Sunday, April 27, 2014

Conduct Update: Lambda Chi Alpha



On April 24, 2014 a disciplinary conference was held before Sharon K. Basso, to adjudicate the charges filed in two cases against Lambda Chi Alpha:

Case: 2013315405
Respect for Community J1 (Encouraging Others)
Encouraging or facilitating others in actions that violate the Code of Conduct.

Respect for Self A1 (Unauthorized Consumption, Distribution, or Possession)
The unauthorized or illegal consumption, distribution, or possession of alcohol.

Respect for Others (General)
Lehigh University expects that all students will act in a civil manner that reflects maturity, social responsibility, and respect towards others and the Lehigh Community.

Respect for Others F1 (Other Conduct)
Other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person or group of people. This would include the possession or storage of weapons, explosives, fireworks, or other materials that could be harmful to the members of the community or the community as a whole.

The incident these charges were related to is described below:
An underage student was provided significant amounts of alcohol off campus at a party co-sponsored by Lambda Chi Alpha and the Men's Soccer Team.

Case: 2013313001
Respect for Community I1B (Social policy - 1.D.11.a - Irresponsible Distribution of Alcohol) Violating the Lehigh University Social Policy 1.D.11.a (11. Irresponsible distribution of alcohol is prohibited. a. Any occasion where the atmosphere or circumstances are such that the intended or likely outcome is to either abuse alcohol or become intoxicated. Examples of irresponsible distribution of alcohol include but are not limited to kegs, funnels, shot parties, hotel parties, Beirut games, pong ball, scorpion bowls, chugging contests or other organized drinking games.)

Respect for Community I1A (Social Policy 1.A.8 - Unregistered Party) Violating the Lehigh University Social Policy 1.A.8 (Any occasion deemed to be an event with alcohol that has not been registered with the Dean of Students Office will be considered an unregistered social event and will be subject to disciplinary action. - See the policy for specific definitions).

The incident these charges were related to is described below:
LUPD responded to the house for an unregistered party. When they arrived they heard loud noises and
music coming from inside the house. Alcohol was present (beer and an empty vodka bottle). Security
guards saw 68 people leave the facility.

The chapter was found responsible for the charges in both cases. As a result of this behavior the following sanction(s) will be imposed:

The chapter is placed on Disciplinary Deferred Dissolution effective April 24, 2014 through December 31, 2014. If during the period of Deferred Dissolution, there are further violations of the Code of Conduct, the chapter will be dissolved.

Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity is placed on disciplinary probation effective January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. Disciplinary probation is the conditional continuation of a group or organization for a specified period of time not to exceed four semesters. This status implies that any further violation of this Code of Conduct may result in dissolution, termination, or other authorized sanctions. Other sanctions may be imposed, including limitations on social activities, and additional requirements may be imposed as conditions for reinstatement of recognition in good standing.

The organization will be alcohol free effective April 24, 2014 through May 31, 2015. The chapter cannot host any events in the house with alcohol and individual members are not permitted to have alcohol in their rooms. The chapter can host non-alcoholic events during the probationary period.

The chapter is required to provide written documentation of all Lambda Chi Alpha standards board cases/outcomes to The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the Office of Student Conduct dating back to March 17, 2014 and continuing through May 2015. This must include the documentation for the case involving the individual member who provided vodka at the 3/18 unregistered party. It is to be completed by April 28, 2014. For further information please contact Sharon K. Basso

The following educational sanction is being imposed. It is recommendation to the national headquarters and alumni leadership that they do a review/assessment of all Lambda Chi Alpha executive board members to determine if they are equipped to continue in their roles and lead the chapter in a more positive direction. The results, in writing, of this assessment/evaluation should be provided to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. It is to be completed by September 1, 2014. For further information please contact Sharon K. Basso

The following educational sanction is being imposed. The chapter is required to develop an alcohol management plan including how the chapter plans to abide by, enforce, and manage being a dry house. This document must be signed by all members and approved by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. It is to be completed by September 1, 2014. For further information please contact Sharon K. Basso

Please note that any potential violations of the code that occur at off campus events identified to be Lambda Chi Alpha related will be adjudicated via the Office of Student Conduct and Community Expectations.


The Hearing Officer gave the following rationale the decision:
Rationale For Findings:
There was a preponderance of evidence supporting a finding of responsible for all charges.

