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(04/08/91 9:00am)
The national organization of Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity is investigating the University's TEP chapter for four different violations of "national policy," a TEP official said Friday. In addition, the University chapter has been temporarily suspended from holding any activities pending completion of the national organization's and University's probes. Jonathan Seidel, national executive director of TEP, said the University chapter allegedly violated national rules "related to fraternity operations and aspects of the fraternity's chapter programming." Seidel refused to comment further on the specific nature of these violations. He said the national organization does not know all the details of the incident that is being investigated by the University's Judicial Inquiry Officer because he had been notified about the probe by local alumni just last week. Seidel added he did not know how the University became aware of the alleged incident, and he hoped to learn more information in a meeting next week with national TEP officers, local alumni, chapter members, and University officials. Local alumni -- who also are members of the national alumni board -- are conducting the investigation for TEP's national organization, Seidel said. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs director Tricia Phaup said on Friday that she has provided TEP's national organization with information to help their investigation, and her office is "working with national and local alumni quite closely." Phaup added it is too early to determine what exactly the violations were. "The investigation is to find out what type of violations occurred," said Phaup. JIO Constance Goodman said Friday her investigation of TEP is underway, but she refused to comment further on the alleged incident. Seidel said he hoped information learned from TEP's national organization's probe and the JIO's would be shared. But Goodman said she has not talked with anyone from TEP's national organization, adding she usually conducts an independent investigation.
(04/05/91 10:00am)
The Black InterGreek Council elected its new executive officers Wednesday night, naming College junior Marisa Sifontes president. The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister will replace outgoing President Kathryn Williams. The other new officers are Vice President Marcus Chapman of Alpha Phi Alpha, Recording Secretary Joel Del Rosario of Lambda Upsilon Lambda, Corresponding Secretary Christine Bussey of AKA, Treasurer Vicki Johnson of AKA, and Parliamentarian Ricardo Morcelo of LUL. According to Chapman, the new board will meet today with the outgoing board to hear what its objectives were at the beginning of its term last year, and what it accomplished over the past year. The new BIG-C board will then meet at a later time to build on the old board's recommendations and plan for the next year, Chapman said. Chapman and newly elected President Sifontes both said one of their goals for next year is to increase the unity between Greeks under all three Greek umbrella organizations. "[I want] to show black Greek unity to the rest of the campus then to show Greek unity as a whole," said College junior Chapman. Sifontes said she plans to meet with the presidents of the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council to discuss Greek unity and other issues facing the three organizations' membership. In addition, Sifontes said she would like to see more events sponsored by the three Greek umbrella groups, and encourage individual fraternities and sororities from the IFC, Panhel, and BIG-C to plan programs together. Sifontes said she hoped she will be a leader for the entire black community and the same community will "see the BIG-C as a resource to be used." "The BIG-C will be doing a lot next year, a whole lot," Sifontes said.
(04/04/91 10:00am)
The Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity is under investigation by the Judicial Inquiry Officer for violations of University policies, JIO Constance Goodman said yesterday. Details of the investigation and of the alleged violation were not immediately available, and both the JIO and TEP's President Jordan Fishman declined to comment on the case. "I became aware of an alleged problem," Goodman said. "I will be investigating it." Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup confirmed that TEP is under investigation, but she also refused to comment. TEP's national organization could not be reached for comment yesterday. TEP is the second known fraternity investigated by the JIO this semester. Phi Sigma Kappa was investigated by the JIO earlier this year for an alleged hazing violation. Goodman is still deciding whether to press any charges or not. Phi Sig was also investigated by their national organization for the alleged hazing incident, who found the evidence they collected to be inconclusive. The national organization decided to reorganize the chapter, however, and five brothers were removed from the Locust Walk house last week. TEP initiated its fourteenth pledge class since its refounding in 1977, two weeks ago. Since the beginning of last year, the JIO has investigated at least two other campus fraternities for violations of University policy. Psi Upsilon fraternity was probed by the JIO and subsequently suspended for the alleged January 1990 kidnapping of a Delta Psi brother. Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was also investigated by the JIO last year for a pledge prank which involved a kidnapped horse. The fraternity's national organization responded by removing a number of brothers by placing them on early alumni status. Zeta Beta Tau and Alpha Chi Rho fraternities are still under probation for bringing strippers to rush events in the fall of 1988.
