The Beta Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. appealed adecision by the Southern University Dean of Student Life to suspend the chapterfor three years.
On Feb. 16, Robert Bennett, dean of student life issued the suspensionafter the SU Pan-Hellenic Judiciary Committee found the chapter not guilty ofhazing an SU student.
Deion Dorsett, basileus of the Beta Sigma chapter, claimed the allegedvictim of hazing could not properly identify his assailants. The accuser, ininitial interviews with police and the SU Office of Student Affairs, chargedthat five members of the chapter assaulted him on two occasions in Port Allen,and then in Zachary.
The student dropped all criminal charges before the Southern UniversityPan- Hellenic Judiciary Committee held initial hearings. The committee laterfound the Beta Sigma chapter not guilty.
Bennett overrode that decision and placed the chapter under a three-yearsuspension.
According to Bennett, the victim could only identify five members, butmore were involved
“The individual filed criminal charges against five people that herecognized, but there were more than five people at this particular event,”Bennett said.
“This young man could not even identify the five people who he said beathim,” Dorsett said. “I have a problem with that. If you say these people beatyou, I think you might know them. Every shirt that wears Omega Psi Phi is notan SU Omega.”
According to Dorsett, spokesman and an alleged assailant, the accuserlisted five members of Omega Psi Phi as individuals who beat him, when onlythree members belong to the Beta Sigma chapter. Dorsett said the two remainingmembers named are in no way affiliated with the Beta Sigma chapter.
In the metropolitan Baton Rouge area, there are five chapters of OmegaPsi Phi, two undergraduate and three graduate chapters.
”The city of Baton Rouge isan Omega mecca. A lot of people graduate here and they stay right here,”Dorsett said. “There are a lot of people that have a strong mindset of whatthey feel is the right way you should come into the organization and if youcome this way, you are not coming like a man.”
Dorsett also said the accuser testified that when he was phoned to meetmembers of the fraternity, they did not identify themselves as being a part ofOmega Psi Phi, specifically, the Beta Sigma chapter.
“That doesn’t make a difference that they were wearing Omega Psi Philetters and representing that organization. It doesn’t matter,” Bennett said.”They could have come from Afghanistan. They were wearing their letters.”
Bennett said that former members of Greek organization chapters sometimesparticipate in the intake process. Dorsett agreed with him, but said there isan exception to the rule.
“There are over 500 Ques (members of Omega Psi Phi) in the Baton Rougearea,” Dorsett said. “Yes, sometimes former members of our chapter try toinfluence us. However, I can’t keep tabs on everyone, nor know if they aredoing something in the name of Beta Sigma.”
All 12 members of the Beta Sigma chapter said that they feel they shouldnot be suspended because no one can be properly identified in this case.
Dorsett said that in this case, charges should be brought againstindividuals, not the chapter.
“Our chapter shouldn’t be charged as a whole,” Dorsett said. “Even if I’mnamed…if I’m indeed found guilty, I will take that charge — don’t punish myentire chapter. We (the chapter) shouldn’t be judged when only three officialmembers of the chapter are named in this case.”
Bennett stated in prior interviews with the Digest that if individualswere indeed identified as the abusers, their charges would be handled on anindividual basis. If no individual comes forward or is officially identified,the entire fraternity would face further punishment, hence the suspension.
“We plan to appeal this suspension,” Dorsett said. “I, in no way denythat this man was hazed — the pictures of his bruises prove that. However, itwas not my chapter that did it.”
Dorsett said that as a result of Bennett’s decision, their districtchapter has suspended them. He said that their district chapter suspended themthe same day Bennett rendered his verdict.
A party held on Feb. 17 at a local nightclub sponsored jointly by theTheta Kappa chapter of Omega Psi Phi (Louisiana State University’sundergraduate chapter) and the Beta Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,Inc. (an undergraduate sorority at Southern) almost put the Beta Sigma chapterinto more hot water.
Dorsett said that he was constantly approached with the issue of apossible suspension because patrons were getting their chapter confused withthe other.
“The Ques of LSU had a banner up for their party with Southern AKAs and Iwas getting phone calls all throughout the day saying we were about to getexpelled,” he said. “It clearly states that if you violate the (university)sanctions, the next step is to expel the individual.
This goes to show that it is fostering the idea that a Que is one in thesame.”