Stanford Places Tri Delta on "Alcohol Suspension" Through June 2005

[exlurker]

The Feb 27 Stanford Daily reports that Stanford's Dean of Students has placed Delta Delta Delta on "alcohol suspension." The action follows an investigation of a shot-drinking "game" that included some football players, at which the alcohol was purchased / provided by "big sisters."

For details, including the restrictions on, and actions required of, the chapter, see


http://www.stanforddaily.com/tempo?p...ticle&id=13310


According to the story, the dean considered suspending the sorority's charter. However, the dean is quoted as saying, " . . . after factoring in the sorority's overall positive history at Stanford, its forthright and cooperative assistance [in the investigation] . . . and its commitment to its action steps, I decided not to revoke Delta Delta Delta's charter this time."

[thetalady]

They are damned lucky their charter wasn't pulled by the University or their National. Here is a bit more of the story as reported Jan 12. I can't believe that the Tri Delta Chapter Risk Manager planned this little party

I am incensed, but not that surprised, that the football players involved have had no charges brought against them to date.

STANFORD DAILY - January 12, 2004

Seven plead no contest in Tri-Delt incident

By Michael Miller & Shirin Sharif
Desk Editor , Desk Editor
Monday, January 12, 2004

Seven Stanford students pleaded no contest on Friday to a misdemeanor charge of providing alcohol to minors in a case that sparked a University investigation into the Delta Delta Delta sorority. The sorority chapter has been placed on temporary suspension, pending the University’s findings.

The charge resulted from a police investigation that looked into hazing, sexual assault and providing alcohol to minors during a Big Sister/ Little Sister pledge event on May 7, 2003. No other charges were filed. At the event, four freshman football players hosted a power hour, where four sorority pledges drank a shot of beer every minute for an hour, according to the police report. The alcohol was purchased by five sorority members.

According to the police, the football players, Julian Jenkins, Marcus McCutcheon, Terrall “T.J.” Rushing and Gerald Commissiong, picked up the four girls that night and took them to Jenkins’ room in Larkin. There, behind a closed door, the four girls drank for an hour and danced for a few minutes before going to the restroom to throw up.

A week later, police received a call from one of the girls who alleged that she was coerced into sexual acts later that night, while the other three girls were still in the restroom. A police investigation into the charges continued, and the Santa Clara County District Attorney decided to charge all suspects with providing alcohol to minors.

“Sometimes there are different levels of responsibility,” said Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jay Boyarsky. “Sometimes it’s most fair to pick a charge or a crime that everyone committed.” The football players served the alcohol and the sorority members assisted in transporting and purchasing the alcohol, according to the police report.

“This doesn’t mean there may not have been other acts or things that occurred that night that were obnoxious or disappointing or frightening or bad in many ways,” Boyarsky said. “This is not a question of do we think it happened, it has to be: Can we prove it beyond a reasonable doubt?”

The sorority members charged in the case were [names removed as requested]. [Name removed as requested] was identified as the risk manager for the sorority in the police report, though there were no alcohol monitors at the Big Sister/ Little Sister event because big sisters were supposed to be anonymous to their little sisters.

[Names removed as requested] declined to comment when reached by phone. The other students charged could not be reached.

The University is continuing a separate investigation into the Tri-Delt incident and may come to different conclusions. According to a sorority statement, Tri-Delt will be reviewed for possible violations of the alcohol and health and safety policies of the University and the executive board policies of Tri-Delt. The University has assigned its own investigator to the case, which will be brought to the Organizational Conduct Board in the next few weeks.

The current temporary suspension that has been placed on the sorority prohibits any gatherings in the house of more than five people with alcohol present.

According to Assistant Athletic Director Gary Migdol, the Athletic Department has imposed no penalties against the football players.

The no contest pleas, which came after a few hours of discussion among the many lawyers in the case, are equivalent to guilty pleas according to Boyarsky, and carried fines from $250 to nearly $1,000 and 24 to 50 hours of community service. McCutcheon and Rushing were not present and waited to discuss the plea bargain with their lawyers before a later hearing.

[Name removed as requested], who arranged the power hour, [Names removed] agreed to fines of $912.50 and community service, a larger penalty than the $250 or less the other parties agreed to pay.

The case, referred to as the “Stanford 9” by the courtroom clerk, was a compromise, according to Boyarsky.

“I see it as a compromise because based on what the Stanford police department brought us there were a range of charges we could have brought. It was a compromise in terms of what were those involved in the event charged with.”

Boyarsky said that for this charge, the range between minimum and maximum penalties was small, and providing alcohol to minors yields no jail time.

“The defendants who weren’t in the dorm room might see themselves as victims, but bad things can happen when alcohol is involved,” Boyarsky said. “It should serve as a cautionary tale at Stanford.”

