Frat guilty of lengthening pledge period

The Alpha Chi Rho fraternity was found collectively responsible for extending its new-member initiation process beyond the established deadline, University officials announced yesterday.

The finding is the result of an investigation by the Office of Student Conduct that got under way in April.

Possible disciplinary action has yet to be determined.

Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs officials will contact AXP's alumni adviser and national fraternity -- which did not return calls for comment -- in order to work out the consequences.

The OSC sent a formal report of its findings to OFSA on Wednesday, and the fraternity was notified yesterday.

AXP President Adam Meeks declined to comment on the results of the investigation.

"We have cooperated in full with all the requests concerning the investigation," the College junior said Tuesday, before the OSC's findings were released.

OSC Director Michele Goldfarb said that six investigations from last semester were carried into this semester. The last of these investigations was concluded this week.

Alpha Tau Omega -- which was under investigation for alleged assaults related to chapter activity -- was not found collectively responsible for any violation.

OFSA Director Scott Reikofski said, "It was an issue of some individuals" to be handled by the OSC.

Phi Kappa Sigma -- which was under investigation for extending its new-member education process and possible hazing incidents -- was also found not guilty of any violation.

Reikofski could not be reached for comment on the other three investigations. Goldfarb also declined to give any additional information regarding the investigations.

Last week, the InterFraternity Council Judicial Board reviewed a number of less severe fraternity violations that had accumulated since the beginning of the school year.

Phi Kappa Sigma -- commonly known as Skulls -- was fined for holding an unregistered party at its chapter house, located at 3539 Locust Walk. University Police were dispatched to the house after noise complaints were received Sept. 25.

IFC Judicial Board Manager David Kuhn said an "appropriate fine was levied," but he would not give its amount.

"There were a number of houses that did have some minor reports. ... Skulls was the most serious," the College senior said.

Kuhn added that the board reviewed "a handful" of fraternities, but he would not say which ones or elaborate on the specific nature of the reviews.

The number of suspected violations was "more than normal," Kuhn said, but he added that it is not unusual to have several minor infractions, particularly at the beginning of the year.

The money from the fines will be split between philanthropic programs and the IFC's Risk Reduction Awards program, which gives fraternities that have thrown registered parties and are in good standing with the University funds to use for future events.

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