Chapter Closings/Hazing and Alcohol

[DeltAlum]

"IU Fraternity kicked off campus"
The Associated Press (From Fraternal News)

Another fraternity at Indiana University has been kicked off campus, this time amid allegations of repeated alcohol violations.

National organizers for Beta Theta Pi revoked the IU chapter's charter for violating national management policies, which usually apply to issues such as alcohol and pledge rules.

The fraternity's roughly 100 members were told about the move Monday.

In the past three years, the fraternity has had five alcohol cases brought against it by the university, including two that still are pending.

Richard McKaig, dean of students, said five cases is higher than average for the fraternity system, but not enough to have impelled the university to kick the group off campus.


Beta Theta Pi is the third fraternity chapter kicked off campus in the past two years.

Sigma Alpha Mu was suspended by its national organization for hazing and other activities in April, 2000. Theta Chi lost its charter in February after a freshman died as a result of an injury sustained at a party in the fraternity's house."

(What is interesting to me is that the Beta National apparantely took this action, not the university. IU has a huge Greek System. When I visited there I was absolutely blown away by the size of the houses and chapters. This story is really disturbing to me -- losing three chapters in such a short time is really bad news.)

[Tom Earp]

DA, what we as Alums must remember, is that the schools, not all are looking for ways to pare the Greek Organizations OFF campus!
I am so damn sick of this, that it is the Greek Organizations who do the most on campi. The Biggest contributors are Greeks Who Went to that school! It is to me a time of Revolt for the ALUMS to say enuff, if you wnat to kick my organization off campus for No reason, then forget My Donations to you School!
I Graduated from My School, but I Do NOT go back down to see My School, I GO DOWN TO BE WITH MY BROTHERS!
The Old Saying Money Talks and BullShit Walks in our Society!
We do more for the world and our schools than gdi's!
God Save the King!

------------------
Tom Earp LX Z#1
Pittsburg State U. (Kansas)

[DeltAlum]

Tom,

Yup. Except in this case, the university said the Beta's hadn't been bad enough to pull their charter -- but their own Nationals closed them down.

It's that liability thing again, I suspect.

DeltAlum

[aephi alum]

OK, I have to weigh in on this one. At my univ. a chapter of a fraternity was closed due to alcohol issues. A pledge died from having 16 drinks in one evening.

All sororites on my campus were dry. If you were in a housed sorority and lived in the house, you were not permitted to have alcohol even if you were of legal drinking age. In any event you would not wear letters and drink at the same time. Alcohol awareness was part of every sorority's new member education program. The same was true of some fraternities - and in this respect, Greek life does good.

Alcohol is ok in moderation - you just have to take care, and not overdrink.

[This message has been edited by aephi alum (edited August 01, 2001).]

[DeltAlum]

AEPhi

That's exactly the point. Most things are OK in moderation. We just haven't been too moderate with alcohol.

DeltAlum

[DeltaBetaBaby]

A couple of random thoughts:

NPC rules state that all chapter houses be dry. Apparently there is talk of a resolution that would require any housing with 2 or more members of a chapter living there would have to be dry as well. This is ridiculous, for obvious reasons.

I am worried about dry frats because if guys do not want to live in the chapter houses, they are going to lose them. I am not saying alcohol is the only reason to live in your house, but it is more an issue of freedom. If you are 21 years old, and can not have alcohol in your room, I understand why that would be upsetting.

On our campus, many men pledge as sophomores or juniors. That means they live in the chapter house as juniors or seniors. It is a lot harder to tell a guy who has had his own apartment that he has all these rules, even if you could tell it to some sophomore who had just been living in the dorms.

[DeltAlum]

DeltaBeta,

I agree with much of what you say.

My strong preference would be what Delta Tau Delta calls "damp" housing. In that case, those members who are over 21 may drink in their rooms. There would be no alcohol in public areas of the house.

I prefer it, but don't believe it will work. How long would it be before everyone in the chapter ends up in the 21 year old brother's room drinking?

As the saying goes, "I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night." I wish I was wrong.

DeltAlum

[finest_alum]

To respond to all of this... in every dry sorority I've ever run across either the sisters are sneaking in alcohol or they are going somewhere else to drink. Making greek houses dry does not stop people from drinking.
If someone is of the legal age to possess and imbibe alcohol, they should be allowed to make their own adult decisions on when and where they are allowed to drink. The LAW states that they are allowed to do this.

Come on.. non-greek college kids drink just as much as greek college kids.. if not more. It's just not publicized when something "bad" happens, because the parents don't have a National to sue.

[DeltAlum]

Finest...

Again, I find myself wishing I could agree.