While the court case has ended, the University investigation continues.

According to Nanci Howe, the assistant dean and director of student activities, one of the major differences between the police and University investigations is that the OCB reviews problematic group behavior, while the police focus on individual behavior.

“The police and University are separate entities,” said Morris Graves, associate dean of students, not specifically speaking about the incident. “Something may not violate California state law, but it could still violate University policy.”

For example, the University Greek Guide specifies that hazing is “any activity or situation in which pledges or actives are expected to commit an unlawful act or violate the Fundamental Standard or Honor Code. Almost anything that pledged members are required to do that initiated members don’t is hazing. Ask yourself if you could explain a questionable activity to your parents, the parents of a pledge, a University official or a judge. If you don’t think you could, then it is probably hazing.”

The OCB uses four criteria when determining the sanctions, such as alcohol probation or suspension, for problematic behavior. These include past precedent for similar cases, the severity of the violation, the pattern and history of the group’s behavior and what the group has done to accept responsibility and address the situation.

If the OCB finds that the incident is egregious, it can choose to forward the case to the Greek Housing Review Board, which could place the sorority on a housing probation or suspension.

“Chapter members are cooperating with the investigation, as it is top priority to ensure the safety and well being of all Tri-Delt members in addition to the entire Stanford community,” the sorority said in a statement. “Tri-Delt will continue to strive for the excellence for which it was recently recognized in a letter of commendation by the University.”

Although the exact dates have not been set, the case and two others still pending OCB review from last spring is expected to be completed by the end of February, according to Graves.

“Our ultimate goal is to keep these things from happening and to protect the students, University and community from harm,” said Graves. “We must hold folks accountable and uphold the University standards and values.”


Article URL: http://www.stanforddaily.com/tempo?p...ticle&id=12695

[exlurker]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by thetalady
They are damned lucky their charter wasn't pulled by the University or their National. Here is a bit more of the story as reported Jan 12. I can't believe that the Tri Delta Chapter Risk Manager planned this little party.


Oh yeah, thetalady, I was equally amazed.

I know I'll never have all the facts, but golly gee I would love to have been a fly on the wall during some of the discussions involving Stanford administrators and Tri Delta reps.

Let's see now, wasn't the Bucknell chapter of Tri Delta closed by their national just a little while ago for RM problems? And their Minnesota chapter will be closing, though that is presumably for low numbers.

Maybe, just maybe, it's very important to Tri Delta to have a Stanford chapter.
(Otherwise, the school would be left with Chi O and the three "usual suspects" for a school like Stanford: Kappa, Theta, and Pi Phi -- right?)

I can of course muster some -- even a lot of-- sympathy for the other women in the chapter, and the area alumnae, who were not involved in this tacky and dangerous little stunt and who are most likely going to have some astonishingly awkward moments during the upcoming spring formal rush. Especially if the current crop of first-year women has a lot of weirdos whose idea of a real fun time doesn't include doing shots, dancing around, and then throwing up for the entertainment of football players. You'd think that would be appealing to anybody, but as I understand it sometimes Stanford attracts slightly offbeat characters -- you know, people from sophisticated backgrounds, or even intellectuals.

Finally, I gotta nominate Morris Graves, associate dean of students, for a 24 karat gold electroplated Yadda Yadda award for emitting this thought: “We must hold folks accountable and uphold the University standards and values.” Uh huh. Sure. Morris, you da man.

[James]

Hey! Are you guys so old that you haveoforgetten that people in college, and out of college, like to drink, party and have sex?

Just checking

I am trying to jog your memory . . . remember your youth. Unless everyone wasa bunch of tee totalers ?

[ThetaSis2GPhiB]

The Stanford chapter of Tri-Delt should be feeling quite lucky right about now. Even though it was the actions of a small group, that same kind of thing could have closed a 'lesser' chapter. I hope they know that they can no longer rest on the laurels of a 'letter of commendation from the University.'

And the Chapter RM officer! That's ridiculous! It's one thing for a seemingly unaware member to plan something like this, but the Risk Manager has to know better! (Unless the Stanford Tri-Delts are doing a horrible job training their officers.)

I also worry about the lack of sanctions from the Athletic Department on the football players. As others have said, it doesn't surprise me...just frustrates me. It's becoming more and more the case in the US that being a student athlete also means being above school law.

[Janerz222]

Um, this is "alcohol supsension" not suspension. Here's a quote from the Feb. 27 article that I find boggling...

Alcohol suspension precludes the presence of alcohol in the sorority house, including individual rooms. Additionally, alcohol will be banned from any chapter events — specifically new member events and pre-initiation — and at any sorority-sanctioned activity, held at the house or elsewhere. The sorority will be unable to co-sponsor any events with alcohol present, like the Intersorority Council Formal or parties with fraternitie

This doesn't seem that different from what I would assume are Tri-Delt international's normal rules??? They're not allowed to co-sponsor the ISC formal, but are they allowed to attend? I assume they're not ever supposed to have alcohol in their house, nor at new member or initiation activities.