Key Facts
1. Chapter admitted to hosting an unregistered "pre-game" party on 3/18/14, where they provided alcohol and underage individuals consumed alcohol.
2. On 3/17 members of Lambda Chi Alpha participated in co-sponsoring an off campus party. 6 to 8 members of Lambda Chi Alpha attended the event. A female student consumed alcohol at the party to the point of severe intoxication and was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.
3. LUPD provided information that during the investigation into the 3/17/14 incident, the Lambda Chi Alpha Chapter President admitted that members of Lambda Chi Alpha bought and provided alcohol at that off campus party.
4. Witnesses testified that they were told by others that the 3/17/14 party was co-hosted by Lambda Chi Alpha.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Congratulations to the new Greek Emerging Leaders Mentees!




The Greek Emerging Leaders (GEM) program is excited to welcome 35 new mentees from 21 different chapters at Lehigh University.  We look forward to working with these students as they further develop their leadership skills and explore how they will create positive change in their chapters and the Greek community. We celebrated their induction into the GEM program this past Tuesday, April 15 and will begin working together in August throughout the fall semester.

Please congratulate the following 2014 GEM Mentees!


Audrey Baer
Emily Beaman
Kevin Boorman
Laura Chan
Dakota DiMattio
Sean Donohue
Kallyse Duddlesten
Brian Duddy
Andrew Freedman
Cassandra Gakos
Ashley Goldschmid
Brooke Goldsmith
Jacy Herman
Elias Hess
Daniel Izzo
William Kavanagh
Nathan Keim
Karen Konkoly
Randall Lawson
Brian Lewis
Anthony Lonero
Tyler Martin
Ian McDonald
Matthew McKay
Megan McMichael
James Michal
Jacob Nelson
Zachary Neumann
Andrew Parola
Caio Simao
Allison Starer
William Sullebarger
Adam Svetec
Guerric Vornle von Haagenfels
Katherine Woodward

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Conduct Update: Sigma Chi



On April 23, 2014 a disciplinary conference was held before John Smeaton to adjudicate the
University Code of Conduct charges related to the vandalism of the Umoja House that occurred on November 5, 2014.

The charges that were filed against the chapter were:

·         Respect for Others (General): Lehigh University expects that all students will act in a civil manner that reflects maturity, social responsibility, and respect towards others and the Lehigh Community.
·         Respect for Others (B –Harassment):  As defined in the Lehigh University Policy on Harassment.
·         Respect for Others (E - Interference):  Intentionally or recklessly interfering with the activities sponsored by, affiliated with or participated in by members of the university community, including but not limited to studying, teaching, research, administration, fire prevention, police activities, emergency services, and the activities of student organizations.
·         Respect of Others (F – Risk of Harm): Other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person or group of people.
·         Respect for Property (A - Vandalism): Intentionally or recklessly interfering with the property of another, including taking without permission, destroying, defacing, or damaging the property of another.
·         Respect for Property (E - Gross Disregard): The theft, mutilation, destruction, defacing, and/or gross disregard of any Lehigh property.
·         Respect for Community (A - False Information): Intentionally furnishing false information to a university official, hearing panel, or Conduct Officer.
·         Respect for Community (E - Failure to Comply): Failure to comply with the reasonable requests of university officials (including law enforcement) while acting in the performance of their duties.
·         Respect for Community (J - Encouraging Others): Encouraging or facilitating others in actions that violate the Code of Conduct.
·         Respect for Self (A – Unauthorized Alcohol): The unauthorized or illegal consumption, distribution, or possession of alcohol.
The incident these charges were related to is described below:
On November 5, 2013 individuals vandalized the Umoja House using spray paint and eggs. In the following weeks and months it was alleged that members of the organization were directed by chapter leadership to provide false, incomplete, or misleading information to University Officials.
After reviewing the information related to incident, the Hearing Officer made the following finding(s) regarding the violation(s) for which Sigma Chi were charged:
·         Respect for Others (General): Lehigh University expects that all students will act in a civil manner that reflects maturity, social responsibility, and respect towards others and the Lehigh Community. – Not Responsible
·         Respect for Others (B –Harassment):  As defined in the Lehigh University Policy on Harassment. – Not Responsible
·         Respect for Others (E - Interference):  Intentionally or recklessly interfering with the activities sponsored by, affiliated with or participated in by members of the university community, including but not limited to studying, teaching, research, administration, fire prevention, police activities, emergency services, and the activities of student organizations. -- Not Responsible
·         Respect of Others (F – Risk of Harm): Other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person or group of people. -- Not Responsible
·         Respect for Property (A - Vandalism): Intentionally or recklessly interfering with the property of another, including taking without permission, destroying, defacing, or damaging the property of another. -- Not Responsible
·         Respect for Property (E - Gross Disregard): The theft, mutilation, destruction, defacing, and/or gross disregard of any Lehigh property. -- Not Responsible
·         Respect for Community (A - False Information): Intentionally furnishing false information to a university official, hearing panel, or Conduct Officer. -- Not Responsible
·         Respect for Community (E - Failure to Comply): Failure to comply with the reasonable requests of university officials (including law enforcement) while acting in the performance of their duties. -- Not Responsible
·         Respect for Community (J - Encouraging Others): Encouraging or facilitating others in actions that violate the Code of Conduct.  -- Not Responsible
·         Respect for Self (A – Unauthorized Alcohol): The unauthorized or illegal consumption, distribution, or possession of alcohol. – Responsible
As a result of this behavior the following sanction(s) will be imposed:
The organization is placed on deferred dissolution effective April 24, 2014 through December 31, 2014. The sanction of disciplinary dissolution may be placed in deferred status for a limited period of time. During this period of time, the organization is on notice that any further violations of the Code of Conduct will result in the dissolution that was originally defined becoming effective immediately without further review. Disciplinary Deferred Dissolution may not be imposed for longer than two regular semesters. If this sanction is imposed during a semester, it may be imposed for the remainder of that semester and two additional semesters.

