Say goodbye to STG @ Baylor

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Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity suspended from Baylor for hazing
By BRIAN GAAR Tribune-Herald staff writer
Baylor's Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity has been suspended from campus for violating the school's hazing policy, the group's campus adviser said.

The fraternity, which won't be able to apply for reinstatement until the spring of 2003, is the second to be disciplined this year. Last month, Tau Kappa Epsilon was suspended for the rest of the spring semester because of hazing violations, according to group members.

Baylor officials have declined to discuss the reasons behind both suspensions, saying that it would violate university policy.

The Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity suspension came after a Friday hearing, said Garrett Cook, the group's faculty adviser and an associate professor of sociology, anthropology and gerontology.

Cook said the action was the result of "several violations of Baylor's hazing policy" stemming from the fraternity's spring rush. The fraternity had also apparently treated some students as pledges even though they were ineligible to rush, Cook said. He didn't go into specifics about the incidents.

"Because the fraternity didn't deny (the charges), I don't think there's an issue," Cook said.

It's not the first time the group has faced troubles.

Sigma Tau Gamma has been on campus since 1977. The fraternity appeared on CNN in 1989 for "most offensive homecoming float," which featured a large toilet with spinning frog legs, a reference to the Texas Christian University mascot, according to the group's Web site. The chapter was subsequently suspended by its national office. According to the site, the group returned to campus in 1993.

"No doubt, the Gamma Omega chapter here at Baylor University has faced some horrific obstacles over the years," read a message on the site.

The suspension could be a crippling blow to the small, roughly 16-member fraternity, officials said.

Cook said the fraternity is "top-heavy," meaning that the membership is mostly upperclassmen.

By the time the group could be reinstated, only about three or four would remain, leaving members to believe the suspension would "basically put the fraternity out of business," Cook said.

The group can appeal the suspension to Eileen Hulme, Baylor's vice president for student life. Hulme said Tuesday that she hadn't received an appeal.

Roman Hamidan, the fraternity's president, couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.