(03/28/91 10:00am)
The Interfraternity Council recommended at its meeting Monday that all IFC chapters screen promotional materials that are distributed to the general public, IFC president Jim Rettew said yesterday. However, the IFC is only recommending that the screening occur and houses will not be bound by the decision, Rettew added. According to the recommendation, all promotional materials such as posters, fliers and T-shirts must be screened by a memebr of the chapter's executive board or social awareness chairman, a position mandated by the IFC last year, the College junior said. Rettew added a number organizations including the United Minorities Council, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, and the Office of Student Life have said they will check any material that may be offensive to some and recommend changes. Jeff Furman, the IFC representative to the Greek Social Action Committee, said yesterday any complaints about an IFC chapter's promotional material will be directed to the IFC executive board which can then forward the complaint to the Greek Peer Judicial Board. Furman also said the UMC was given a copy of the recommendation and consulted before it was passed. According to Rettew, the recommendation will not affect some chapters that already have internal review boards or executive boards screen material. Rettew said the resolution, which was brought up by the IFC executive board, was "basically a pro-active move so mistakes from the past don't repeat themselves." Several fliers have been criticized within the past few years for being offensive. Last fall, the Latino community condemned a Sigma Phi Epsilon flier for a rush event depicting a stereotypical drunk and lazy Mexican. The fraternity then issued a written apology to the Latino community. In addition, a Beta Theta Pi flier with the words "live animals" on it and picturing a woman to advertise a "crab night" was met by a letter of protest by the Panhellenic Council's president Anita Hseuh last fall. Similar incidents occured in 1988 with Pi Kappa Alpha and in 1986 with Sigma Alpha Epsilon when both published fliers with "lazy Mexicans" on them. Furman said he was "very pleased" the recommendation was passed because it is "addressing an issue that certainly needed attention." "I believe it will be helpful to make a change," said Furman. "It identifies the problem and proposes to deal with it."
(03/25/91 10:00am)
Five members of the University chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity were removed from the house by the fraternity's national organization this weekend, a national fraternity official said last night. Todd Simpson, Phi Sig's national director of member services, said the removed brothers who live in Phi Sig's Locust Walk house have until next Friday to vacate the building and find new housing. The five members have been placed on "specialized third degree status," the equivalent of most fraternities' early alumni status. They are still a member of the fraternity, but are not allowed in the chapter's house and cannot attend any of its functions, except for alumni events such as Founders' Day, said Bill Jaffe, president of the University's chapter. Jaffe said if any of these members enter the house, they may face expulsion. The brothers were removed as part of a reorganization of the chapter. The reorganization, which took place all day Saturday, stems from an alleged hazing incident on January 18 involving an intoxicated initiate. Judicial Inquiry Officer Constance Goodman, who is investigating the fraternity independent of the national organization, said she cannot judge how this decision affects her investigation. "Before I would ever say how the result of their investigation affected mine, I would have to know why they removed the brothers and/or pledges," Goodman said last night. She added she is currently deciding if she will file charges based on her investigation. Goodman and Simpson have declined throughout their investigations to say what happened in the alleged incident. According to Simpson, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs has provided information on housing, adding that on-campus housing will be available immediately. Simpson would not say exactly how many of the removed brothers live in the fraternity's house, but he did say a "majority" of them live in the house. A five-member reorganization team made up of national officials and local alumni interviewed 31 of the 32 members of the house for nine hours Saturday in the Bishop White room in Houston Hall, and then discussed each case until midnight, Simpson said. The member who was not interviewed voluntarily decided not to be in the reorganized house, Jaffe said. This member is not included in the five members removed. Jaffe said he was informed of the decision yesterday morning, and he then notified the five members who were to be removed. "[It] was extremely difficult," the College junior said. "[I was] put in a position as bearer of bad news, but it is one of the responsibilities that I have." Simpson said the removal of brothers was "the hardest part of my position," but he said he was glad to have a core group of brothers "committed to positive changes." Jaffe said he and the chapter are upset over the loss of their friends, but "everybody is pretty relieved to some extent, and now we can start the process of rebuilding the chapter and making it a true fraternity." Simpson said he was very optimistic for the future of the University's house. Brothers will meet often with local and national officials for leadership training and chapter planning, he said. In the fall, the chapter will have a long range planning retreat.
(03/22/91 10:00am)
The new social monitoring system of the Interfraternity Council's BYOB policy will go into effect this weekend as planned, IFC president Jim Rettew said last night. The new monitoring policy was passed in a closed IFC meeting last month. IFC officials have said they added the new monitoring system to refine the BYOB policy, instituted in the fall. Two monitors will visit each registered "large" party on campus to watch for possible BYOB violations. The monitors will have a pass to enter the parties and will identify themselves at the door, the Rettew said. "Everything is going basically as planned," Rettew said. Rettew said each monitor will be given a set of instructions of what to look for at the parties and then will report their findings to the IFC. Rettew would not specify what type of "instructions" each monitor would be given, saying this information was "confidential". Greek Peer Judicial Board prosecutor Chris McLaughlin said last month that two monitors from different fraternities would go to the parties with a checklist devised by the IFC. McLaughlin also said the monitors would visit each party once or twice a night. He added that monitors are not "policemen." If a BYOB violation was found, McLaughlin said, the monitor would take note of it and report the incident to the IFC. The Executive board of the IFC would then decide to send it to the GPJB Prosecutor or not, he said last month. Under the old system, a fraternity would only have its "large" parties monitored if it was brought before the GPJB on charges. Another change made last month was to redefine a "large" party. The definition was changed from any party where each brother gave out two invitations, to one where each brother gave at least two invitations. Reaction to the new policy has been mixed, with some students calling it a much-needed repair to a broken system and some calling it an unnecessary and constricting policy. But Rettew reassured students last month that they will not notice a difference at fraternity parties.