You're correct about drinking in sorority houses from what I've been told. But I think that's beside the point. The rules are broken, and if the sorority decides to take action, the offender will face the consequences. Thankfully, most don't, but that may have to change someday.

The law does not "state" that person's of age can drink anywhere. I own my house, and if I don't want you to drink in it -- you can't. If a chapter says it's members can't drink in it's house -- they can't. That's assuming, of course that the chapter (or house corp) owns the house.

In addition, every "scientific" survey I've read has found overwhelmingly that college age Greeks drink more than non-Greeks.

You do point out correctly, however, that drinking is not a problem only to Greeks, but to other college students as well. We do seem to be the bigger culprits, though.

Even with the above said, I still don't like "Dry" housing. I just continue to think that if we don't clean up our own act, (and I see no evidence that we will) it's inevitible.

It's that damned liability thing again.

DeltAlum

NOTE: Actually, I need back up a bit. I think I misread what Finest_Alum said in one area. It is true that the law allows of age people to make their own decision on whether to drink or not. It just dosen't allow them to decide where. Sorry, Finest.

[This message has been edited by DeltAlum (edited August 08, 2001).]

[Corbin Dallas]

What one of our HQ guys told us was if chapters don't start following LXA's alcohol and risk managemenet policy, LXA will be dry within 5 years. If chapters do start following the policies, at least more closely, it will be at least 10 years. From his statement, the inevitable can be assumed. LXA has no intention of going dry, mainly because we shouldn't not be able to drink if it is legal. However, there are dry houses. i think Baylor is one of them, and of course, now all of the houses at IU are "dry".

------------------
Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

[DeltAlum]

What we seem to be finding when trying to colonize on a new campus, or recolonize a closed chapter, is that many university administrations are demanding dry houses as a requirement.

They're getting named in the same suits as the GLOs.

DeltAlum

[Betarulz!]

A couple of things:

I live in a Beta house that is dry (as in the actual structure has no alcohol ever) but that certainly doesn't stop us from going and getting trashed nearly every thursday, friday and saturday night. The actives who are 21 recognize that this is beneficial to everyone, for several reasons--1)the younger members and especially pledges put a priority on studying on the nights when they need to study, 2) Our house is widely recognized as by far the cleanest house on Campus, and that is directly related to the fact that we never party in our house. 3) obviously it is somewhat safer to party in a single level duplex (as we normally do) as opposed to a three story structure that also has a very large deck on the second level. and 4) we never have to worry about getting busted by Campus Security for possesion of alcohol (all living units at Nebraska are supposed to be dry) and that prevents many problems--just ask the brothers at ATO here at UNL.

Basically my point is this--being a dry house doesn't mean that you are alcohol free, or even have to be.

Also, I think that we can all agree that greeks are unfairly targeted. I mean do you really think that if the chess team threw a party and someone died there that the university would close down every club on campus? Of course not, but if a problem happens at one house, the administration will automatically issue some statement to the effect "We are investigating the matter, and also the status of our Greek system as a whole" a prime example is the closing of the entire greek system at Bowdoin. That seriously is not cool.

I think basically that a lot of the greek anti-dry housing policy especially among frats is the product of a lot of misinformation. I would encourage any of my younger friends, when they rush to join a house that has dry housing--and I would tell them that it won't ruin their social life.

[shadokat]

Beta--

You make the point that nobody seems to understand. You do drink, can drink and have a good time. You just don't do it in the place where you live! Fraternity houses at some campuses are in such bad shape from partying, it's a sin that folks actually have to live there!

With all NPC groups already being dry, the only change to their mixing policies is really that they can't do it in the fraternity's housing either. But unfortunately, many undergraduates view this as a freedom issue rather than a safety/quality of life issue. It is proven that most sorority houses that are alcohol free, which they should be, are in much better shape than fraternity houses.'

Not only though are NPC groups and IFC groups passing these policies, but actual entire campuses are doing so as well. This isn't a thing that's going to go away. Big greek systems have this in place and it's working. I know this first hand from chapters of D Phi E where their CAMPUS has these policies.

[DeltAlum]

I'm not going to quote this entire article. You can read it in "Fraternal News," Digest #67.

"IU Fraternity suspended over alcohol" -- The Herald-Times, Bloomington, IN, Sept. 20, 2001

"Three years after an Indiana University student died at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house, the chapter has again been suspended for an alcohol-related incident.

The good news this time: No one died.

IU Dean of Students Dick McKaig suspended Pi Kappa Alpha after learning from the parents of an IU sophomore that the fraternity pledge had been taken to Bloomington Hospital on Sunday night or Monday.

