Three fraternities punished without attending conference

When the University placed most Greek organizations on social probation for an alcohol violation… When the University placed most Greek organizations on social probation for an alcohol violation at an off-campus retreat, it also punished three groups who did not attend.

Triangle, Alpha Epsilon Pi and Iota Nu Delta fraternities — all members of the university’s Interfraternity Council — did not send representatives to the IMPACT leadership retreat held about 75 miles north of the city Jan. 14-16.

More than 30 Greek organizations on campus sent representatives — mostly presidents and vice presidents — to the retreat, at which some of them were caught with alcohol. The University required the Greek leaders who attended to pay fines and write apology letters to the event staff, among other punishments.

It also placed all the member groups of IFC, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Panhellenic Council — which oversee chapters of Greek life on campus — on social probation. The decision has been controversial because some students believe that entire groups should not be held responsible for the actions of a few people.

Triangle President Dave Petrone, Iota Nu Delta member Sumeet Shroff and Andrew Borans, the executive director for Alpha Epsilon Pi’s national chapter, all declined to comment about the probation, beyond stating that they did not attend — statements that were confirmed by multiple other sources.

Vice Provost and Dean of Students Kathy Humphrey declined to comment on why the three fraternities who did not attend the retreat received social probation. She cited privacy concerns for the students in the Greek community, even though that community includes more than 1,000 people.

Humphrey said that she was not sure she’d be comfortable discussing the details of the judicial proceedings even if she received the permission of the organizations. The comment differed from her statements from over the weekend, in which she said that she could discuss the situation with permission from the affected groups.

Humphrey did say though that the situation is “under review,” meaning that she had heard the concerns of the Greek leaders and was considering their situation.

Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life Summer Rothrock met with John Hasley, Lauren Jentleson and Jay Oriola — presidents for IFC, Panhel and NPHC, respectively — in the Student Affairs office for an hour and a half yesterday afternoon.

Hasley said yesterday afternoon that the social probation of the three fraternities was “another thing we are trying to work out with the University.”

“They have approached me and asked why,” he said, referring to the members of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. “And I don’t have an answer for them.”

Hasley declined to comment further on the situation, or on whether the other two fraternities had contacted him.

On Monday, Jentleson, Hasley and Humphrey met in the lobby of the Union and discussed the social probation issue.

The leaders related concerns Greeks had expressed previously: that when they agreed to share responsibility for the incident, the Greek leaders who attended the leadership summit had not intended for the entire community to be punished. They had meant that the attendees of the retreat would take responsibility.

Hasley had expressed a similar sentiment on Sunday.

“I thought the acknowledgement that we would take blame collectively meant that we would take blame collectively as those attending,” he said.

A series of meetings scheduled for today — one with the members of IFC, one with Tri-Council leaders and one with the organizers of the IMPACT retreat — will likely determine the course of the probation.

Hasley said on Sunday that the meeting with the IMPACT organizers will likely give the Greeks a way to “graduate” from the program, satisfying one of the University’s requirements for removing probation.

The main issue between Greek leaders and the administration seems to come from a conversation that occurred on Jan. 16, during which the leaders said that they would take the blame collectively. All the members of IFC, Panhel and NPHC — not just those at the retreat — were placed on probation five days later.

Humphrey declined to comment on the judicial process that was used in the interim, or when any hearings might have occurred.

Hasley, Jentleson and other Greek leaders have stated that they did not receive any formal communication from the University about potential repercussions before Friday, when they received notice that all Tri-Council fraternities and sororities would be placed on probation.

Although the code of conduct does not explicitly state a right to waive the rights to a hearing, Humphrey said that students or organizations can admit to a violation and receive a sanction without going through the University’s process.

Hasley and Delta Tau Delta President Chris Fetter have said that they did not go through a formal judicial process.

Editor in Chief Liz Navratil, Assistant News Editor John Manganaro and Senior Staff Writers Estelle Tran and Marissa Meredyth contributed to this report.