Purdue News
Purdue NewsJanuary 16, 1998
The Greek Judicial Board found that Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority violated the portion of the Greek alcohol policy that prohibits purchase or use of bulk quantities of alcohol, such as cases or kegs, said Andrew Robison, assistant dean of students. As a result, they have been ordered to conduct alcohol awareness programs and the fraternity has been placed on social probation by its national chapter.
The board concluded that the two organizations allowed multiple cases of beer to be given to a bartender hired by Kappa Kappa Gamma during a party at the fraternity on Sept. 11. The bartender later distributed the beer to Kappa Kappa Gamma members who were age 21 or older. However, evidence obtained by the Office of the Dean of Students indicated that some underage members of both organizations had been drinking, allegedly having obtained alcoholic beverages in private rooms upstairs in Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Witnesses also reported seeing Nathan Frank obtain alcohol from his private room at the fraternity that evening. On the morning after the party, Frank, 20, of Syracuse, Ind., was found dead where he had fallen from a knee-level window a few feet from his bed on the third floor of the house. Fraternity and family members said Frank had a history of sleepwalking. An autopsy indicated Frank had a blood-alcohol level of .11 percent when he died. In Indiana, a person with a level of .10 percent or higher is considered too drunk to drive.
"The Office of the Dean of Students found no evidence that anyone other than Frank was responsible for this tragedy," said Stephen J. Akers, interim dean of students. "We found no violation of university regulations that would warrant a university sanction.
"Unlike a residence hall, where alcohol can be banned, fraternities are off campus and their members who are age 21 or older are legally permitted to drink in their houses, subject to the laws of Indiana and the rules of their organizations. Because fraternities are student organizations, however, the university can set limits. For example, they must follow state laws, may not sell alcohol, and may not provide or consume alcohol at any open event.
"None of these university regulations were violated."
In response to the violation of the Greek alcohol policy, the judicial board ordered the two organizations to sponsor programs to educate members of Greek system about the appropriate use of alcohol. In addition, the national office of Sigma Phi Epsilon, as a result of its own investigation, placed its Purdue chapter on social probation through the end of this month and required the organization to submit a new risk management plan. The national director of chapters for Kappa Kappa Gamma ordered its Purdue chapter to comply in full with the judicial board sanctions. Both national organizations have regulations prohibiting the purchase or use of bulk quantities of alcoholic beverages.
The Purdue Office of the Dean of Students has accepted the findings and rulings of the judicial board and the national offices of the two organizations.
CONTACTS: Robison, (765) 494-1231; e-mail, robison@purdue.edu, or Akers, (765) 494-1747
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
To the Purdue News and Photos Page