(03/22/91 10:00am)
The University chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity will be reorganized this weekend, a national staff member of the organization said this week. National Director of Member Services Todd Simpson said the national's reorganization committee will meet with the whole chapter today and interview all the members of the Locust Walk house tomorrow. By tomorrow night, the committee will inform the members who will be removed from the chapter, Simpson said, adding that by Sunday, the committee will meet with the remaining chapter leadership to start the rebuilding process. Phi Sig's national organization is reorganizing the University chapter due to an alleged hazing incident involving an intoxicated rush in January. The fraternity's investigation earlier this winter proved inconclusive, officials said. Judicial Inquiry Officer Constance Goodman has completed her investigation into the same incident, but she has yet to draw up the charges in the case if any exist. Goodman could not be reached for comment this week. Phi Sig President Bill Jaffe said yesterday that the fraternity's daily life has not been affected by the investigation, adding that the brothers' only preparation for the reorganization has been scheduling interview times for all the house members. Jaffe also said that most of the brothers are uncertain of what will happen after the reorganization because "no one has been through something like this before." "We haven't gotten a lot of feedback from national of what to expect," he added. Phi Sig brother Kevin Stockmann said that even though some brothers are nervous, he feels "our house will come out of it fine." College junior Jaffe said the chapter is waiting to be "out of the spotlight." "There's been so much build-up to this that people are anxious to get it over with and start fresh, instead of being under a microscope," he said. During the interview process, each member of Phi Sig will be judged on their past contributions to the chapter, school and activities, as well as their academic background and disciplinary history, said Simpson. In similar situations, fraternity members have been removed from the undergraduate chapter by being placed on "early alumni status." Phi Sig uses a similar instrument, called "disciplinary alumni status." Brothers who are assigned this designation will be forbidden from participating in all chapter functions, but will remain a member of the fraternity.
(03/20/91 10:00am)
Tip-off time for Zeta Beta Tau and Phi Delta Theta's big game is only two weeks away. The two fraternities will be shooting for $30,000 for Philadelphia's homeless in their second annual "Shooting for a Cause: Hoops for the Homeless" basketball tournament. Adam Miller, executive director of Shooting for a Cause, said last night that beginning April 3, ZBT and Phi Delt will sponsor a series of parties, concerts and basketball games to raise money for two area homeless charities. The Philadelphia chapter of the Employment Project, an organization which helps the homeless secure permanent employment, and the Committee for Dignity and Fairness in Housing, which finds permanent housing for homeless people, will receive all of the money raised by the event, ZBT brother Miller said. These charities were chosen because "people are very adverse to temporary solutions, and both these organizations stress constructive, long-term answers to the problem of homelessness," said Miller. Homelessness was chosen as the focus for this year's drive "because the idea of shooting for a cause is to raise money and awareness of a social problem in Philadelphia," Miller said. Last year the cause chosen for the event was AIDS. Another main goal of Shooting for a Cause is Greek unity at the University and among all of the universities in the Philadelphia area, the College and Wharton senior said last night. "By displaying the power of the Greek system for good was an initial thrust of the event's creation," Miller said. "We feel by uniting the Greek systems of six universities, we have proven our assumptions." Miller said basketball teams from fraternities and sororities at Villanova, Temple, St. Joseph's and Drexel universities have already agreed to play. The main event of the weekend will be three separate basketball tournaments held at the Palestra and Hutchinson Gymnasium. Miller said he is hoping for a 32-team fraternity tournament, a 16-team sorority tournament and a smaller tournament for the event's corporate sponsors. To enter, a team, a fraternity or sorority must raise at least $200 for the campaign, and the corporate sponsors will have an entrance fee as well, said Miller. One of the other main attractions of the weekend will be an April 6 concert at the Palestra. Miller said Shooting for a Cause is trying to get "one large band or a few local bands" to play the show. Miller said they almost signed Living Colour, but "Vernon Reese [the band's guitar player] is getting married that weekend." Other events in the Shooting for a Cause include three parties at area bars and clubs, including Roxxi, Cavanaugh's and Smokey Joe's, to be held over the course of the four-day fest, Miller said. As with all events held over the weekend, all proceeds will go the charity. On April 4, Shooting for a Cause will take a more serious approach to fighting homelessness with a panel discussion on homelessness with local activists, officials and University experts, Miller said. He also said he hoped Mayor Wilson Goode would present the tournament's prizes. Miller said Shooting for a Cause will offset many of its expenses with corporate sponsors, including its primary sponsor, The Pep Boys. The campaign raised $20,000 last year, Miller said, adding he thinks it can raise $30,000 or more this year.
(03/08/91 10:00am)
Following a trend of growth in the Greek system, about 50 men signed bids during the Interfraternity Council's optional spring rush, IFC Vice President for Rush Bruce Forman said Wednesday night. Approximately 400 men signed bids during the IFC's official rush period last fall, Forman said. He added there were no problems with this spring's informal rush and all the houses were pleased with the turnout. IFC spring rush is an optional process in which a chapter can choose to participate. Most houses took part in this year's spring rush to increase membership in their new chapter or to offset the number of members they will lose to graduation. The eight houses which held a spring rush were Sigma Nu, Phi Kappa Sigma, Acacia, Delta Upsilon, Kappa Alpha Society, Phi Kappa Psi, Pi Lambda Phi and Sigma Phi Epsilon. A fraternity's next opportunity to recruit new members will be during next fall's IFC rush which will tentatively be held from September 22 to October 26, said Forman at a January IFC meeting. The optional spring rush which began on January 18 was supposed to be followed by the return of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity to campus. But Forman said the DTD national organization has decided to re-charter next fall. DTD wanted to have a spring pledge class, said Forman, but added they felt they did not have enough time "to educate them" about the fraternity. The Wharton junior said DTD will have a rush for sophomores and juniors during the regularly-scheduled IFC rush next fall. They added that the fraternity may hold a special freshman rush immediately after the fall rush period or in the following spring. Forman said the addition of DTD will attract an even more diverse group of students to the Greek system, adding to the trend already happening on campus. "We continue to expand the base of fraternity members," said the Tau Epsilon Phi brother. "[We] are very pleased in the diversity of members who accepted bids and rushed houses this spring."
