Say good by to Delaware KAs

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UD cracks down on frats
Five of 20 groups are under suspension as university targets hazing, parties

By TERRI SANGINITI
Staff reporter
02/21/2002

The University of Delaware has suspended five of 20 fraternities in recent months in an unprecedented clash over student behavior.

Four fraternities were suspended for a history of violations of university policies, including hosting unauthorized parties. The toughest of those four suspensions runs through spring 2004.

One fraternity was suspended through spring 2005 after being found guilty of hazing by a university judicial board. University officials said police caught a group of fraternity pledges waiting to kidnap a member in a prank.

"Several of these fraternities had party after party after party, after being told not to, said Kathryn Goldman, director of the school's Office of Judicial Affairs. "They don't respect the rules and regulations."

The five fraternities no longer will have campus privileges and are not allowed to recruit on campus.

Three of the suspended fraternities already have left their houses after being ordered out by national representatives.

Some could face expulsion from their fraternities, Michael T. Gabhart, director of chapter services for Phi Kappa Tau, and other national representatives said.

University officials and executives from the fraternities' national headquarters said it is unprecedented to have so many fraternities suspended at the same time.

Members of the suspended fraternities account for more than one-fourth of the 900 students belonging to 21 fraternities at the university. No sororities have been suspended.

In addition to the five fraternities suspended since October, two others were suspended in the last two years for similar infractions, reducing the number of active fraternities on campus to 13.

"I've never heard of it before - never," said Kevin Mayeux, executive vice president of the national organization of Tau Kappa Epsilon, one of the suspended fraternities. "It almost appears that they're looking to eliminate or reduce their Greek system."

Members in other campus fraternities said they also have seen a change in the way the university disciplines fraternities.

But fraternities are taking the brunt of it, said junior Rocco Circosta, who belongs to Zeta Beta Tau, which was not suspended.

University officials said fraternities are not being targeted. The suspensions result in part from a change in the way the school handles rule infractions by all students, Goldman said.

New sheriff on campus

Fraternities and sororities used to be overseen by Dean of Students Timothy F. Brooks.

With his retirement in June, the position was eliminated, and the responsibilities he handled were reorganized.

Fraternities and sororities now are overseen by the Student Life Division, which also watches over the university's 179 student organizations.

The move gave more people responsibility for overseeing fraternities and sororities.

"At this point, it may be difficult for them to understand, but in the long run, they'll have a better environment," Student Centers director Marilyn Prime said.

Along with the administrative changes, campus police also were given the authority to bring students prosecuted by Newark police for off-campus violations into the university's judicial system more quickly.

University of Delaware police Capt. Joel Ivory said students now can face prosecution simultaneously in public courts and the university's judicial system.

Before, it took months for an offense to move through public courts and then into the university's judicial system, university officials said.

"What happened this fall is extraordinary," said Brooks, the former dean who oversaw fraternities and sororities. "But it would have happened even if I was there."

Newark town Councilman John H. Farrell applauded the university's stance, saying some fraternities had been warned that there had been complaints against them.

'They were waiting'

Suspended Phi Kappa Tau member Adam Engleberg, who lives in a fraternity house on Academy Street, said members will have to move their social life to the town's bars.

"There's no such thing as a mixer anymore," said Engleberg, a junior. "Either you do nothing or go to the bar.

"We worked our butts off and got good grades. We did philanthropy, and we went to everything they threw at us," Engleberg said. "They were waiting for something to happen."

Matt Fallon, former president of Zeta Beta Tau, said he's noticed "a lot more parties are getting busted."

A part of the university's change was prompted by a private grant to curb student drinking on and off-campus.

The university has received almost $1.2 million from the Princeton, N.J.-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. One outcome was a policy banning parties and alcohol socials on opening weekends of each semester, said Scott Mason, associate director of the school's Activities and Programs Office.

Mason said some of the suspended fraternities broke that rule. "They pushed, and found out they shouldn't have pushed," he said.

Justin Brenner, president of the school's Interfraternity Council, said he did not believe school officials were out to attack the fraternity system.

"Everyone was fully aware that the rules were to be enforced," Brenner said. "It shouldn't have been a surprise to these fraternities because the new staff warned them that the rules overlooked in the past would no longer occur."

Larry S. Wiese, executive director of the national Kappa Alpha Order, said he agreed with the university that the chapter there should be suspended.

"While we hate to see a suspension, our chapter wasn't toeing the line," Wiese said. "Basically because of their persistent failure to abide by university and fraternity policy, this was in the best interest of both parties."

Wiese said he was optimistic the chapter will return to campus after its suspension period ends next year.

The national organization is still trying to decide what to do with the fraternity's vacated house, Wiese said.

Brooks, the former dean, said there are good fraternities on campus, but the university is facing a more fundamental problem than a rash of suspensions.

"It's really a much bigger question," he said. "The reason fraternities are having so much trouble is that they're all about social life, alcohol and drugs, and they've totally forgotten their original reason for being."