Last modified: Thursday, February 28, 2002
Sanctions announced against fraternities
Richard McKaig, vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students at Indiana University, announced today (Feb. 28) that he is accepting the judgments of the Fraternity and Sorority Judicial Board, which found the Bloomington chapters of Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternities responsible for violations of the student conduct code. Both cases involved large-scale violations of the campus alcohol policy.
Delta Tau Delta will not be permitted to participate in campus activities through December. These activities include Little 500, Homecoming and intramural competitions, among others. The organization faces social restrictions through the spring semester of 2003, which will prevent it from participating as a group in various events, including serenades and parties.
The organization also will remain on disciplinary probation through the spring semester of 2004. Any further disciplinary violations during that time may lead to additional or heightened penalties for the group.
The Judicial Board concluded that Sigma Alpha Epsilon should be suspended through the remainder of the spring semester. During this period, the group may not function as a fraternity on the Bloomington campus. The organization is excluded from all campus activities and social events and may not participate as a member of the Interfraternity Council.
Upon completion of this suspension, the group may return to campus as a recognized fraternity. When it does, it will face social restrictions preventing it from participating in events such as serenades and parties through the fall semester. It also will be on disciplinary probation through the spring semester of 2003, during which any further disciplinary violations may subject the group to additional or heightened sanctions.
Both organizations were found to have violated the campus alcohol policy, which generally precludes the possession or the use of alcoholic beverages in university-supervised undergraduate residences. These residences include fraternity houses located on campus. The IU police also made arrests at Sigma Alpha Epsilon for underage drinking.
The Bloomington campus is engaged in a sweeping evaluation of its many efforts to combat underage and abusive drinking among its students. Implementation of various recommendations from the Campus-Community Commission on Alcohol is forthcoming, and the IU Bloomington campus administration has renewed calls for student responsibility and support.
"We will never make the progress we seek, nor will we substantially minimize the risks our students run, until they join us in this effort by taking greater responsibility for themselves," McKaig said. "Enforcement and education are the two components for which the campus administration must remain responsible, but only our students can make these efforts work by caring enough about themselves and their friends to both choose and act responsibly."