(03/05/91 10:00am)
Pi Beta Phi will be the next sorority brought on campus, Panhellenic Council representatives announced last week. Anne McGowan, the chairperson of Panhel's Expansion Committee, said at last week's Panhel meeting that Pi Phi will have preference over Sigma Kappa, the other sorority scheduled to be added. The "consensus is that [we] do need to expand," McGowan told Panhel representatives. McGowan said she met with Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup Wednesday but declined to comment on their meeting. Pi Phi will be brought on campus in the fall at the earliest, and possibly will have to wait until spring, she said. The College junior said throughout her report to Panhel that expansion should be slow because "everyone's got to think about what's best in the long term." McGowan added that Panhel, as a whole, will make the final decision when and if to expand. "We don't want to do anything that will upset, anger, perturb any national sorority we already have here," the Delta Delta Delta sister said. Assistant Director of OFSA Eric Newman said Pi Phi is "definitely" coming to the University as outlined in an expansion plan approved a few years ago. This plan allowed for the addition of five sororities to the system. The only two not yet at the University are Pi Phi and Sigma Kappa. Alpha Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Chi Omega have since been established at the University. The last of this group, Alpha Chi Omega, formed in 1989. Newman added that the committee and OFSA are "deciding on times [for expansion] now." Maureen Hernandez, Panhel president, said yesterday she believes expansion is needed, but at a careful pace. "We want to bring the chapters on with confidence when we are in a position to bring them on and to aid them in their transitional stages," said Hernandez. The College junior said the Panhel helps a new sorority's national representatives in several ways in forming a chapter, from finding hotel rooms, to dealing with the University.
(03/05/91 10:00am)
Pi Beta Phi will be the next sorority brought on campus, Panhellenic Council representatives announced last month. Anne McGowan, the chairperson of Panhel's Expansion Committee, said at last month's Panhel meeting that Pi Phi will have preference over Sigma Kappa, the other sorority scheduled to be added. The "consensus is that [we] do need to expand," McGowan told Panhel representatives. McGowan said she met with Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup last month, but declined to comment on their meeting. Pi Phi will be brought on campus in the fall at the earliest, and possibly will have to wait until spring, she said. The College junior said throughout her report to Panhel that expansion should be slow because "everyone's got to think about what's best in the long term." McGowan added that Panhel, as a whole, will make the final decision when and if to expand. "We don't want to do anything that will upset, anger, or perturb any national sorority we already have here," the Delta Delta Delta sister said. Assistant Director of OFSA Eric Newman said Pi Phi is "definitely" coming to the University as outlined in an expansion plan approved a few years ago. This plan allowed for the addition of five sororities to the system. The only two not yet at the University are Pi Phi and Sigma Kappa. Alpha Phi, Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Chi Omega have since been established at the University. The last of this group, Alpha Chi Omega, formed in 1989. Newman added that the committee and OFSA are "deciding on times [for expansion] now." Maureen Hernandez, Panhel president, said last month she believes expansion is needed, but at a careful pace. "We want to bring the chapters on with confidence when we are in a position to bring them on and to aid them in their transitional stages," said Hernandez. The College junior said that Panhel helps a new sorority's national representatives in several ways in forming a chapter, from finding hotel rooms, to dealing with the University.
