Betas at Colgate Being Disciplined for Alleged Hazing

[Kevin]

Colgate Maroon-News
February 14, 2002

Disciplinary Action Taken Against Beta Theta Pi Fraternity

By Nathaniel Lewis Editor-in-Chief

The recent sanctions of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity (Beta), announced last Friday, have drawn strong reactions across campus during the past week. Although some students have viewed the sanctions with skepticism, many parties have issued a strong affirmation of the ruling.

The allegations against Beta involved the near-death of a student who became severely intoxicated and was hospitalized following a hazing incident at the Beta house. Following a hearing, an advisory board, comprising several deans as well as faculty and students from the University Student Disciplinary Board, recommended to Assistant Dean of the College Nöel Bisson that Beta be found responsible for hazing new members, serving alcohol to minors and for failing to comply with
University officials when the initial investigation ensued. Although
Bisson, who serves as the University's Disciplinary Officer, holds
the final decisionmaking power regarding penalties for group
violations of University policy, she felt that her decision should be
based on the collective advice of the board.

"We want consensus for these types of decisions, and the board showed an overwhelming affirmation on the board for the course of action that I chose to follow," Bisson said.

For the violation of University hazing and alcohol policies, Beta is
now suspended for three semesters and is prohibited from recruiting new members or holding social events during that time period. In addition, Beta has been placed on probationary recognition for a 10-year period. For failing to comply with University officials, Beta was suspended for two semesters and placed on 10- year probation.

While this final sanction will be logistically inconsequential due to
the three-semester suspensions already incurred for hazing and
alcohol violations, it is consistent with the University's recent
call for students to be honest and accountable for their actions.

"The administration gave members of Beta ample opportunity to explain what happened; and we were not satisfied that we were getting the truth," Bisson explained. "The fraternity as a whole is accountable because no individuals came forward," she added. "We follow the guidelines defining group accountability in the Relationship Statement and in our Handbook, and it is our responsibility to find the group responsible if policy has been violated. I don't believe for a minute that every member of the house was involved in the incident, but it becomes the group's responsibility to own up to the allegations." Many students have responded negatively to the sanctions, not just because they believe the sanctions to be too severe, but also because they feel the sanctions to be inappropriate, considering the new member's supposed history of alcohol abuse and
the house's to recently sanctioned houses, such as Delta Kappa
Epsilon and Alpha Tau Omega.

However, administrators maintain that decisions regarding group
violations must be based solely on the actions of the organization. "The disciplinary actions were in response to specific issues, and it was specific incidents that led to the sanctions," Associate Dean of the College Jim Terhune said. "Whatever the student's history, it has no bearing in the investigation," Bisson added. "Students are losing sight of the real problem here: the fact that a student almost died
as a result of something that happened while at Beta."

Students, however, responded to the University's ruling in a strong fashion, staging a protest in McGregory Hall last Friday when the sanctions were publicly announced via e-mail.

Although students initially planned to protest during a meeting
between administrators and Greek organization leaders in the Hall of Presidents, the group of about 200 marched up the hill to McGregory upon realizing that the meeting had been cancelled.

Recently resigned Inter Fraternity Council President junior Fritz
Franz, also a member of Beta, led the charge, claiming that students should act on the premise that laws and rulings must be protested in order to be re-evaluated. The protest lasted for about an hour, intermittently broken up due to fire hazard concerns, until Terhune addressed the students in the hall of McGregory, saying that open conversations about the sanctions would need to be postponed until after the appeals process was complete.

As the appeals process continues for Beta, students have voiced their feelings on the issue. During the protest, one representative of Kappa Alpha Theta claimed, "We're here to support our fellow Greeks, and we want Beta to receive the same type of fair treatment and due process that we would want for ourselves."

Beta President Asaf Nagler echoed this sentiment. "Especially at a time like this, it's really shocking that the administration is being
so unreceptive to students - and more than a Greek matter, this
really is a student matter," he said. However, administrators have reiterated that protest is not the best recourse in this particular case.

"Students need to understand that there is an official appeals
process with a final decision made by Dean Weinberg, and that lashing out will not have any effect on this," said Bisson.

But even amidst disappointment and upheaval, Beta has opportunity to maintain its reputation and standing despite the sanctions.

According to Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Kelly
Opipari, her office will offer leadership development opportunities
and short- and long-term planning workshops. The chapter also plans to engage in Beta Theta Pi internationally sponsored leadership development opportunities that will impact the rebuilding of the chapter in a positive way.

"One of the most important things about being part of a fraternal
organization is that your actions reflect on that group no matter
where you are," Opipari said. "As Beta is not allowed to function as a chapter until 2004, they can still make significant contributions of themselves as individuals, and it will undoubtedly reflect positively on their fraternity and the overall Greek community.

(c) 2003 Colgate Maroon-News.