Arkansas State frat suspended for 4 years due to hazing

(U-WIRE) STATE UNIVERSITY, Ark. – The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Arkansas State University has been suspended for four years as punishment for a hazing incident that happened at a pledge retreat in October.
According to Dwayne Scott, assistant dean of judicial affairs, the suspension is effective immediately and includes all on- and off-campus activities until 2005.
The sanctions are pending on appeal, Scott said.
The hazing incident took place at a pledge retreat in Heber Springs, Ark. Kyle Price, a sophomore undecided major, suffered from alcohol poisoning.
Roger Lee, dean of student affairs, said the pledge passed out in a coma-like state. Derek Krouse, a freshman premed biology major, took Price to the hospital, along with Bill Midkiff, chapter president.
Price’s blood alcohol content was .379. A blood alcohol content level of 0.08 percent or greater constitutes drunkenness, according to Arkansas law.
The fraternity violated four of the 22 regulations outlined in the Code of Conduct in the Arkansas State University 2001-02 Student Handbook. According to Scott, violations committed by the Sig Eps are:
* possession and/or use of alcohol;
* acts against the safety of students;
* conduct which threatens or endangers the health, safety or welfare of University students;
* actions and/or situations created intentionally that produces mental and/or physical discomfort.
Activities that the fraternity cannot participate in include all chapter meetings, social events, new member meetings, philanthropy events and participation in any University-sponsored activity.
According to Scott and Lee, in order to regain active status of their chapter, the national office must submit a written plan to Scott regarding future involvement with the chapter in areas of chapter maintenance, alcohol, hazing and leadership issues.
The national office also must submit a written description to the assistant dean of Greek affairs regarding monitoring procedures and/or practices regarding the fraternity’s pledge program and retreat activities that will assure that similar violations will not occur in the future.
After the chapter is reinstated, the Arkansas Gamma chapter will be placed on probation for one year, Scott said. Violations committed by the Sig Eps once they are reinstated may result in immediate expulsion from the university.
Other conditions outlined in the sanctions include the fraternity’s obligation to register all pledge retreat activities five working days prior to the event with ASU. All pledge program activities must occur within the Jonesboro, Ark., city limits. The fraternity also will be required to have a live-in staff person (graduate student or professional) that resides in the house for as long as Sigma Phi Epsilon remains a student organization.
“We don’t know what we’re going to do about their house,” Lee said. “It’s the nationals’ call, since it’s their property.”
Lee said the alumni would establish the new pledge process once the fraternity is reactivated.
This is not the first time a fraternity on the ASU campus has been punished for hazing. According to Lee, the Omega Psi Phi fraternity will complete a four-year suspension this year following an alleged hazing incident and fight in 1997.