In my own opinion (based on experience beyond just this one incident), Stanford does not support the international organizations of their chapters nor their policies--they really treat their chapters more like independent locals and don't instill in the student members/officers a respect for or responsibility to the international organizations or their policies. In my opinion, this puts the members and officers at a huge disadvantage and sets them up not only to get themselves in positions like these, but also to miss the full opportunity afforded my membership in all of the great inter/national organizations represented there.

Note, I am NOT blaming the University for this incident - those women and men who set up, funded, and participated are responsible. I do think the University creates an environment where these things are likely.

Any thoughts? What can the inter/national orgs do in an environment like this?

[Tom Earp]

Once again, there seems to be a double Standard!

Greek Organizations who have been backed into a corner by some who have Hazed until someone is maimed, or dies, now becomes the level and norm of which We as Greeks All have to attempt to live by!

I am relative sure, that All Greeks have a Risk Management Policy and a Chair in each Chapter, but what now?

Has anyone noticed that this does not apply to Sports Teams, Cheerleaders, Band Members, or Mascots?

Stupidity seems to reign and we as Greeks take the Brunt, no matter how much or whazt we do for the betterment!

[aopirose]

Cousin is a member of this chapter and let me tell you, THEY ARE FEELING DAMN LUCKY TO STILL BE ON CAMPUS. When Cousin first told me of the incident last year, I laid it out as to how things could go for them. I could not believe the stupidity exercised by the power hour gang. However, if I were their age, I probably would have thought “it was a good idea at the time” too.

Rest assured that although it may appear that the university went lightly on them, Tri Delta DID NOT and they will be making amends for a while. The members were outraged when they found out about it, because these actions in NO WAY reflect what Tri Delta is about. The chapter took immediate action to deal with the ringleaders and implemented additional programming before the university and EO got involved. I thought that that showed great leadership on the part of the Executive Council. The Stanford Tri Deltas DO NOT do a horrible job of officer training. The event occurred because of a gross lapse in judgement of an assumed responsible RM. Her fate has already been handed to her and let’s just say that the outcome will affect her for the rest of her life.

Janerz222 brings up some excellent points about Stanford. As far as Greek housing is concerned, they are owned by the university and treated like dorms. There are resident assistants but no house moms per se. Members can have alcohol in their rooms and in common areas as long as they are over 21. The student dorms often throw keg parties for residents and guests. The fraternities do too but the sororities don’t. If people want to drink on this campus, they do not “need” to join a fraternity or a sorority nor are the chapters seeking out problem children.

[exlurker]

aopirose, thank you for the inforrmaion!

The same issue of the Daily that reported the "alcohol suspension" also had a story about the Stanford Tri Deltas' charity auction to raise money for children's cancer research, so the chapter pretty obviously is functioning and working to behave in a responsible amnner.

Then, too, Stanford in general seems to have something of a problem with alcohol -- a few weeks ago the Daily ran an editorial praising SAE for putting on a large party that was well run and obeyed the state and school alcohol policies. The editorial expressed a hope that there would be other successful events of that sort in the fututre, and that Stanford would be able to have fun while using alcohol responsibly and legally.

[HelloKitty22]

Originally posted by James
Hey! Are you guys so old that you haveoforgetten that people in college, and out of college, like to drink, party and have sex?

While I am making no excuses for what was clearly a very dangerous lapse of judgment on the part of some members of this chapter, I must admit that "power hour" or even "century club" (100 shots of beer in 100 mins) were pretty regularly held at fraternity houses where I went to college. I can understand how a culture with this kind of glorified drinking can lead severe lapses of judgment.

[Janerz222]

It's great to hear (and not surprising!) that Tri-Delt, both locally and from an HQ-level, seem to take this seriously and appropriately and that Tri-Delt has so many great things to offer their members and the greater community.

It's too bad, in my own opinion, that the Stanford administration isn't more proactive in supporting NPC/individual organization's policies so that the members are more aware of not just Stanford's rules but the orgs' rules as well - before something like this happens.

[thetalady]

Originally posted by James
Hey! Are you guys so old that you haveoforgetten that people in college, and out of college, like to drink, party and have sex?

Just checking

I am trying to jog your memory . . . remember your youth. Unless everyone was a bunch of tee totalers ?

James-

I PROMISE that I am no quite so old yet that I have forgotten the "indiscretions" of my youth!!

