During the last year, the University has placed six of the 18 campus fraternities on educational probation for hazing or alcohol-related violations. One fraternity still is under investigation for misconduct.
Victor Felts, director of Greek Affairs and assistant dean of students, attributes the probation increase to the presence of a consistent, permanent adviser.
“I don’t know if [fraternities] are any worse than in previous years, but they are being held accountable for their actions,” said Felts. “When we find out about the actions, we take them seriously.”
The University uses the probation periods as an educational experience instead of a punishment, Felts said.
Each violation has a different probation period, lasting up to one year.
In addition, the expectations for each organization vary depending on the nature and severity of the misconduct.
“We do not look at probation as punishment, but as opportunities to improve,” Felts said. “Probation is a period of time where we try to help them correct the problem by seeing the University policy they violated.”
For example, some fraternities on probation must prove 90 percent of members attended a class on alcohol. Felts meets with hazing violators for new member education courses.
The probation period ends at the designated time, provided the fraternity has no further violations and all terms of the probation are met, said Kevin Price, dean of students.
The University placed Pi Kappa Phi on probation two weeks ago for various alcohol violations, including serving punch containing pure grain alcohol at an unregistered social activity. Pi Kappa Phi is on probation until Oct. 17, 2003.
As part of the probation, the University is prohibiting Pi Kappa Phi from having any alcoholic beverage at the house, even among members over age 21.
Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters conducted a membership review last weekend to determine which individuals were involved in the misconduct and remove them from the fraternity. The headquarters suspended the chapter, prohibiting the fraternity from functioning as an organization.
The Office of the Dean of Students has not heard the results at this time, Felts said.
Pi Kappa Alpha is on probation until Nov. 15 for various alcohol violations, including failure to properly register social activities where alcohol was served. Pi Kappa Alpha has been on probation since Nov. 16, 2001.
Phi Gamma Delta is on probation until March 22, 2003, for personal service hazing. The violations include requiring new members to clean the fraternity house, do another member’s laundry, wash another member’s car, get food for another member and take another member to class.
It also involved “pledge of the day.” A member had to stay at the house to perform services for other members, and the fraternity required new members to consume “dinner shots,” an abnormal food concoction.
Phi Gamma Delta has been on probation since March 22.
Sigma Chi is on probation until Jan. 31, 2003, for mental hazing. The organization required members to dress up in embarrassing outfits in public areas, such as local bars.
Police cited students for dressing in animal costumes and as babies in diapers. Sigma Chi has been on probation since March 15.
Acacia is on probation until Jan. 31, 2003, for personal servitude and mental hazing. Members required new members to dress inappropriately in boxers and Burger King crowns in a parking lot. The probation began March 15.
Tau Kappa Epsilon is on probation through the end of the 2002 fall semester for violating the alcohol policy by having a keg in the house. Tau Kappa Epsilon has been on probation since June 4.
Delta Chi’s national headquarters placed the University chapter on probation for alleged hazing. The University still is in the investigation process.
Presidents from all fraternities on probation declined to comment.
However, evidence from police reports contributed to most of the Office of the Dean of Students’ decisions to investigate each fraternity now on probation.
For example, police investigated incidences when students returned to residence halls intoxicated or dressed up in unusual costumes. Further investigation led to a hearing and the eventual probation period.
The Office of Greek Affairs typically receives phone calls from concerned parents of students regarding the hazing of their children. However, the calls rarely result in disciplinary action because the callers fail to identify the specific organization involved in misconduct, Felts said.
Some students complained the University is conducting fussy investigations and forcing Greek organizations to perform excessive community service projects.
“[The Office of Student Affairs] does not make [Greek organizations] do any community service,” Felts said. “We’re enforcing University policy. If they don’t want to follow the rules, they lose the privilege of being a student organization.”