(03/01/91 10:00am)
Students yesterday said they have mixed feelings about the Interfraternity Council's new BYOB social monitoring system, saying the policy as a whole is not working. Several students, called at random, gave accounts of being given beer tickets by brothers at fraternity parties and of just walking into a fraternity and drinking punch all night. But fraternity brothers said BYOB is working the best it possibly can even though it is not followed stringently, and is fulfilling its purpose of managing risk. IFC president Jim Rettew responded last night to these accounts of widespread BYOB violations by stressing that the way to judge BYOB is to "ask 'Does BYOB manage risk effectively?' " "In that sense, I do think that it is working," Rettew said. In addition, Rettew stressed that he has seen positive results from BYOB. He said these include a decrease in the number of alcohol-related incidents at fraternity parties and people drinking less beer since it is served in cans. The new monitoring policy calls for two monitors to make the rounds at all "large" fraternity parties. They will look for violations as outlined in a checklist provided by the IFC. Under the old BYOB policy, adopted in the fall, monitors would only visit a fraternity's party if they had been brought before the Greek Peer Judicial Board for alcohol violations. Rettew said earlier this week the changes are just part of refining a workable and successful system. "BYOB has enabled a more controlled and manageable party environment," Rettew said. But some students said last night they have attended fraternity parties that are not controlled at all. College freshman Gregory Gioe said he has attended "several" fraternity parties this year, and "generally, it [BYOB] is not enforced at all." Gioe said he recently attended an invitation-only hotel party, but a brother was standing in front of the house giving out invitations to enter the party. Gioe said he "walked in, got my hand stamped, went up to where they had the punch, and drank all night. I wasn't checked for 21 I.D. or anything." Students also said they have seen few people actually bringing their own beer, and that most students are given beer tickets by brothers. "In the beginning [of BYOB] I saw people who bought beer and brought it, and now I don't," College freshman Elizabeth Bauer said. "People are still getting beer from the fraternities and not bringing their own." Bauer added that she likes the new monitoring system because it makes it fair for the fraternities that are following BYOB. Gioe also said that the monitoring system is a good idea. "I think it [the monitoring] might make a definite difference for right now I don't see any monitoring at all," Gioe said. Other students said they did not like the new policy for a variety of reasons. Graham Fuchs, a College sophomore, said the new system is "stupid." "It's like having your parents at a party," Fuchs said. "I think we[college students] are old enough to look out for ourselves." Sigma Phi Epsilon brother Troy McNeil said there will be a lot of pressure for a monitor not to report another fraternity's violations because of the "we are in this together so don't dick us" attitude. McNeil added he feels the policy would be effective, but he doubts the necessity of it. "I joined a frat not to deal with all this bullshit," he said. "The University is coming down on us harder than they should." Even though the University did not institute this policy, he said that there was a lot of pressure put on the IFC by the administration to make the move. Fraternity brothers also said there are definitely some BYOB violations, but the policy is cutting down risks. "I think that it [BYOB] is working to the best anyone can possibly expect it to work," said Engineering junior Ronen Petreanu, a Sigma Phi Epsilon brother.
(02/28/91 10:00am)
The Interfraternity Council revised its BYOB policy this week by instituting a new social monitoring system at parties, IFC President Jim Rettew said in a written statement last night. Under the old policy, fraternities could hold parties without monitors unless the Greek Peer Judicial Board found them guilty of previous violations of BYOB policy. The new policy calls for two roving monitors to visit all "large parties" to look for violations. Rettew said yesterday the new policy sets up a formal process for monitors to report BYOB violations and calls for the IFC executive board to review reports of violations and decide if they go on to the GPJB. He added that the new rules should not affect students attending parties. "I doubt that party-goers will see a difference," Rettew said, adding that the policy will take effect after spring break. Rettew said fraternities came to a consensus that change was necessary. According to GPJB prosecutor Chris McLaughlin, this consensus was reached before an IFC meeting on Monday. "Jimmy [Rettew] sat down with the presidential round tables [a group of ten chapter presidents] and hashed out everyone's problems with BYOB," said McLaughlin. College junior Rettew added that the new monitoring system is just a step in the process of refining the BYOB policy. "[The new policy] is not a response to the fact that BYOB is not working," said Rettew. "BYOB is a successful policy that manages risk effectively. In that sense, it is working." Under the new social monitoring system, two volunteer monitors from different fraternities will go to every registered "large party" to look for any violations of BYOB policy, McLaughlin, a Wharton senior, said. Each monitor will be given a checklist of what to look for at a party. McLaughlin said the lists will "take subjectivity out of it [the process]." A monitor will not be at a party all night, McLaughlin said, but will probably visit a specific party once or twice a night. If a monitor sees a BYOB violation, he will record it and then leave the party, he said. McLaughlin added that monitors will not be "policemen." If there is a BYOB violation, then a monitor would report it to the IFC. The IFC Executive Board would then decide whether or not to send it to the GPJB prosecutor, said McLaughlin. He said that in his opinion, a major violation of "the spirit of BYOB" would include a keg of beer at a party. Such an offense should be sent to the GPJB prosecutor through the IFC or directly to him, he said. In addition to this change, the IFC redefined its definition of a "large party." Under the new BYOB guidelines, McLaughlin said, a "large party" is now defined as a party with over two invitations per brother. The IFC will receive all social monitoring reports, Rettew said. All major violations will be sent to the GPJB and all minor violations will be handled differently. These "will stay within the IFC board," Rettew said. Rettew would not define a "major" and "minor" violation. The Panhellenic Council's GPJB Administrator Lisa Spivack said the new system could prevent hostility between individuals or fraternities. She noted that the new process calls for the IFC board to report violations to the GPJB, eliminating pressure on the individual who would otherwise have to file a complaint under his name. But Spivack said if minor BYOB violations are handled only by the IFC and not sent to the GPJB, the jurisdiction of the GPJB will be undermined. "If we [GPJB] are going to have any sort of power on the campus we better handle minor violations," said Spivack. "We have to start somewhere. It [not hearing cases] will undermine the integrity of the Greek law system of this board." IFC president Rettew said he does not expect an increase in the number of BYOB cases heard before the GPJB. "I feel that they [fraternities] are following the basic part of the guideline already," he said. But GPJB administrator Spivack said social monitoring will mean more cases for the GPJB. Spivack added that no BYOB cases have yet been heard by the GPJB. However, she said that the prosecutor may have investigated incidents and found it unnecessary to bring them to trial.
