Hazing Alleged -- Hartwick (NY) Fraternity

[exlurker]

Station WNBC in New York and several other news outlets have this story about charges of hazing involving a fraternity at Hartwick:

http://www.wnbc.com/news/9224102/detail.html

Edited to add: an article in an upstate NY paper reports that the Alpha Chi Rho national fraternity has ordered the chapter closed:

http://www.thedailystar.com/news/sto.../17/frat1.html

[KNOW-wun]

HAZE-Y DAZE: Hartwick College fraternity brothers Peter Torabkhan, Michael Scandiffio and Steve Collum (from left) have been charged in the sickening hazing.

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May 17, 2006 -- Three frat brothers - two from Manhattan and Queens - forced a pledge at their upstate college to do sit-ups and push-ups in broken glass and urine-soaked garbage, cops have charged.

Detectives found out about the alleged hazing at Hartwick College in Oneonta about three weeks after it happened in April - when the traumatized pledge and his mother turned up at a State Police station.

The youth, who suffered cuts on his hands and arms, also complained that the Alpha Chi Rho brothers had forced him to carry rocks covered in feces for two miles.

But local cops said that part of the ritual was OK.

Peter Torabkhan, 21, of Manhattan; Michael Scandiffio, 21, of Queens; and Steve Collum, 21, of Ballston Lake near Saratoga, were charged Monday with first-degree hazing.

Torabkhan and Scandiffio spent a night in jail before being sprung on $2,500 bail. Collum was released without bail.

A fourth man, Yury Pertsovsky, 19, of Brooklyn - who does not attend Hartwick - was charged with aggravated harassment.

[sdbeta1]

did you have to hunt down their mug shots and post them online?

[Tom Earp]

Sound like locals to me.

We as Major Greeks have no control over them, but still make all of us look bad.

[PhoenixAzul]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Sound like locals to me.

We as Major Greeks have no control over them, but still make all of us look bad.

I for one, am DAMN glad that "major greeks" have no control over us.

Just because you have a national board, national association,national X, Y and Z does NOT mean that hazing doesn't happen in your chapters...and you "major Greeks" are supposed to have control over that.

And BTW, I can say that the hazing in national chapters makes us locals look bad.

and to edit YET again, Alpha Chi Rho is NOT a local. They are a NATIONAL fraternity ("major greeks") founded in 1895.
http://www.alphachirho.org/index.html

[Tom Earp]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
I for one, am DAMN glad that "major greeks" have no control over us.

Just because you have a national board, national association,national X, Y and Z does NOT mean that hazing doesn't happen in your chapters...and you "major Greeks" are supposed to have control over that.

And BTW, I can say that the hazing in national chapters makes us locals look bad.

and to edit YET again, Alpha Chi Rho is NOT a local. They are a NATIONAL fraternity ("major greeks") founded in 1895.
http://www.alphachirho.org/index.html

Thank You for the update.

Yes, not all Chapters of Nationals are correct in what they do.

I abhor any hazing by anyone, but many times Locals do it as there is No controls.

But, with National Controls, there is a much higher signaficance of control.

When National Chapters do it, they can have their Charters Taken.

[PhoenixAzul]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Thank You for the update.

Yes, not all Chapters of Nationals are correct in what they do.

I abhor any hazing by anyone, but many times Locals do it as there is No controls.

But, with National Controls, there is a much higher signaficance of control.

When National Chapters do it, they can have their Charters Taken.

Aye, and with locals, the university can take our charter and our house. That's a pretty high degree of control.

We also have a council, we can and do have sanctions, and we can and do close and suspend chapters.

Each chapter must also answer to their alumni as well as student and greek governance. The wild west this aint.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
[B]Aye, and with locals, the university can take our charter and our house. That's a pretty high degree of control.

That depends on each individual group's circumstances. A public university has absolutely zero control over (for example) a local fraternity/sorority with no house or off campus housing. These types of groups generally don't exist with national organizations -- too much liability there. Universities and national organizations have a mutual interest in policing the chapters.

Locals vary A LOT. While Tau Delta, I'm sure is very much aware of its risk management situation, there are many locals with absolutely no risk management awareness.

National organizations force upon their chapters.

I agree, many locals do a great job of self-policeing, but if they fail to do so, often there is no one else that can step in. With national organizations, this is simply not the case.

[Shamp311]

*

[KSigkid]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Sound like locals to me.

We as Major Greeks have no control over them, but still make all of us look bad.

Alpha Chi Rho isn't a local, though, it's a national/international.

actually the alpha chi rho at hartwick college was local and lost their national accreditation in the 80's .

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

Aye, and with locals, the university can take our charter and our house. That's a pretty high degree of control.

We also have a council, we can and do have sanctions, and we can and do close and suspend chapters.

Each chapter must also answer to their alumni as well as student and greek governance. The wild west this aint.

Most locals only have one chapter. While some have more, I wouldn't assume that's the case for most or all.

I know of a local that hazes very severely. Their charter was pulled by the school...but they don't care. They initiate members every semester, they have a house with letters on it next to the school [none of the greek houses are on campus there], they participate in Greek Week, etc. With locals, as long as they and their alum consider them a fraternity, a charter sure doesn't mean much.

[whittleschmegg]

I know of nationals whose charters have been taken away by nationals and they are not allowed to associate themselves with the university they attend yet they still hold events and have a pledge period. Locals can give GLOs bad names as well as Nationals, it depends on the campus culture and the members of the chapter.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AOIImuffin8

actually the alpha chi rho at hartwick college was local and lost their national accreditation in the 80's .

No, it was the Xi Phi chapter of Alpha Chi Rho. Their webpage (at least the frontpage) is still up.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Most locals only have one chapter. While some have more, I wouldn't assume that's the case for most or all.

I know of a local that hazes very severely. Their charter was pulled by the school...but they don't care. They initiate members every semester, they have a house with letters on it next to the school [none of the greek houses are on campus there], they participate in Greek Week, etc. With locals, as long as they and their alum consider them a fraternity, a charter sure doesn't mean much.

I believe when PA referred to "closing chapters" she meant the Greek Council can close or suspend a group.

As for the local in your example, why are the other groups at the school letting them participate in Greek week? Sounds like some enabling going on there. Is this a school with all locals?

Originally Posted by whittleschmegg

I know of nationals whose charters have been taken away by nationals and they are not allowed to associate themselves with the university they attend yet they still hold events and have a pledge period. Locals can give GLOs bad names as well as Nationals, it depends on the campus culture and the members of the chapter.

Those are NOT locals. Those are underground chapters. This isn't even apples and oranges, it's apples and hippos.