KKG Dartmouth charged for hazing, alcohol

[GA-Beta]

Kappa to be charged with College violations
By Dan Duray, The Dartmouth Staff
Published on Thursday, October 26, 2006

The Office of Undergraduate Judicial Affairs notified Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority Wednesday that the organization, and several of its individual members, will be charged with violations of various College standards of conduct.

The charges brought against the sorority will include causing or threatening to cause harm to new members of the organization, hazing, alcohol policy infractions and violation of the sorority's terms of probation, according to a statement issued by Acting Associate Dean of the College Mary Liscinsky.

The alleged offenses committed by the individual members, the number of members charged, and other personal information have been held by the College in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The charges are the result of an investigation following the Oct. 9 new member event at an Enfield, N.H., rollerskating rink that resulted in the arrest of 11 members. On that Monday night, an ambulance and the police were called by older members because several new members were highly intoxicated.

Director of UJA April Thompson said that the charges against the sorority would be heard by the Organizational Adjudication Committee and that the Committee on Standards would handle the charges against the individuals. Both committees will be independent in their arbitration, as well as in their respective decisions about any possible consequences.

"We're at an allegations stage, which is a very early stage," Thompson said. "The OAC will be informed by precedent. That's what will guide the committee, that's what will guide their decisions if the organization is found to be responsible."

Thompson also praised the members who called 911 on behalf of their intoxicated peers, calling the action "a really amazing and courageous decision."

Liscinsky stated that the Good Samaritan Policy may apply to the members who were hospitalized during the incident. The Office of the Dean of the College will judge whether or not the policy applies to this incident, which occurred far from campus. Acting Dean of the College Dan Nelson said he believes the spirit of the policy applies, though it would be rare to employ the policy in an off campus incident.

"The College's standards of conduct apply to students on and off campus, and in crafting and refocusing, over the years, the College's Good Samaritan policy, that attention and focus is really on student safety," Nelson said. "We believe strongly that the policy should apply to students whether they call from the basement of a fraternity, the floor of a residential hall or some space off campus."

If the Good Samaritan policy is cited, the organization and its members could be freed of alcohol violations, though charges such as hazing could remain.

Nelson also praised the members for calling 911.

"One of the best things that happened in this otherwise very unfortunate situation is that somebody called for help for students who needed it," he said. "It's important for students to do that and I'm very pleased that that happened in this case, as troubled and concerned as I am about the rest of the reports about what might have happened that evening."

Thompson went on to emphasize that the charges are by no means an implication of the organization's guilt.

"I wouldn't want the community to point fingers," she said. "There are a lot of questions that need to be asked and the organization needs to talk to a committee about the answers to those questions."

Kappa President Whitney Dickerson '07 did not return phone calls for comment.

[Tom Earp]

Thought things like this only happened in Fraternitys?

[tunatartare]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

Thought things like this only happened in Fraternitys?

Oh good G-d, here we go again.

[33girl]

OK, unless NH is a lot different than here, I don't think they serve alcohol at roller rinks. How did the pledges get there? Were they on a bus or did they meet them at the roller rink? If it's the latter and they showed up drunk how could the sorority be at fault?

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by 33girl

OK, unless NH is a lot different than here, I don't think they serve alcohol at roller rinks. How did the pledges get there? Were they on a bus or did they meet them at the roller rink? If it's the latter and they showed up drunk how could the sorority be at fault?

In this article from the other Dartmouth thread, it said there were empty bottles of wine and other alcohol at the roller rink that the owner of the rink said had to have been brought in as they do not serve alcohol. But you're right, it could be difficult to prove if alcohol was provided to the new members by the chapter or if the new members took it upon themselves to drink before the activity.

[PhrozenGod01]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

In this article from the other Dartmouth thread, it said there were empty bottles of wine and other alcohol at the roller rink that the owner of the rink said had to have been brought in as they do not serve alcohol. But you're right, it could be difficult to prove if alcohol was provided to the new members by the chapter or if the new members took it upon themselves to drink before the activity.

Whether or not hazing occured, skating while drunk is just plain stupid. There is a good reason why most skating rinks don't serve alcohol. It seems like terrible bid acceptance event planning in this case.


Sorry to hijack, but that website referred to in the above post has a great article in the Dartmouth Mirror about the school's greek system. Check it out.

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

Oh good G-d, here we go again.

KLPDaisy;
I was about to post the same thing as someone else, in another thread within this RM group, once seemed to indicated that they thought and believed that only Fraternity's hazed.

However I may have added: or or or to it.

[jon1856]

Just found a bunch of interesting news links on this event/matter:

Including this:The arrests come at the end of Dartmouth's fall rush season and amid several other incidents involving fraternities and sororities on campus. Kappa Kappa Gamma, for one, was already serving a four-week punishment, due to end Oct. 22.

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006100501010

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006101101010

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006101301030

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006101301080

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006101702020

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006101701010

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006101802030

http://www.yaleherald.com/article.php?Article=4914

http://www.thecrimson.com/blogentry....gID=27&ref=111

http://www.thecrimson.com/blogentry....ogID=27&ref=67

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006102702010

[exlurker]

A dean describes Dartmouth's Good Samaritan policy in light of some questions:

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article....=2006103002020