(02/22/91 10:00am)
Representatives of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity's national and local organizations will interview brothers starting March 22, the first key step in reorganizing the University's chapter. Tom Recker, the executive vice-president of the national organization, said last week that a committee chaired by National Director of Member Services Todd Simpson and comprised of national and local officers and alumni will be interviewing all the members of the University's chapter. The committee will also judge each brother's involvement in all of the chapter's programs, involvement in extra-curricular activities and their academic record, Recker said. In addition to assessing each brother, the executive vice-president said the committee will take into account the negative and positive aspects of the chapter's past. The national organization is reorganizing the chapter in response to an alleged hazing incident at the fraternity's Locust Walk house in January. Brothers who do not meet the national organization's standards will be placed on disciplinary alumni status, under which they can no longer act as members of the undergraduate chapter. Local alumnus John Phelps said last week at the fraternity's house that the national fraternity is already reviewing the chapter's history. Phelps added that reorganization is a "serious undertaking" and a "step short of suspension of a local chapter." Because of the seriousness of the situation, Phelps said neither the national organization nor the local alumni would want to "prejudice [the reorganization process] with an expectation." But during a presentation at a Panhellenic Council meeting last Wednesday night, Interfraternity Council President Jim Rettew of said he expects Phi Sig to be "cut down to about half." In addition, he said that there were 200 complaints of hazing incidents last year ranging from very minor to severe. But Phi Sig national officials said that Rettew's statement was not based on any information from their organization. College junior Rettew said last night his estimation of the number of brothers who could be removed from Phi Sig was "totally speculation" and "part of it is opinion, based on PiKA." A number of Pi Kappa Alpha brothers were removed from the University's chapter last year by the national organization for a number of alleged improprieties. Rettew also said his approximation of 200 hazing incidents is a "roundabout number, my rough indication from what I gather from [the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs] and what I heard. Again, it is a very rough estimate." Rettew added that these figures were exaggerated in his presentation to the Panhel "to make it more interesting and to get my point across to Panhel." "This is a gross exaggeration made for dramatic purposes," said Eric Newman, assistant director of OFSA.
(02/14/91 10:00am)
Sororities in the Panhellenic Council are bursting at their seams. With a record-breaking spring rush that filled all eight of its chapters, Panhel is now looking to expand. Because some sororities' pledge classes this year contain nearly 55 women, the Council has set up an expansion committee to investigate the possibility of bringing new sororities on campus, Panhel President Maureen Hernandez said this week. The chairperson of the new committee, College junior and Delta Delta Delta sister Ann McGowan, said this week that each of the eight sororities in Panhel have representatives on the body. She also said the committee will study all the statistics from rush, and confer with the representatives from the national sororities which they plan to bring on campus. According to Tricia Phaup, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, five years ago a list was compiled with five sororities which were to come on campus. Three of these formed, but Pi Beta Phi and Sigma Kappa could still be added, Phaup said. McGowan added last night that these two sororities are the only two in the running to be allowed on campus. Panhel still must decide when either or both of them will be admitted. The committee has yet to meet, but many of Panhel's leaders are already calling for expansion. "Absolutely expansion is needed," said Phi Sigma Sigma President Kim Brodkin. "With an increase in the number of sororities on campus, everyone will benefit." Yet Brodkin said she is not certain an increase in the number of sororities on campus will mean that the quota will drop. "Two new chapters might mean even more people will rush," she said. Deborah Fries, the immediate past-president of Kappa Delta, said she is in favor of the addition of new chapters, but at a slow pace to give the new chapters a chance to grow. Many house presidents also said they felt this growth has repercussions on the pledge process and the sorority experience as a whole. "When you get a very large pledge class, it is hard to keep everyone happy and give them the attention they need," Fries said. College junior Brodkin sees the situation in a different light. She said since pledge classes have become increasingly larger, there are enough sisters to cope with the large pledge class. Even though it is "still like family," Brodkin said, "[you] don't feel equally close to everyone."
