what happened was so serious that they could no longer be a frat here
 

September 13, 2003
Arrests, drugs lead to UNC frat's ouster


By The Denver Post
GREELEY - The University of Northern Colorado has barred a fraternity after two former students were arrested and a raid turned up drugs and stolen school property.



"We felt that what happened was so serious that they could no longer be a frat here," Jean Morrell, dean of students, said Thursday.

The move involves the Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter, which has been at UNC for 50 years. The fraternity can apply to return one year after the last current member has left UNC.

Campus police raided the fraternity house in April and found drugs and stolen university property, including computers and projectors.

David Lesser, 19, and Michael Nguyen, 20, both former UNC students, were arrested.

I know that if this had been the Delt chapter at UNC I would have known about it immediately -- but in this day and age, whenever I see something about Delt or any of the campuses I have advised or visited my heart stops momentarily -- or at least it feels like it.

At the same time, I feel badly for the chapter, but wonder what possesed them to allegedly do this stuff.

As far as I know they are still a chapter just not recognized by the campus. The 2 bad apples should not bring a chapter down. I do think there should be some punishment for the stolen property and the drug guys get the boot.

There's some merit to what you say unless the rest of the chapter knew what was going on and didn't report it and expell the guys.

This chapter has been in trouble numerous times in the recent past - I thought they had been closed for a time and then reopened, but apparently they were reduced to colony and then reinstated at one point or another.

It's too bad - the rest of the Greek system is slowly turning a corner here at UNC.

By the way, Delt, the LXA guys are in the old DTD yellow house on 11th now - man, how do you ever learn how to get around the labyrinth of stairs in that place? Cool but confusing!

Here's the Greeley paper version of events:

Article Published September 12, 2003
UNC fraternity chapter suspended
Two TKEs arrested in drugs, theft probe

Story by Julio Ochoa

Two University of Northern Colorado students, arrested at their fraternity house in April in possession of stolen university property, caused officials to remove the national charter for the Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter from campus last month.

UNC police raided the fraternity house on April 9 and found drugs and stolen university property, including computers and projectors.

Police believe the property is part of more than $30,000 worth of items stolen from Bishop-Lehr Hall during a string of robberies that started in October 2002.

David Lesser, 19, and Michael Nguyen, 20, both former UNC students, were arrested.

Hearings about what discipline to take with the fraternity took place all summer.

“We felt that what happened was so serious that they could no longer be a frat here,” said Jean Morrell, dean of students at UNC.

Officials had had problems with the fraternity in the past, including underage drinking and fights, but members were trying to improve their image, said Casey Barnett, former vice president of the fraternity.

“The history of the frat has haunted us, but we turned it around big time,” Barnett said.

Tau Kappa Epsilon has been on UNC’s campus for 50 years. The fraternity can apply to return to campus one year after the last current member has left UNC.

“Greek life will be affected at UNC,” Barnett said. “You lose a lot of tradition.”

Three of four charges against Nguyen were dropped. He pleaded guilty to possession of 1-8 ounces of marijuana and received two years on probation and community service.

Lesser is still awaiting trial on charges of felony theft, burglary and forgery.

Not impossible, but hard to imagine that these guys could have stolen computers and projectors at the house without other knowing about them.

sidebar -- Oh, yeah, the old yellow house. Remember it well.
LXAAlum -- I almost came up for a rush event last week, but didn't at the last moment. We still need to get together sometime. I'm seldom up there these days, though.

I might join the ULNC Delts for Homecoming (don't have that date) if I'm not out of state.

I'll be at homecoming - hope to see you there.