Possible / Alleged Hazing: Southern Mississippi Kappa Sigma "Little Sister"

[exlurker]

A Hattiesburg news source reports:

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/a...WS01/809040314

Excerpts:

. . . An alleged hazing incident at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house last Thursday night has left a student in intensive care at Forrest General Hospital.

The University of Southern Mississippi's University Police Department is investigating the incident.

Two students involved were admitted to the hospital for treatment of alcohol poisoning. One of the students remains hospitalized for continued treatment and observation. . . .

Mississippi law defines hazing as intentional or reckless conduct that creates a substantial risk of physical injury to someone going through initiation into or affiliation with any organization. . . .

Leslie Besancon, the mother of the student in ICU at Forrest General, said her daughter, a sophomore, had been invited to become a little sister of Kappa Sigma. At an initiation party last week, little sisters already affiliated with the fraternity initiated the new students.

"They poured pancake syrup in their hair and silly string - things like that," said Besancon, who is from Waveland and didn't want her daughter identified. "Then, they tilted their heads back and poured in whiskey and vodka."

Some students who were at the party brought Besancon's daughter to the hospital, saying they had found her on the side of the road. Her daughter had a blood-alcohol content of 0.47, more than five times above the legal limit of 0.08, and is being treated for alcohol poisoning. A 100-pound woman would have to drink more than 10 cocktails in one hour to have a 0.47 blood content. . . .

"She is in septic shock and her liver is enlarged," Besancon said. . . .

[LaneSig]

This is why many fraternities did away with Little Sis programs.

Yes, I know that the chapter members did not participate, but the name in the article and title is Kappa Sigma, not College Girls Who Are Friends with a Fraternity.

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

This is why many fraternities did away with Little Sis programs.

Yes, I know that the chapter members did not participate, but the name in the article and title is Kappa Sigma, not College Girls Who Are Friends with a Fraternity.

And the article on the Hattiesburg paper's site said that Kappa Sigma national reps were on campus. I have a feeling they're investigating.

Were the victims Greek? I'd like to assume no, because you'd think the active sisters would warn them not to take part in this kind of activity, but you never know.

[ladybug12]

The information I have is that a Delta Gamma is the women who is still in intensive care in the hospital. And that a Kappa Delta was the other woman treated and released. This information is from speaking to sorority women on the campus at USM, so it is not official.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

This is why many fraternities did away with Little Sis programs.

Yes, I know that the chapter members did not participate, but the name in the article and title is Kappa Sigma, not College Girls Who Are Friends with a Fraternity.

I thought this originally, but as I got more involved, I found out that there were issues with us all remaining single gender organizations under Title 9 if there were little sister/little brother groups. However, this is another good reason...

[exlurker]

The Associated Press is reporting that the U of Southern Mississippi has shut down the Kappa Sigma chapter, and that students are being helped to move out of the house.

http://www.sunherald.com/218/story/795493.html

Brief excerpt from posted article:

The University of Southern Mississippi has revoked the charter of Kappa Sigma fraternity after an alleged hazing incident that left two female students hospitalized.

President Martha Saunders said Thursday that the fraternity has acknowledged its participation in an event this past week at its house on the USM campus.

One student remained hospitalized Thursday in intensive care, Saunders said. . . .


Comment: I hope the young woman who is in intensive care makes a full recovery. A week (and maybe more, who knows) in an ICU is one heck of a way to start the school year.

Edited again to add: BTW, the U of Southern Mississippi and a different fraternity -- Sigma Nu -- are recently reported by a Jackson news source to have reached an out-of-court settlement with the parents of a man who died a few years ago in an incident related to alcohol consumption:

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pb...0357/1001/news

Edited again to add: For a comment regarding the report by the Jackson paper, please see the post -- #12 in this thread, I believe -- by SigNu471.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I thought this originally, but as I got more involved, I found out that there were issues with us all remaining single gender organizations under Title 9 if there were little sister/little brother groups. However, this is another good reason...

I think both reasons -- single-sex status and liabilty concerns -- contributed.

[Fawn Liebowitz]

What kind of "friends" leave you on the side of the road in that kind of condition??

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by Fawn Liebowitz

What kind of "friends" leave you on the side of the road in that kind of condition??

I interpreted that as them lying, as in saying we didn't get her this drunk, don't blame us, we just found here.

[ladybug12]

I had heard through unofficial sources that Kappa Sigma's charter was revoked, but the article in the paper says that USM did it rather than their national organization.

USM has done a great job with the sororities over the past few years, building new houses for all NPC groups and for all of the NPHC organizations who chose to participate. The women's basketball team also lives in "The Village" complex, plus there is a wonderful new dorm on the grounds that is open to all upperclass women who have a scholarship.

Maybe this incident will be the "wake-up" call for all Greeks on this campus to be more aware of hazing and alcohol abuse/underage drinking/binge drinking.

[SigNu471]

Edited again to add: BTW, the U of Southern Mississippi and a different fraternity -- Sigma Nu -- are recently reported by a Jackson news source to have reached an out-of-court settlement with the parents of a man who died a few years ago in an incident related to alcohol consumption:

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pb...0357/1001/news[/quote]




Actually the man that died at the Sigma Nu house died of a medical condition and not from alcohol. It took his family 8 different autopsies to finally get an alcohol verdict and that didnt hold up in court! His unfortunate death was not caused by HAZING or ALCOHOL!! Also he was an alumni and at the time the house was closed for summer repairs. the only reason anyone was there was because it was an alumni weekend and some of them stopped by to see what shape the house was in. Sammy was fine one minute and then walked out back to smoke a cigarette and a few minutes later was discovered underneath the swing blue in the face after a blood vessel burst in his brain! He hurt his shoulder at the beginning of the week and had been having terrible head aches until that tragic night. I will never be able to forget that night and my 2 remainning years at southern after that incident. so please learn your facts and PLEASE dont lump this in with another organization that demoralized people! Sigma Nu was founded against hazing and shuts down more chapters for hazing than all other organizations combined!! All anyone could do was talk behind our backs but we held our heads high and came together as a REAL brother hood not elitist dehumanizers!!

[ladybug12]

Thanks for the clarification. It was pretty much known here in the 'burg that he was an alumni and not a collegiate member of Sigma Nu. Hate the timing of the settlement with the Kappa Sigma incident. But still, alcohol comsumption in Greek housing will forever be under scruitiny whenever there is an incident...better to be above and beyond critisism.

[KSigkid]

Kappa Sig usually doesn't have much patience for stuff like this, so I would imagine the chapter will get heavy sanctions, and its charter may be in danger.

I'm almost completely sure that there's a Kappa Sig rule against Little Sister programs, which just adds to the probability that there will be serious sanctions.

Hopefully the girl involved makes a full and speedy recovery.

[Kevin]

Folks, just a reminder, please only comment about facts which you either have personal knowledge of or those which can be confirmed in some verifiable source. As always, there's a zero-tolerance policy here regarding rumors and hearsay.

Thanks.