The organization is placed on disciplinary probation from January 1, 2015 through May 31, 2015. Disciplinary probation is the conditional continuation of a group or organization for
a specified period of time not to exceed four semesters. This status implies that any further violation of this Code of Conduct may result in dissolution, termination, or other authorized sanctions. Other sanctions may be imposed, including limitations on social activities, and additional requirements may be imposed as conditions for reinstatement of recognition in good standing.

The organization will be alcohol free effective April 24, 2014 through May  31, 2015. The chapter cannot host any events in the house with alcohol and individual members are not permitted to have alcohol in their rooms. The chapter can host non-alcoholic events during the probationary period.

Key Facts:
1.       The nature and extent of the vandalism of the Umoja House caused the residents distress and fear for their safety.  Moreover, this incident had a deleterious impact on the campus climate that is intended to be welcoming and supportive of all members of the Lehigh community.
2.       The egging and spray painting of the Umoja House was the result of an individual acting alone without the knowledge or complicity of other members of Sigma Chi fraternity.
 3.       The eggs and tomatoes used in the incident were taken from the Sigma Chi refrigerator which is in close proximity to the room of the individual found responsible.
 4.       The responsible individual was intoxicated, had returned to campus before the incident occurred and was outside during the time period in which the incident took place.
 5.       The leadership and members of Sigma Chi, other than the individual found responsible, did cooperate throughout the investigative process.

 6.       Sigma Chi fraternity accepted responsibility for providing alcohol to minors at an off campus party on November 5.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

2014 Greek Award Winners



This year has been one of many challenges.  We have seen the great things that our Greek Community can do when we are feeling empowered, but we have also seen some unfortunate events that do not reflect the values of our organizations. What we do know is that when we are focused on bettering our community by serving others, achieving high academics, working together to raise funds for philanthropies, and focusing on our purposes, we can make a difference in the lives of many.


Tonight we recognized the accomplishments of our outstanding fraternity and sorority leaders and the faculty, staff, and alumni who have helped us get through this trying year. This banquet was an opportunity for our men and women to be recognized and awarded for their hard work and dedication to their chapters and the entire community.

