ATO-Mich.:A disposable camera, photos taken during “Hell Week”

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ATO charter suspended

Some members speculate that hazing may have led to punitive measures
By Laura Van Hyfte, Daily Staff Reporter
April 11, 2005


The Alpha Tau Omega fraternity was suspended by its national organization on Friday for reasons that are as of yet unclear.

Jon Krasnov, spokesman for the Interfraternity Council, said the suspension was motivated by “risk management.”

After being notified of the unexpected suspension, ATO alumni and pledges have tried to discover what brought it on.

“We knew nothing about this until last Friday,” ATO member Tim MacGuidwin said. “It was very much a shock to everyone in the house.”

ATO was prevented from finishing Greek Week activities. Sources differed on why this happened.

Greek Week Steering Committee Chair Travis Foley said the Office of Greek Life informed him that ATO was prevented by its national organization from participating because the fraternity was no longer in good standing.

“(OGL) talked to their national, and they said that they were no longer recognized as a chapter,” Foley said. “They’re not in good standing with their national, which terms as not being in good standing with the Interfraternity Council as well.”

But Krasnov said the relationship between IFC and ATO was not in jeopardy.

“They were instructed to cease all operations related to the fraternity temporarily,” Krasnov said. “This includes Greek Week and attending IFC meetings.”

“ATO has the full support of the IFC,” he added.

University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said the suspension pertained to “loss prevention.”

“The term ‘loss prevention’ is typically used if (the national chapters) have concerns that the facilities are not being taken care of,” she said.

Many speculated about whether the suspension was related to hazing. MacGuidwin said the reasons for the ATO suspension involved more than facility damage and prevention of building abuse.

A disposable camera containing photos taken during “Hell Week” — an initiation period for fraternity pledges with activities designed to build brotherhood — was found in the house by a maintenance man, who developed the photos and gave them to ATO’s national organization, MacGuidwin said. It is uncertain whether the film contained incriminating photos, he added.

MacGuidwin added that the maintenance man had been hired by the fraternity’s alumni “to do check-ups.”

But the contents of the camera are not the only reason for ATO’s suspension, MacGuidwin said.

“Some other things that he found at the house throughout the course of the year added to the suspension,” he said. “We were not informed that he was gathering things,”

“It was all very underhanded,” MacGuidwin said. “In my opinion, it was malicious and out of this world.”

Krasnov denied that ATO’s suspension was in response to any form of hazing.

“At this time, there is no belief that the investigation or suspension is related to anything associated with or related to hazing,” he said.