SAU Indefinitely Closes Sigma Tau Gamma over Hazing

[shadokat]

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Little Rock, AR
May 13, 2004

SAU indefinitely closes frat in hazing suit

BY STEPHEN DEERE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Southern Arkansas University has suspended indefinitely one of its
fraternities after allegations that members beat a pledge so badly he
spent 11 days in the hospital.

University officials delivered a letter Tuesday to Adam Dixon,
president of the Delta Iota chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity,
stating that the fraternity had been suspended from SAU indefinitely,
university spokesman Mark Trout said. The suspension must last at
least five years.

The letter accuses the fraternity of violating the Magnolia school's
policy banning hazing. Dixon could not be reached for comment. Calls
to a phone number the university provided for Dixon resulted in a
message saying the number had been disconnected.

The fraternity received the suspension notice one day after Frank
Bailey, a Mountain Home attorney, filed a lawsuit against the Delta
Iota chapter and the national fraternity alleging that on April 16
fraternity members beat 19-year-old Ty Keith of Magnolia so severely
that he had to have kidney dialysis and must undergo skingraft
surgery. Keith was participating in a fraternity initiation at the
time.

The suit also names Dixon and J Courson, the fraternity's adviser, as
defendants.

"This is a tragic incident in the lives of many people," Donna Y.
Allen, the university's president for student affairs, said in a
statement. "The actions taken by the university clearly confirm that
Southern Arkansas University will not tolerate any type of hazing."

The letter to the fraternity states that the investigation into the
alleged hazing is ongoing.

The Arkansas State Police also is investigating.

The Delta Iota chapter of the fraternity has until May 24 to appeal
the decision to the student affairs committee.

The national fraternity of Sigma Tau Gamma also has suspended the
local chapter, said Bill Bernier, the organization's executive vice
president.

"I'm not going to comment on the lawsuit," Bernier said, adding that
he himself had been to SAU to investigate.

Bernier said he will recommend to the national fraternity's judicial
board that the chapter be suspended for five years.

The Delta Iota chapter also was suspended for hazing in 1995 and was
reinstated in 1997, according to the suit.

The suit alleges that the national fraternity negligently allowed
hazing activities to occur.

Copyright 2004 Little Rock Newspapers, Inc.