U. of Florida Suspends ATO Chapter

[Day13]

Originally Posted by Firehouse

Trends change, but the universities right now seem to focused on hazing first, then fighting, and drinking issues last. This could just be limited to Florida, and I could be wrong about the whole thing.

At UCF 4 Fraternities have been kicked off for hazing in recent times as well.

Pike is 2005(?)
SAE/SigEp/Pi Kapp 2006/2007

Florida is certainly a place that cracks down on hazing hardcore.

[Gator]

From UF's Final Decision Letter:

• Conduct Probation through the completion of the Fall 2008 semester.
• Loss of Spring 2008 recruitment.
• Letter drafted by the active chapter and sent to all University of Florida new members no later than December 22, 2007 that apologizes for some of the chapter’s actions during the Fall 2007 semester and also states that they do not have to be initiated into Alpha Tau Omega and thus are eligible to join another social fraternity at the University of Florida. New members must sign and return to Fletcher Rush by January 7, 2008 that they would like to be part of the chapter or that they do not want to continue.
• Suspend all Social functions through Summer 2008 including but not limited to: Socials, Crush Parties, Road Trips, Date Functions, Barbeques, etc. Alpha Tau Omega is allowed to have two brotherhood events, one before Spring Break and one after, but they both must be dry.
• Required to participate in at least five University of Florida Greek Community philanthropies during the Spring 2008 semester.
• Each active member must complete five hours of community service before April 1, 2008. Active members’ participation will be determined by using the active member roster from the Greek database at the end of the spring 2008 semester. Community service shall be coordinated through the University of Florida’s Dean of Students office.
• Not eligible for the President’s Cup in 2008.
• One chapter education program that addresses hazing for the active members of the chapter during Spring 2008. The program must have 80% attendance and 100% attendance for the executive board.
• Fletcher Rush, active President, must give a presentation at the Interfraternity Council’s Spring 2008 hazing meeting with new members. The presentation shall address his encounter with hazing as a chapter president and programs his chapter is implementing to address the problem. 80% of the active members of the Chapter must also attend this presentation and 100% attendance is required for the executive board.
• Fletcher Rush will also give this same presentation at the first Interfraternity Council meeting of the Spring 2008 semester.
• Allowed to participate in Fall 2008 recruitment. Only allowed to take fifteen new members during this recruitment period. Should Alpha Tau Omega come back before the Greek Judicial Board or the Interfraternity Council’s standards board not in relation to this case they shall lose Fall 2008 recruitment. The active chapter must also successfully complete the five hours of community service during Spring 2008 in order to earn the right to recruit during Fall 2008.
• Seven week new member education program during Fall 2008.
• The seven week new member education program must be submitted to the Alpha Tau Omega national headquarters for approval. New member educator must meet with the Interfraternity Council Advisor and Executive Vice President to review and discuss the seven week program before Fall 2008 recruitment begins.
• New member oversight committee present during Fall 2008 recruitment.
• Excluding homecoming only allowed to hold two social events during the Fall 2008 semester.
• Social functions during Fall 2008 must be dry, including but not limited to Homecoming, Socials, Crush Parties, Date Functions, Road Trips, etc.
• All barbeques with the exception of Alumni barbeques must be dry. Sorority pairings and Alumni barbeques may not overlap.

[Firehouse]

I could swallow everything but the loss of a pledge class combined with only 15 pledges in the fall. That's brutal on a campus like Florida. I'd appeal that; I could live with the rest of it. Could have been worse; they could have been kicked off campus but that would have been a travesty.

[PhiGam]

Having them clean older brothers' rooms... that's terrible.

[Firehouse]

I envy you being allowed to pledge Santa Fe kids. Here in Tallahassee, the greek life people go berserk when anyone pledges a TCC kid. A fraternity is punished every time a TCC pledge is discovered. Thier excuse is liability and disciplinary issues. Apparently the greek life crowd at Florida has a different view. You're fortunate.

[Firehouse]

Too bad. We used to pledge lots of TCC guys back when here was no greek life office to be busy-bodies. In fact, FSU does allow TCC students to join the "Marching Chiefs" (our college band). But for some reason we can't even get IFC to pass a resolution supporting pledgingof TCC students.