The following awards were given tonight to these deserving community members: 

House Manager Awards:
Barrett Lamp- Kappa Alpha
Danielle Greenfield- Alpha Chi Omega

MGC Alumni/a of the Year:
Sara Santos - Lambda Theta Alpha

Panhellenic Alumna Advisor Award:
Samantha McGinty Dutton - Kappa Delta

Peter Wolle Alumni Advisor Award:
Howard Foltz- Kappa Sigma

IFC Emerging Leader:
JJ O'Brien - Phi Delta Theta

Panhellenic Emerging Leader:
Rachel Sholder - Alpha Gamma Delta

MGC Emerging Leader:
Chris Naunay - Lambda Sigma Upsilon

Outstanding Panhellenic and IFC President:
Madison McGahan - Zeta Tau Alpha
Alex Solomon - Delta Phi

Interfraternal Award:
Ryan Newcomer - Phi Sigma Kappa

MGC Savant:
Dalisbeth Galvez - Lambda Theta Alpha

Interfraternity Lifetime Achievement Award:
Kyle Ferdinando - Pi Kappa Alpha

Stephanie A. Phillips Panhellenic Award:
MaryBeth Lyons- Kappa Alpha Theta

Philippi Panhellenic Service Award:
Michelle Sygulski - Kappa Alpha Theta

MGC Humanitarian Award:
Hung Do - Alpha Phi Alpha

Outstanding Panhellenic Woman of the Year:
Alexandra Stephanou - Alpha Gamma Delta

Outstanding Man of the Year:
Miles Bailey - Phi Kappa Theta

MGC Apollo/Athena:
Brenda Martinez - Lambda Theta Alpha

Greek Woman of the Year:
Kaitlin Slattery - Alpha Phi

Greek Man of the Year:
Ryan Newcomer - Phi Sigma Kappa



Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Conduct Update: Sigma Chi










 On April 15, 2014, Lehigh University charged the Sigma Chi Chapter with violations of the University Code of Conduct related to the vandalism of the Umoja House that occurred on November 5, 2014.

Pending the outcome of the Student Conduct process, the Dean of Students Office has taken immediate action to issue an interim suspension of University recognition of Sigma Chi fraternity.

The charges that were filed against the chapter were:
  • Respect for Others (General): Lehigh University expects that all students will act in a civil manner that reflects maturity, social responsibility, and respect towards others and the Lehigh Community.

  • Respect for Others (B –Harassment):  As defined in the Lehigh University Policy on Harassment:

  • Respect for Others (E - Interference):  Intentionally or recklessly interfering with the activities sponsored by, affiliated with or participated in by members of the university community, including but not limited to studying, teaching, research, administration, fire prevention, police activities, emergency services, and the activities of student organizations.

  • Respect of Others (F – Risk of Harm): Other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person or group of people.

  • Respect for Property (A - Vandalism): Intentionally or recklessly interfering with the property of another, including taking without permission, destroying, defacing, or damaging the property of another.

  • Respect for Property (E - Gross Disregard): The theft, mutilation, destruction, defacing, and/or gross disregard of any Lehigh property.

  • Respect for Community (A - False Information): Intentionally furnishing false information to a university official, hearing panel, or Conduct Officer.

  • Respect for Community (E - Failure to Comply): Failure to comply with the reasonable requests of university officials (including law enforcement) while acting in the performance of their duties.

  • Respect for Community (J - Encouraging Others): Encouraging or facilitating others in actions that violate the Code of Conduct.

  • Respect for Self (A – Unauthorized Alcohol): The unauthorized or illegal consumption, distribution, or possession of alcohol.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Sign Up for Walk A Mile




For the THIRD time around, the Sisters of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. are proud to bring to campus "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes - The international Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence" along with Kappa Alpha Theta, Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., The Women's Center and Break the Silence.

First You Walk the Walk:
There is an old saying: "You can't really understand another person's experience until you've walked a mile in their shoes." Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® asks men to literally walk one mile in women's high-heeled shoes. It's not easy walking in these shoes, but it's a fun challenge that gets the community to talk about something that's really difficult to talk about: gender relations and sexual violence.

We are also suggesting a donation of $3, all proceeds will go to Turning Point, Lehigh Valley's Domestic Violence Shelter that helps over 5,000 survivors of gender violence every year. 

The march will take place on Wednesday, April 23rd, starting on the UC front lawn at 4:10pm!

Here's why YOU should walk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=064liEsgxQQ

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me. To register to walk sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1clRRxUgeysIm71fekwFVRH48yAo8_Mas08rG6TNEzk0/viewform

Registration will be open for all Lehigh students, faculty, staff and alumni until Friday, April 4th at 6 p.m.

Don't forget to invite your friends on Facebook to this great event!