On the other hand, I never, ever thought it was a good idea to go to a football player's room, get blasted by drinking far too much in a short amount of time, dance for them (and we all damned well know what kind of dancing we are talking about here) and then puke in the john... NEVER.

I know Tri-Delta to be an upstanding organization with higher standards than this. I am sure that their National sees this as a MAJOR wake up call and will straighten the chapter out. I wish them the best. It is not easy to do.

[XOMichelle]

While this is an unfortunate incident, it is not the first time these things have happened-- only the first time a chapter has been held responsible.

The Greek system is a tad different here than in other places. First off, it is highly unfavored by the university and most of it's students. Housing, like AOPirose mentioned is rented to the fraternities and sororities by the University, and University rules are the ones that are followed (the Intersorority Council rules are a tad looser than most national ones concerning alcohol to accommodate Stanford dorm traditions).

As for the punishment, sororities can sponsor events that involve alcohol, as long as there is a third party vendor to accept legal responsibility for checking identification and serving drinks to only those who are over 21. Those are the University’s rules in regard to sororities, set to reflect the Panhellenic agreement on alcohol policy set a few years back. Alcohol probation is a serious matter.

I am very gald they did not lose their charter. It would have been very sad to see them go after a stunt by so few!

What upsets me the most is the lack of punishment for the football players involved. One of our chapter membmers wrote a very good editorial on that which you may read here:
http://daily.stanford.edu/tempo?page...=0001_article.

[jefflee108]

I am a member of Stanford's Phi Kappa Psi chapter, eat every day at the Tri-Delta house, and was present and lived in the dorm in which the incident in question occurred. Now that the administration has handed down what will hopefully be the final word on this matter, the Tri-Deltas are hoping to close this painful chapter in their lives and move on better and stronger for the experience. As a friend of the sorority, I felt compelled to respond to this thread.

The so-called "hazing" has been blown completely out of proportion by the campus press and judicial affairs. As XOMichelle pointed out, a feminist studies major at Stanford wrote an editorial which should very well have been the basis of the administration's handling of the incident. I'm going to quote from Jane Nevins here:

"A woman goes to the police and reports a sexual assault. She expects to be vindicated and receive help, but instead she is treated with the worst-case scenario. No sexual assault charges are filed and, worse, because she reported the incident, four of her sorority sisters are taken to court and charged with providing alcohol to minors, and their names are put in The Daily. The way this case was handled will not encourage other people to report sexual assaults on campus because, as a result of this pledge coming forward, her friends were punished and the police did not take action to address the sexual assault. "

That paragraph goes to the heart of what I find disturbing about the way this case has progressed. Some additional points I feel should be made to the public at large reading this board:

1. No one is contesting the legality of alcohol being provided to minors, but that issue has been completely inflated out of proportion to the more serious one at hand.

2. Tri-Delta complied fully and honestly with the numerous investigations. Throughout this trying experience, I have seen firsthand how the girls have handled themselves maturely and admirably in facing numerous interviews asking them what happened on a single night almost an entire YEAR ago.

3. There has not been a culture of drinking in Tri-Delta at Stanford, let alone one that encourages events such as this at pledging.

4. This was an isolated and by the sorority's standards, extremely egregious incident. It by no way reflects anything of the house itself or the character that has been perpetuated over the past few years. Members in Tri-Delta care for each other to a degree which can only be compared to genuine sisterhood.

5. And finally, let me say that Stanford's Tri-Delta chapter has been through A LOT this year. They lost a sister to terminal illness, have been barred from doing most of the social and philanthropic (other than the charity auction this weekend) activities which bond pledge classes together, and have otherwise suffered from an inordinate amount of negative publicity. This sorority was regarded as the "model chapter" by the University for many years and, this particular event aside, still is. Yet one must question the fairness of using such sensational headlines as "Tri-Delta placed on suspension" (implying far greater penalties than ALCOHOL suspension) on the front of, no less, the Parent's Day edition of the Stanford Daily paper; furthermore, an article about the auction which the sorority had carefully planned for months ahead was literally sandwiched within the main article, making it appear that the auction was being put on for remedial purposes.

I am in no way defending the actions of the individuals who have since been punished by the chapter, the University, and the national organization. I am, however, defending the chapter's character here. Regarding the comment "their National sees this as a MAJOR wake up call and will straighten the chapter out"-the national organization has already instituted severe penalties, but the chapter does NOT need straightening out. At some point, a distinction must be drawn between the organization and the individual. The chapter is run admirably, efficiently, and competently. I regard it as a model for my own fraternity and for many of the other GLOs at Stanford.

No organization is so perfect that it can police the activities of all its members all the time. But Tri-Delta has been a model in so many ways, and continues to be, and I firmly believe that the contributions of some 60+ talented individuals to Stanford outweighs the reckless behavior of 3 or 4.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Brother,

Well said.