Posted on 11/21/2003 6:39:41 AM PST by shhrubbery!
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAMILTON, N.Y. (AP) - Colgate University has kicked a fraternity off campus because of hazing new members, college officials said.
The Kappa Delta Rho chapter house in Hamilton, 45 miles southeast of Syracuse, will be closed at the end of the semester.
In the first reported incident, about 11 p.m. Sept. 24 off-campus in nearby Eaton, Madison County deputies reported finding a group of men in a field, some blindfolded and others reading poetry to them. College officials said it was preceded by underage drinking.
Two weeks later, the university placed the fraternity on two years' probation and barred alcohol consumption in the fraternity house. At a second campus conduct hearing this month, members admitted they hazed new members, including restraining them in a locked boiler room, forced them to stay up all night, humiliated them and dropped them off at remote locations.
"It was a very conscious decision on their part to resume the hazing," college dean Adam Weinberg told The Post-Standard of Syracuse. "They didn't have any desire to change. That's what's most disturbing."
The fraternity has about 60 undergraduate members, 23 living in the house who will be moved to university housing next semester.
"People are really upset around here today," said one fraternity member, who asked not to be identified, at the house Thursday.
Following an 18-year-old student was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning during a hazing incident last year, Colgate suspended Beta Theta Pi fraternity for several semesters.
In 2001, Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity was shut down for a year for serving alcohol to the driver in a crash that killed four people.
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No, I didn't miss that, but considered it most likely a flimsy excuse by the Colgate adminstrators in their campaign to harrass fraterities out of existence.
(I don't know for sure that's happening at Colgate, but I know it is happening at other schools.)
There's plenty of underaged drinking outside of frats too; and while I agree it's a serious concern, most schools seem to look the other way unless it's a frat involved.
Are you a Colgate student? If so, how do you like the school (if you don't mind my asking -- I have a son who might be interested in applying there.)
Is the Colgate administration trying to harrass fraternities out of existence?
That part I definately agree with. Unfortunately, when individuals engage in underage drinking, it's hard for a University to do much about it. When the underaged drinking is being supported/sponsored/encouraged by a University recognized organization, like a Fraternity, then it gives the University a place to focus it's attention.
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