(02/14/91 10:00am)
The Interfraternity Council approved a new charter for the Greek Peer Judicial Board, an internal board designed to adjudicate self-imposed rules on Greek groups, in a closed session last night. The new charter was ratified by the Panhellenic Council last Wednesday. Final approval for the plan must be given by the vice provost for University life. The original charter was ratified by the three Greek umbrella organizations in December 1988, but it was not approved by the University because of "legal language" problems, Ken Harrell, one of the architects of the new charter, said last night. According to the new charter, the GPJB's jurisdiction consists of all areas not covered by the University's policies and procedures. It is to "enforce purely Greek-designed, Greek-imposed extra-regulations," said Steve Poskanzer, a staff lawyer for the University. In addition, the GPJB will handle "anything that the University decides not to prosecute and hands down to us," said Panhel GPJB representative Lisa Spivack, a College and Wharton senior. According to IFC President Jim Rettew, the GPJB and University have an "understanding" that over time, the GPJB's jurisdiction will expand to cover more Greek-related areas. He foresees this responsibility to include even hazing violations. "We will gain further responsibility as we prove our effectiveness," said Rettew. The present prosecutor for the GPJB, Chris McLaughlin, said he expects this increased responsibility to come within the next two or three years. The new charter also changed the number of people who preside over cases from five, one from each organization and two from the umbrella group representing the chapter under investigation, to three, one from each umbrella organization, said Spivack. In addition, Spivack said, the changes include an amendment process. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said yesterday she will give final approval to any amendments as well as the initial document. One of the major issues the GPJB will consider is the IFC's BYOB policy, which was instituted last semester. College junior Rettew said more BYOB cases may be heard as "our members see it [GPJB] as a more credible body." Spivack said she and the rest of the GPJB are "definitely troubled" that BYOB violations have not been prosecuted "when there certainly have been some." "We are not out to get Greeks since we are Greeks." she said, "We just want to establish a credibility among the Greek system." According to Harrell, only five or six cases were investigated by the GPJB's prosecutor, and none were heard by the board. Spivack said that the GPJB is not a police organization. It can only act if someone files a complaint. Harrell said the ratification of the charter shows that "Greeks are ready to govern themselves." In other IFC business, the IFC selected Guy Ashley, a Delta Kappa Epsilon brother, as its GPJB administrator for next year and Brett Barth, of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Brian Study, of Alpha Chi Rho, as its two representatives for next year's board.
(02/04/91 10:00am)
The national organization of Phi Sigma Kappa will be "reorganizing" the fraternity's University chapter and may remove some current undergraduates from the house because of "inappropriate activities," national officials announced Friday. National officials said Friday that a committee made up of national fraternity staff, officers and two alumni representatives will interview every brother and rush in the University's chapter, and those who do not "agree to uphold and abide" by the fraternity's principles and policies will be removed from the undergraduate chapter. The national organization would not specify how they would remove these members, but Bill Jaffe, the University's chapter president, said the national organization would put them on early alumni status. It is unclear how many brothers could be affected by such action. National executive vice president Tom Recker said in a statement released last Friday, that the evidence collected from its investigation into an alleged hazing incident on January 18, was "conflicting and inconclusive." "We are, however, greatly concerned over some inappropriate activities related to this matter as well as to other problems involving alcohol," Recker said. It is still unclear exactly what happened at the house on January 18. Last week, the president of the University's alumni chapter Tom Curtis, said the incident involved an intoxicated freshman. But on Friday, Todd Simpson, the national organization's director of member services, said the misuse of alcohol was not part of the actual incident. He said the house's use of alcohol in general was investigated, however. The national president of Phi Sig made the decision, and the process of reorganization has already started, Simpson said. In most fraternity houses, early alumni status means that the affected students are no longer members of the house but do have the same privileges that alumni have. But Simpson said Sunday that Phi Sig has no "early alumnus status." Instead, Phi Sig has a disciplinary alumni status, which in most cases involves a brother's complete removal from the chapter and all chapter functions while still allowing him to be a member of the fraternity, Simpson said. Jaffe said that brothers in the house are not happy with national's decision. "Every brother in this house deserves to stay in the house," Jaffe said. "Any decision made by national on the chapter the brothers aren't going to be happy with, but considering the circumstances, it could have been worse." College junior and Phi Sig brother J.J. Ufberg said losing any brothers would be hard since the house is small already. The house is already conducting a spring rush. Yet Jaffe said he is "positive" the chapter will stay in existence. "[We will] have support from national and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. . . and I'm confident that we have a strong brotherhood," said Jaffe. "and we have people that are willing to make an effort to keep the chapter as strong as possible."
(01/31/91 10:00am)
The national organization of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity is expected within days to make a ruling on whether brothers of the University's house hazed a freshman, and the decision could come as soon as today, according to fraternity officials. Phi Sig's national Executive Vice President Tom Recker said last night a decision on the January 18 incident will be made either this week or early next week. "We continue to investigate," Recker said. "We've pretty much gathered the information. We're making a decision on where to go. We hope to have something by the end of the week. We want to make sure we have all the information." The president of the local chapter's alumni corporation, Tom Curtis, said a decision may be made as soon as tomorrow. "I would expect a recommendation for an action plan tomorrow," said Curtis. Bill Jaffe, president of the University's chapter, said last night he does not know exactly when a decision will be made. Recker's accounts of the progress of the investigation and Curtis' accounts have not matched over the past two days. Recker said yesterday that he, not Curtis, is overseeing the investigation. Recker said Curtis' statements are based on his own "line of thought." "[He] is not designated as a representative of the national organization," Recker said. Recker added that the fraternity's investigation into the incident is headed by himself and the director of member services. He said they are gathering information from the University's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, the undergraduate chapter and any other possible sources. He added that Curtis has been cooperating with the national office's investigation. Recker said a decision will be made by the national president and staff. Curtis' role in the decision-making process is to give input on behalf of the alumni, said Recker. According to Recker, the alumni corporation is primarily involved in housing, and members are not designated as national officers of the fraternity. Curtis, who has been president of the University's chapter's alumni corporation since 1972, said the alumni association is a volunteer group whose primary responsibility is the upkeep of the actual house. Curtis said that under the fraternity's charter, the national president can make any decision regarding sanctions on his own. The Executive Board of the national organization can vote on the decision, but Curtis said that it will probably not since this was not a "life-threatening incident." He added that a decision should be made soon. "It's not fair to let this thing hang out indefinitely," he said. Curtis also stood by his earlier assessment that the incident is minor and added that it has been "totally blown out of proportion." "I hope the university community is not totally oversensitive to an action like this," he added. The decision made by this national group is the "final word," he said.
