Posted on 12/18/2005 11:32:35 AM PST by SJackson
Members of a University of Wisconsin fraternity face more than $94,000 in fines after police busted a Halloween party at their house.
Police gave citations this week to 11 Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity members for the Oct. 28 party, where fire inspectors counted more than 600 people in a house that has a capacity of 99.
The university opened an investigation on Friday that could lead to sanctions against the fraternity and the people involved, Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam said. She said the group's national chapter also could yank its charter.
The costume party's 11 hosts face fines of more than $8,000 apiece for a total of 266 violations, most for illegally running a tavern and serving underage drinkers, Officer Carrie Hemming said.
Police believe it is the biggest total fine for a house party in Madison, which has struggled for years to combat drinking parties that police say lead to drunken driving, sexual assaults and property damage. UW-Madison students binge drink at a higher rate than college students across the country, according to a study released last month.
Those who attended the party drained more than 110 1.7 liter bottles of vodka and rum and 1,650 cans of beer by 10:30 p.m., according to police reports released Friday. Some had been charged $15 to get in and bartenders were serving "anything you wanted," a 19-year-old student told police, according to the reports.
Police broke up the party at the four-story mansion but did not issue tickets until this week because of a backlog from the annual Halloween celebration, which attracts tens of thousands of people to Madison.
"This was the largest party that we came across," Police Lt. Carl Gloede said. "Besides the illegal alcohol sales and the underage issues, the fire marshal had quite a bit of concern for the safety of the people there. The fraternity house wasn't built to be a venue for that type of party."
A record 400 officers patrolled this year's Halloween celebration, which ended when they used pepper spray on a group. In all, police ticketed 15 house parties more than $173,000 over the weekend, Hemming said. But the department said it cost twice that much to staff the event.
City leaders increased party fines last year to discourage unruly behavior connected to Halloween. Several fraternities and students this year canceled or scaled back parties after police warned they would strictly enforce the rules.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon invited more than 1,000 people to the party, according to a guest list released by police Friday.
"It was completely full. You could barely walk," said Ashley Caputo, 18, a UW freshman who dressed as Alice in Wonderland but left after losing most of her friends in the crowd.
Local members of the fraternity did not return phone calls or e-mail messages Friday. But Max Klupchak, the group's president last year, said the party was just as big in previous years.
"It was definitely a witch hunt," he said. "If they wanted to, they could bust somebody every night of the week."
Assistant City Attorney Marci Paulsen, who is prosecuting the case, said the $94,000 in fines is appropriate "when you consider they had six times the capacity they were supposed to have in that house and at least 11 underage people identified."
The city has allowed other students who have faced large drinking fines to set up long-term payment plans or pay a fraction of the fine as long as they are not caught again.
Brandon Weghorst, a spokesman for the national fraternity, said it would open an investigation once police turn over all the reports.
What's next, "Double Secret Probation?"
Those who attended the party drained more than 110 1.7 liter bottles of vodka and rum and 1,650 cans of beer by 10:30…at least 11 underage people identified
SAE? Wow they have changed.
That's only a cup of hard alcohol and 3.5 cans of beer per person.
What a waste, kegs are much more efficient.
Shocking news. Alcohol being consumed by underaged college students. You can vote at 18, drive, fight in a war, own property, but, God forbid, you drink.
Reminds me of my days at Chico State (72-74). Police used to block off the streets in front of the Frat house for us. 1$ a head and all the beer you could drink. 2000+ on a Sat night. Those were the days!
Isn't this the theme from that movie PCU?
Get the Dean fired, it's your only hope!
"A box office bomb (taking in a little over $4 million) and universally scorned by critics who saw it as an Animal House ripoff, PCU made a comeback through an amazing cult following of college students, anti-PC lovers, and people with a great sense of humor (and we all know how hard it is to find them)"
I think FReepers would really like this movie. I have the CD and still watch it once in a while.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests. We did. But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few sick, perverted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system? And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general? I put it to you, Gregg! Isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do what you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you bad-mouth the United States of America! Gentlemen!"
--Eric "Otter" Stratton
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