Three Ohio State Greek chapters face charges
 

NOT GOOD!

The Lantern
Ohio State University
April 21, 2005

Three OSU greek chapters face charges

By David J. Cross

Ohio State has placed three greek chapters on interim suspension for hazing, according to a university press release issued Tuesday.

Vice President for Student Affairs Bill Hall placed two sororities - Delta Gamma, 131 E. 15th Ave., and Kappa Phi Lambda, 1160 Kinnear Road Apt. 2316 - and one fraternity - Beta Theta Pi fraternity, 165 E. 15th Ave.,- on interim suspension pending investigation by Student Judicial Affairs and Greek Life, according to the release.

Kurt Foriska, coordinator for Greek Life, said the allegations against the greek organizations are not related.

According to the press release, the suspension will remain in effect until all the investigations are completed. Afterwards Hall will decide if there is sufficient evidence to warrant judicial action.

"As the investigations are ongoing, (Student Affairs) will not discuss any of the specifics of the allegations at this time," Ruth Gerstner, spokeswoman for Student Affairs, wrote in an e-mail message. "Should there be sufficient cause to bring charges, then those charges will be public record."

"We are just trying to work with (the university) in trying to found out what's at the bottom of all of this," said Caroline Von Sick, president of Delta Gamma and a junior in psychology.

Von Sick said she was informed of the suspension Monday, but that she does not know the details surrounding the allegations.

"I'm sort of at the point were I'm not being fully informed of what the next step is," she said.

Attempts to contact the presidents of Beta Theta Pi and Kappa Phi Lambda by phone and e-mail where unsuccessful.

According to a document obtained from Greek Life's Web site, hazing is defined as "any action taken or situation created, intentionally, when on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule."

Examples the document gives include paddling, verbal abuse and scavenger hunts for meaningless objects.

According to Gerstner's e-mail, an interim suspension means the greek organizations will not be able to "participate in any recognized student organization activities, including intramurals, chapter socials events or social events with other student organizations."

The interim suspensions are designed to protect both the organization and students involved, and also to foster cooperation with university authorities, she said

Further information will be available in the next several days, but Gerstner said she did not know an exact date.

Where's our lawyer?

"The interim suspensions are designed to protect both the organization and students involved, and also to foster cooperation with university authorities, she said"

See, here in the USA you are innocent until proven guilty. You cannot be suspended or punished until that time.

It's not "protection" - it's punishment.

It's not to "foster cooperation" - it's to force cooperation with punishment in advance.

Where's our lawyer?

not all aspects of due process apply to university judicial hearings. due process only applies to legal procedings (actual court or police matters). university's can decide how much due process they want to follow. :) can be bad for students and good as it allows the university to take immediate action when needed.

These are public universities students cannot be punished for assembling in a voluntary association. these suspensions are PR driven by the University, they have the appearance of reality but no effective force unless the national fraternity falls in line.
Students are entitled to due process by a publicly funded university if the Univesity seeks to put sanctions on a constitutionally protected right such as free speech or freedom of association.
See the cases at Auburn involving Delta Sig and Beta, interem suspensions ordered for wearing blackface to a party got the University into trouble when attorneys got involved.

All of the above being said if hazing is truly present it might make better legal sense to lay low from a liability point of view.
What's silly is suspending the DG's I've never really seen any real hazing by an NPC Sorority.

But, with all due respect, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

DeltAlum is right... just because you've "never really seen" hazing in NPC organizations does not mean that it doesn't exist. For all we know it could be just as common as fraternity hazing and simply less noticed.

And the "real hazing" kind of threw me. Do you mean you've never known of NPC organizations to haze, or that you don't classify what they do as "real" hazing?

I think your points are well taken, but I'd be willing to bet that the girls are not nearly as culpable as the guys.
During the 1980's at UT I saw very severe hazing all in mens groups additionally I'd bet if you did a Lexis search of hazing 95%, and all the physically abusive behavior, would concern mens organizations. Empirical proof must count for something.

I also don't have a problem with things like scavenger hunts, not allowing pledges to go into a certain rooms in the house etc. Probably what the DG's did.
In my book hazing is making someone drink, rallies, lineups , hell week, personal servitude branding etc.
This type of abuse is evil and must be stopped. I don't however agree with suspensions for group oriented traditions which are harmless, zero tolerance at any level is a recipe for stupidity.

Probably true. On the other hand, a couple of years ago two sororities were suspended at The University of Colorado at Boulder for hazing (involving underage drinking among other things). It was telling that in at least one of the cases, the sorority hazing took place at a fraternity house.

Which at least indirectly points back at the topic of this thread.

I'll bet that, as is the case in fraternities, hazing depends more on the chapter than the national organization or the school.

On certain campuses, I have seen people compete and brag about it.

-Rudey

There is an NPC sorority here that I know for sure hazes ("real hazing"), and another that is rumored to. While most of our NPC groups are hazing-free, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

http://www.thelantern.com/news/2005/...d-937697.shtml

Interim suspension is lifted
By David J. Cross
Published: Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Article Tools: Page 1 of 1

Three Ohio State greek organizations under investigation for allegations of hazing were taken off of interim suspension following appeals to Vice President of Student Affairs Bill Hall.

Ruth Gerstner, spokeswoman for the Office of Student Affairs, said Delta Gamma sorority, 131 E. 15th Ave., Kappa Phi Lambda sorority, 1160 Kinnear Road Apt. 2316, and Beta Theta Pi fraternity, 165 E. 15th Ave., were notified in e-mail messages Friday that they had been taken off interim suspension.

Gerstner said the organizations are still under investigations for the allegations despite the removal of the interim suspension.

"(An) interim suspension by its very nature is meant to be temporary and the investigation to date doesn't indicate that any of those groups are at an immediate risk of harming students or the community," she said. "Therefore, the interim suspension was lifted."

Attempts to contact the presidents of Kappa Phi Lambda and Beta Theta Pi were unsuccessful.

Caroline Von Sick, president of Delta Gamma and junior in psychology, said Delta Gamma was notified April 11 that it was under investigation for hazing allegations and that the organization was formally notified April 15 that it was on interim suspension and under investigation by Student Judicial Affairs and Greek Life.

Von Sick said Delta Gamma appealed the suspension on April 18.

The exact dates Kappa Phi Lambda and Beta Theta Pi were notified of the investigations and the interim suspensions along with the dates their appeals were filed are not certain.

Von Sick declined to comment about the specifics of the hazing allegation about Delta Gamma on the grounds that she had no new information besides the investigation is still pending.

According to a document obtained from Greek Life's Web site, hazing is defined as "any action taken or situation created, intentionally, when on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule."

According OSU's Student Code of Conduct examples of hazing include forced drinking, paddling and creation of excessive fatigue.

The allegations against the greek organizations are not related, Kurt Foriska, coordinator Greek Life, said in an April 21 Lantern article.

In an April 20 e-mail message Gerstner said an interim suspension meant the greek organizations were not be able to "participate in any recognized student organization activities, including intramurals, chapter socials events or social events with other student organizations."

She also said an interim suspension is "designed to protect students from possible harm and to encourage cooperation with university authorities."

Gerstner said she does not know when the investigations will conclude.

"It'll take as long as it takes," she said.