(01/30/91 10:00am)
A local representative of the Phi Sigma Kappa national organization said yesterday that an alleged hazing incident at the University's chapter was only "a very minor incident." According to Tom Curtis, who is conducting the investigation for the national fraternity, the incident concerns a rush who entered the fraternity's 3615 Locust Walk house intoxicated on January 18 and was put to bed by members of the house to "protect him." In a seperate development, University Judicial Inquiry Officer Constance Goodman said last night that she is investigating an alleged hazing incident at the Phi Sig house and will begin talking to the students involved today. Curtis, president of the alumni corporation for the University chapter of Phi Sig, said last night that he is still looking into the incident, but feels so far that fraternity members did nothing wrong. "I consider it a very minor incident," Curtis said. "I do not consider it a hazing incident, and I feel that no University regulations were violated." Curtis said he has not visited campus as part of the probe, adding that he has not called the victim or any fraternity brothers other than chapter President Bill Jaffe. He said his investigation is "based upon written reports from the chapter president." He said the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and chapter president Jaffe are interviewing the people involved in the case. "I have been talking to people in the house who are involved or might have been involved in the incident, and conducting interviews to find out what else happened," Jaffe said last night. But Jaffe's account of the investigation differed slightly from Curtis'. The College junior said that, to his knowledge, no one else, including OFSA, has interviewed any brother in the house. He said OFSA may have contacted the rush involved in the incident. OFSA officials were unavailable for comment. Curtis said that the victim's Resident Advisor reported the incident to OFSA "against the wishes of the individual." The RA would not comment on the situation last night. Jaffe still maintains that the whole incident is a "practical joke." "In due time, the facts will come out and I think the community will agree with us," he said. Curtis said he is keeping the fraternity's national president advised of the investigation's progress and expects a ruling soon. He added that if the allegations made are found to be true, the national organization can suspend the chapter, put it on some form of probation or provide additional counseling. However, Curtis said it could be difficult to hold the house collectively responsible for the incident since it was "an isolated incident done from individuals in the house." Curtis said the abolition of pledging by the national Phi Sig organization has made the fraternity's definition of hazing much stricter. He added, however, that the University chapter did not violate these new regulations in this case. Chapter President Jaffe said that the house has decided to suspend all chapter activities until the end of the investigation in order "to concentrate resources on this investigation." Curtis said OFSA notified the national organization last Wednesday or Thursday about the incident. Curtis said he was notified on Thursday, and then contacted the chapter's advisor and officials at national to further investigate the incident.
(01/28/91 10:00am)
By 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon, the heavy doors of Bodek Lounge were about the only thing holding back the nearly 400 women anxiously awaiting their entrance into the Greek system. In the final event of the Panhellenic Council's week-long rush, invitations were extended to these women from one of the eight sororities they began to rush one week ago. And although rushes were able to pick up their invitations over a two-hour span, Bodek Lounge was nearly deserted after a half-hour. According to College senior Jenny Gonell, Panhel vice-president for rush, the main event for many of the rushes was an hour-long party after which they had to submit their top two choices for sororities. The rushes were assigned to their new sororities by a committee made up of two alumnae from each sorority, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup and a separate alumna from a sorority. At a Saturday night session, the committee matched the rush's choices with each house's list of women it wanted, in preferential order. According to rush officials, some women "committed a suicide" by only putting one sorority on their bid card -- hurting their chances for a selection but potentially improving their chance of making it into their top choice. Wharton freshman Nicole Shumanis said she "suicided" to make certain she would make it into only one sorority. "I knew from the beginning that I liked one sorority more," she said. "I did not want to join a sorority for the sake of joining a sorority." Women who were not picked for any house were called by their Rho Chi, or rush counselor, in order to save them any embarassment, said Gonell. Throughout rush, counselors and each sorority gave rushes financial and pledging information about each house, she said. Gonell added that the Panhel system is taking in 391 pledges, and each house was able to take up to 55 women. However she said Panhel regulations prevent her from saying how many bids each house actually extended. As students celebrated in little groups around Houston Hall, there was varied reaction to the process they had gone through and what awaits them as members of a sorority. "The rush process worked really well," said College freshman and new Kappa Alpha Theta pledge Jen Gold. "People ended up where they were meant to be." While waiting for her invitation, Wharton freshman Sangeeta Nayak expressed some apprehension. "I am still undecided," Nayak said. "Rush should be longer." Although this is a common complaint, Gonell said that pledging, rather than rush, is the time when a house and its new members learn about each other. "Houses are trying to get a diverse sisterhood, and a good way to do this is to take someone that they do not know a lot about," said Gonell. And according to rushes, getting to know a new group of people is also one of the top reasons women joined the sorority system. College junior Liza Herzog, a transfer student from the University of Michigan, said the Greek system is a "good way to meet people if you are coming from another school."