The alumni housing corporation of the fraternity suspended the chapter Monday, according to a statement released by the chapter.

The national fraternity is also conducting an investigation.

Since April of last year, four fraternity chapters have been thrown off the IU campus. At least three of those cases involved alcohol violations.

The student had been in the fraternity house for a pledge activity known as Dad's Night, in which an active member beomes the pledge's house dad. Later that night, according to McKaig, the student drank heavily.

The student recovered and was released from the hospital.

'He feels primarly responsible,' McKaig said. 'He said he was not forced to drink and it was his choice.'

Even so, having alcohol in a fraternity house is a clear violation of university rules and a serious matter, McKaig said.

The chapter was suspended in 1998 when Joe Bisanz died after a party. The official cause of his death was listed as choking on his own vomit, but his parents have challenged that finding.

Several members of the chapter were kicked out and the house was reorganized, but it never lost its charter and was never kicked off campus.

(McKaig said...) he believes fraternity members can be educated, even if the evidence of chapter closings and violations would tend to indicate otherwise.

(IU IFC President Ben Schmidt) said he hoped it was a case of a few indivduals breaking the rules and not part of a chapter-sanctioned event.

Pi Kappa Alpha member Scott Flannagan is a member of the Interfraternity Council Executive Committee who has been working on policies and progams to respond to alcohol problems at IU fraternities.

Schmidt expressed relief that this latest alcohol incident did not end in a student death -- as happened in Bizanz's case and earlier this year when Seth Korona died after attending a party at Theta Chi.

Korona died after being returned to his dormitory with what turned out to be a fatal head injury. He did not get medical attention for more than 24 hours after his injury.

Eric Wulf, executive director of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity International, said he doesn't know much about the incident yet, but will be investigating.

'We are gathering facts,' he said. 'If there was an incident such as it sounds like, then it would also be a violation of the fraternity policy.'

'We are very concerned about what has happened give what we just went through three years ago.'

The fraternity, which was established at IU in 1950, had 73 members at the end of Spring Semester."

(apparantely continuing the same article as a sidebar...)

"Four Fraternities already kicked off IU campus...

In the last 18 months, four Indiana University chapters have been kicked off campus. Pi Kappa Alpha, which was suspended this week, could be the fifth, depending on the actions of IU and the fraternity's national organization.

Sigma Alpha Mu: The fraternity's national organizations closes the chapter for hazing and other unspecified conduct, April, 2000.

Alpha Sigma Phi: The chapter is suspended by IU inNovember, 1999 after numerous hazing and alcohol violations, including some that require medical treatment. The fraternity's national organization closes the chapter in August, 2000 after a party in the house violates its probationary status.

Theta Chi: While under a no-alcohol police imposed by its national organization, the chapter holds two parties within three days in late January of this year. At the second party, IU freshman Seth Korona falls and strikes his head. He dies a week later in Bloomington Hospital. The chapter is kicked off campus in February.

Beta Theta Pi: The student representatives of Beth Theta Pi chapters across the country vote overwhelmingly to close IU's chapter for repeated alcohol and hazing violations and for ignoring previous disciplinary sanctions. The chapter was facing a lawsuit from a January, 2000 beating of an IU student when it was closed in July of this year.

Other incidents

IU sophomore Joe Bisanz dies after a party at Pi Kappa Alpha in December, 1988. The fraternity is suspended but not kicked off campus.

Zeta Beta Tau fraternity closed in 1997 after a scavenger hunt for new members required them to perform tasks and collect photographs that mocked a variety of racial and ethnic groups as well as homosexuals and women. They also were encouraged to steal pulic and private proterty. The chapter returned to the IU campus last fall.

[DeltAlum]

Text of another article on the situation above:

The Herald-Times
Bloomington,IN
September 21, 2001

IU's efforts to curb drinking criticized
Father of student who died three years ago wants stronger response

By John Meunier,
Herald-Times Staff Writer

Gary Bisanz wasn't surprised to learn of another Indiana University student having a dangerous bout with drinking.

His son, Joe, died in 1998 after a party at the Pi Kappa Alpha
fraternity house where he was a member.

On Monday, another IU sophomore was rushed to the hospital after drinking a large quantity of whiskey at Pi Kappa Alpha, 1012 E. Third St. His stomach was pumped and he survived.

The chapter was suspended by IU Dean of Students Richard McKaig on Wednesday and it is being investigated by its national organization and its local housing corporation.

While IU has taken steps in recent years to crack down on problem drinking among its students, this week's incident makes clear that some students still don't get the message.

In this case, Gary Bisanz doesn't believe IU will take strong enough action to keep more problems from happening.

