[DeltAlum]

Well, it appears that a couple more steps are completed...

Here's the latest from The Post.

Fraternity president pleads no contest, plans appeal of OU's decision
1/22/2010 2:31:00 AM

Delta Tau Delta President Paul Kolbe sits with the fraternity�s attorney George McCarthy during the arraignment hearing at the City Building yesterday. Kolbe pleaded no contest to hazing charges on behalf of the fraternity.

Caitlin Bowling • Staff Writer

Frank Thomas City Senior Writer

A judge fined Delta Tau Delta $2,000 yesterday for hazing its pledges, hours before Ohio University banned the fraternity from campus for five years.

Separate investigations by Athens police and university judiciaries concluded that fraternity brothers beat pledges and forced them to drink large quantities of alcohol at a Nov. 12 initiation event. Pledges told police that if they refused drinks or beatings, then they would not be inducted into the fraternity.

O'Bleness Memorial Hospital admitted one pledge with severe bruising and another with broken bones, a chipped tooth and swollen lips.

During a hearing yesterday morning, Delta Tau Delta pleaded no contest to the hazing charge.

Municipal Judge William Grim ordered the fraternity to pay the maximum fine and no more than $10,000 in restitution to the two pledges. Grim will finalize a restitution amount within the month.

Pat Lang, Athens City prosecutor, said in a release that he is "pleased that the Court imposed the maximum penalty."

"Hopefully, this will serve as a future warning that the people of Athens will not tolerate this kind of behavior in our city," he said.

Delta Tau Delta President Paul Kolbe declined to comment on the fine or OU's decision.

More than a week after a university hearing board recommended the five-year suspension, Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi approved the punishment.

"It's unfortunate that the series of events has led to this removal from the university," said George McCarthy, the fraternity's attorney, adding that members are "apologetic."

"(Pristera and Rotar) would have been welcomed back with open arms (into the house)," he said.

After receiving official notification of OU's decision, the fraternity will have three days to appeal. The fraternity's national chapter barred it from recruiting new members, educating members about the fraternity and holding Greek events after the charges became public in November.

The fraternity plans to appeal OU's decision, McCarthy said.

Delta Tau Delta can appeal twice - first to another hearing board and next to Kent Smith, vice president for Student Affairs. His decision is final.

Five years is the maximum punishment for hazing, according to the Student Code of Conduct. During the past decade, two other student organizations were suspended for hazing - one for two years and the other for five, Lombardi said.

"(Delta Tau Delta's actions were) more consistent with the group that was suspended for five years," he said, adding that the fraternity can petition OU and ask to return to campus after the suspension ends.

A spokesman for the national chapter has said previously that any additional punishment would depend on OU's ruling. The national chapter could expel members from the fraternity house. OU will require sophomores living in the house to return to the dorms, Lombardi said, adding that they are no longer exempt from living on-campus.

In May 2008, the fraternity paid Columbus-based construction firm Gutknecht Construction about $2 million to make its house handicap accessible and compliant with city housing codes.

McCarthy said in court that the fraternity would lose its house.

A spokesman for the national chapter could not be reached for comment.


DeltAlum comments:

The least important first. It just drives me crazy that this reporter keeps referring to "The National Chapter." We have an International Headquarters, also called The Central Office. We don't have a "National Chapter" that I've ever heard of.

Moving on, there are some things that, to me, are very sad here. First that the longest continuously existing chapter in Delta Tau Delta will likely be closed -- founded in 1862, Beta Chapter would have been 150 years old in just a couple of years. Second, that the chapter will probably lose the house after it and the alumni have just put so much money and effort into its renovation. With the potential restitution payments, fines and loss of the house, this chipped tooth just cost over two million dollars. I'm sure the University is salivating over the prospect of acquiring the property since, with the exception of the Alpha Gam house next door, it already owns everything else on the block. It is a great location, right across from the College Green.

So, I ask my Delt Brothers, and all other Greek brothers and sisters, is hazing worth it? Look at the damage this has caused. Laws were allegedly broken and the proud heritage of one of the oldest Greek Letter Organizations on the Ohio University campus has been sundered. Delts like Galbreath, Konniker and many others who have been important alumni and benefactors to the University would certainly not have been happy to have our chapter's name tarnished in this way.

Finally, I do believe that the length of this suspension is overly long, but that is the way it is. If Delta Tau Delta chooses to recolonize, and I hope it does, it will be many years of hard work before we can regain our status and stature on campus.

Perhaps something will come from the appeals process. Perhaps.

It's a sad day.