Tech fraternity has charter suspended
Kappa Alpha Order under investigation by national office for major infraction
By Beth Aaron/Senior Staff Writer
October 14, 2005
The Kappa Alpha Order fraternity at Texas Tech has had its charter suspended as early as Tuesday and is under investigation by The National Administrative Office of Kappa Alpha Order.
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Scott Rowson, director of communications for The National Administrative Office of Kappa Alpha Order, said he could not confirm the investigation was triggered by an incident of hazing.
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"All I can say right now is that the chapter has been suspended pending investigation," he said.
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A charter's suspensions and terminations, however, are not handed out for minor infractions, Rowson said.
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In a fraternity, a charter is a document that makes a chapter, or branch of the all-male social organization, an official part of the group on a national level, Rowson said.
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When a charter is pulled, the chapter of the fraternity does not exist in an official sense, Rowson said. Fraternities who have their charter pulled may attempt to get it back, but the process is a lengthy one.
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"It's a multi-year process at least," he said.
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Mike Gunn, assistant director for the Center for Campus Life at Tech, serves as the Interfraternity Council adviser. He said The National KA Office informed him that Tech's KA chapter's status with nationals had shifted.
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If allegations related to hazing arise, Gunn said Tech will begin its own investigation into the matter in addition to The National KA Office's investigation.
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"At this time, we are not aware of any allegations facing Kappa Alpha Order," he said.
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Standard operating procedure states active members of KA are prohibited from speaking about the matter with media, Gunn said, because their comments could corrupt the investigation.
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KA had 12 pledges this fall.
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Once more details about the KA investigation come to light, Gunn said more specific information will be released.
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"Nothing is definite right now," he said.
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Also, The National Administrative Office of Kappa Alpha Order was not necessarily called to Tech to check up on the fraternity because of a specific incident, Rowson said.
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"There's an ongoing presence at chapters across the country," he said.
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The National Administrative Office of Kappa Alpha Order has a strict policy against hazing, Rowson said. The point of inducting men into the fraternity is to welcome them in as brothers, not to subject to anything they would be uncomfortable doing in front of their parents or professors.
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"In short, hazing is strictly prohibited," he said. "There's really not gray area there."
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Sometimes though, it is difficult to get the anti-hazing message across to undergraduates, Rowson said.
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"Unfortunately, the message doesn't always get taken to heart," he said.
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Tech also has a policy prohibiting any type of hazing, whether it pertains to fraternities, sororities or other social organizations, Gunn said. This policy can be found in the Code of Student Conduct in the Student Handbook.
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Hazing is defined in the Tech Student Handbook as "any intentional, knowing or reckless act directed against a student occurring on or off campus by one person alone or acting with others that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging or being initiated into, affiliating with or holding office in . . . any organization whose members are or include students," and is strictly prohibited.
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Kappa Alpha Order is among the oldest collegiate fraternal organizations in the United States, according to the Kappa Alpha Order Web site. KA has modeled itself upon the character of the chivalric knight - reverence, duty, honor and gentlemanly conduct are the pillars of its lifetime experience, according to
www.kappaalphaorder.org.
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At Tech, KA sponsors annual events to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association, including Kalf Fry.
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KA has had an official chapter at Tech since 1961.
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