After his son died, the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter was suspended and some students were kicked out of the fraternity, but the house was allowed to remain on campus.

"They treat these young adults as children and they slap them on the wrist," Gary Bisanz said. "These are serious, life-threatening
conditions, so I think the response should be at a level that is
comparable to the offense."

He said the police, not the IU dean of students office, should
investigate such matters.

IU police were not notified of the incident or the chapter's
suspension by IU until the department received a news release sent out by IU Wednesday. The department has not been asked to look into the matter.

Bisanz accused McKaig and IU President Myles Brand of failing to
protect the health and welfare of IU students.

"Their lack of immediate and long-lasting provisions just encourages further hazing and alcohol abuse on their campus," he said. "If they were serious about making their campus safer, my son, Joseph, and his classmate Seth Korona would not be dead."

Korona was an IU freshman who died in February after sustaining a fatal head injury at a party at Theta Chi fraternity.

That fraternity chapter was closed down by its national organization and all the fraternity members were evicted from the house.

"I understand a parent's grief," McKaig said. "I think the university deals as forthrightly as it can with violations of its rules.

"I presume he believes the closing of the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter
should be the result of this process. We will see what happens as that process has 14 days before it concludes."

McKaig believes the university took the right action after Joe Bisanz died.

He believes the members of the fraternity who remained were serious about turning around the chapter and bringing it into line with the ideals of the national fraternity.

He doesn't yet know exactly what happened at the chapter house Sunday night.

After talking with the student - whose name he would not reveal out of concerns for his privacy - and the student's mother, McKaig
offered the following version of the events that night.

At a ceremony, each potential new member was paired with an active member, who would become that new member's dad.

The new members are traditionally called pledges but Pi Kappa Alpha prefers the term "associate member."

The sophomore student and his new dad went to a room in the chapter house after this ceremony. Another dad and son pair may have been there as well.

The student was given a bottle of whiskey and according to him was not pressured to drink it. He was told he didn't need to finish it if he didn't want to.

McKaig said the student was told by his dad that his "family" drinks Jim Beam.

The student told McKaig he didn't like the taste of whiskey so he
drank it as fast as he could.

He wasn't sure how much he drank.

Sometime early Monday morning he was taken by one or more fraternity members to Bloomington Hospital where his stomach was pumped.

In the discussion with McKaig, the student or his mother told McKaig that the student's blood alcohol level had reached .375.

To reach a blood alcohol level that high, a 180 pound man would have to drink 18 to 20 shots of whiskey over an hour's time.

At much more than a .40 blood alcohol level people can fall into
comas and the risk of death rises as the level climbs.

McKaig said the student insisted that he was solely responsible for his own conduct.

His mother, however, made it clear that the blame goes farther than that, McKaig said.

"She told him, 'You need to know that if you died, I would be holding someone responsible for manslaughter,' and then she looked at me," McKaig said.

The fraternity chapter released a statement Thursday saying the
student's blood alcohol level was not .375. The statement did not say whether that number was too high or too low.

The chapter's statement said two fraternity members have been
suspended from the chapter, seven students have been fined and placed on probation and three students are still under judicial review. The statement did not say how the sanctioned students were connected to the incident.

McKaig said the chapter's actions would be considered as part of the IU judicial process.

He admitted to frustration over the difficulty in changing student
behavior. Closing down a fraternity doesn't stop drinking, but he
hopes messages are getting through to the next generation of students even if some of the current ones don't appear to listen.

"We know the extent of abuse of alcohol among students across the country is pervasive," he said. "We know this issue isn't going to turn around overnight. And we know it's not going to be addressed with a single prong."


A couple of personal observations:

One. The IU Dean, even after two deaths and several other problems did not simply jump to any conclusions and expell the chapter outright. He seems committed to the University judicial policy. He says that he believes alcohol education can be successful, although expressing frustration at the lack of quicker progress.

Two. The young pledge's mom's implication made it clear in her quote that she would have held the University responsible in any lawsuit had her son died. That's one reason administrations are becoming much more proactive in these cases. They don't want the liability. Welcome back to In Loco Parentis. You could reasonably assume that the National and possibly the house corporation and advisors might also be named.

Three. Along the same lines, Nationals and, in this case, local house corporations are becoming quicker to close or suspend chapters -- even before the university. Same issues. A couple of major lawsuits can bankrupt a national fraternity.

Four. This chapter had a previous death.

Finally. How is it that on a campus that has lost four chapters over the past year and a half, the message hasn't gotten through?

A lot of us keep sleeping through the wake up calls.

DeltAlum