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For some, it seems the higher they climb, the harder they fall. As a result of marketing freshman Craig Lieberman's fall from a third-story bathroom at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house on February 19, Drexel University officials have suspended recognition for the fraternity, where Lieberman was a pledge at the time. The school levied the penalty for the alcohol-related incident -- which occurred during the last stages of the fraternity's initiation period -- at a Judicial Board meeting on May 3. Drexel's Director of Greek Life Shane McGoey said the decision will prohibit the fraternity from any activity until December 1998 and keep them on probation until the end of the year 2000. During the probation period, fraternity alumni will conduct interviews with the current members to decide who will be allowed to remain a member. Returning fraternity brothers will also be required to attend educational programs. "There is some surprise among the fraternity members that they have lost recognition," said McGoey, who is also Drexel's assistant dean of student life. "They now need to comply with the fraternity's national board, which has taken the colony's charter into keeping." McGoey also noted that while an appeal process to mitigate the fraternity's punishment is underway, some terms of the board's decision have not yet been finalized. Fraternity members have not yet spoken publicly about their loss of recognition and have declined to speak to university officials concerning the matter. Meanwhile, the details of the incident involving Lieberman at the 206 N. 34th Street house are still unclear more than three months later. "Although officials have details, they do not have a complete report on what happened since everyone involved in the incident has told a different story," said Drexel senior Anh Dang, editor-in-chief of The Triangle, Drexel's weekly student newspaper. After falling to the ground shortly after 1 a.m., Lieberman was taken by ambulance to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for treatment. According to Jon Kegerise, Lieberman's roommate during their freshman year, the West Orange, N.J., native sustained a broken elbow, multiple broken ribs and a bruised lung. Lieberman spent several days at HUP before returning home for a week to recuperate. Dang said that Drexel security officials confirmed that alcohol was involved and that Lieberman was participating in an initiation ritual at the time of his fall. Several fraternity members who requested anonymity told The Triangle that Lieberman's fall was a result of hazing. When they searched the fraternity house, security officials also confiscated several kegs of beer and found a soda machine which dispensed beer, according to Dang.

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