UM-Flint expels 2 local Greek chapters

[hoosier]

(Wish these guys had lawyers:
1 - four months notice?
2 - Dean say we haven't had hazing, but we're getting rid of these possible hazers
3 - What will be different if the chapters are recognized?)



New rule unmet, UM-Flint expels Greeks

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION

Monday, March 08, 2004
By Shena Abercrombie
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER


QUICK FACTS
Kicked off campus

* Two Greek organizations - Kappa Delta Xi fraternity and Alpha Theta Chi sorority - were expelled from the University of Michigan-Flint campus in February due to a new rule requiring such groups to have a national charter.



Flint - Two Greek student organizations have been expelled from the University of Michigan-Flint campus, shutting the groups out of most campus activities.

Kappa Delta Xi fraternity and Alpha Theta Chi sorority were informed last month that they no longer would be recognized as campus organizations after failing to comply with a new rule requiring fraternities and sororities to be affiliated with a national chapter.

The rule change is seen by some as an effort to crack down on hazing, recognized as a national crisis among college fraternities and sororities. While there have been no reported incidents of hazing at UM-Flint, any such activity could become a liability issue, according to a university official.

The ousted Greek organizations were started locally as independent chapters.

National Greek organizations generally take strong, anti-hazing stances.

"The organizations that are responsible to a national organization, their entire charter would be revoked if they were found (hazing)," said Kelli Hoppe, UM-Flint student activities coordinator.

In contrast, independent Greek outfits pose liability problems.

"The main reason for that (rule) is local organizations don't have liability insurance," Hoppe said. "It puts students as well as the university at risk. Hazing wasn't a major part of the discussion (here). To my knowledge we have not had a large hazing problem on campus."

Hoppe said the two organizations were notified of the rule in November and given a Feb. 9 deadline to comply.

"Both of them opted not to become national organizations," Hoppe said.

Other campuses have made similar moves to harness Greek activity.

UM-Ann Arbor came under fire from students when it unveiled a plan that would delay rushing and pledging among Greeks by a semester and require fraternities to have live-in advisers.

University officials announced the proposal in December, three months after a student suffered kidney damage following a hazing incident at a UM fraternity. The university called the move an effort to resolve problems facing freshman.

The new UM-Flint rule has some support on campus.

Jennifer Garcon is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority and sits on the Panhellenic board that serves as a campus umbrella for all Greek organizations.

"I think it's a good thing, it protects everybody from getting sued," said the junior business major. "Then there's no hazing whatsoever. Almost all national chapters are not allowed to haze."

But Alpha Theta Chi president Kellie Gilkes argues that the sorority was misled about the university's true intentions and initially was told the rule was only a possibility.

"I was angered and shocked because they kind of pulled this out of the blue," said Gilkes, 23, a junior business major.

"We're still looking into what we can do," Gilkes said of the 13-member sorority's future. "We've been researching student organization rights and looking into UM-Ann Arbor's policies. Hopefully we can talk with Chancellor (Juan) Mestas soon. Other than that, I'm not sure what to do."

Some students argue it's a control issue, and the expulsion will speed the demise of an already meager student life at the downtown commuter campus.

"My brothers are all pretty upset about the situation," said Tony R. Delgado, a junior business major and member of Kappa Delta Xi fraternity. The group has 10 members.

"They should check around. UM-Flint is not the only campus with local fraternities or sororities. One of the major campus events is Greek Week Challenge.

"With only two fraternities left that won't be much of a challenge. It's going to be the downfall of Greek life," he said.