discuss the $50,000 in vandalism done to the
former Sigma Pi house at 2100 Teri Place. The students said they will
write a letter of support to the property owners and offer to help
with the cleanup. Acting Dean of Students Kandy Mink said the Greeks
have started a fund to help with repairs. University police Lt. Will
Glen received a letter from Sigma Pi headquarters in Indiana on
Thursday indicating that an investigation is under way. Police are
investigating whether expelled or current Sigma Pi members committed
the vandalism at the house, from which the fraternity had been
evicted. - Barbara Giasone

(c) 2002 The Orange County Registrar