On February 21, 2015 a University Committee on Discipline
panel was convened to adjudicate the charges below:
1. Respect for Others
D1 (Hazing)
2. Respect for
Others F1 (Other Conduct)
3. Respect for
Community A1 (False Information)
4. Respect for Community
I1 (Posted Rules and Regulations)
5. Respect for
Community J1 (Encouraging Others)
6. Respect for
Self A1 (Unauthorized Consumption, Distribution, or Possession)
7. Respect for
Self B1 (Unhealthy Consumption)
As a result of
that hearing, The Delta Phi Fraternity is dissolved effective February
21, 2015 through February 21, 2019. The Lehigh University Code of Conduct
defines Dissolution as the loss of University recognition, the loss of
privilege to use Lehigh University’s name, and the loss of privilege to
represent the University in any capacity. Additionally the organization loses
all privileges to use University equipment or facilities. Chapters are not
guaranteed the privilege of reinstated recognition. Following the period of
dissolution, Delta Phi will be eligible to apply for recognition upon approval
of the next Interfraternity Council expansion process. Future expansion is
dependent upon a number of variables including the University’s plans for
adding recognized chapters in the future.
An investigation
was conducted and the information in a spring 2011 new member educator notebook
was corroborated by members of Delta Phi as having also occurred during the spring
2014 semester. The allegations include coerced consumption of alcohol, line
ups, servitude, and restrictions on sleep, contact, and behavior as well as degrading
actions taken towards new members.
Several members
of Delta Phi, including chapter leadership, provided false information during
the most recent investigation in the fall semester, as well as during the
original investigation of the spring 2014 allegations.
After reviewing
the information, the Committee on Discipline (comprised of students, faculty,
and administrators) had the following finding(s) for the charges:
1. Respect for
Others D1 (Hazing) -- Responsible
2. Respect for
Others F1 (Other Conduct) -- Responsible
3. Respect for
Community A1 (False Information) -- Responsible
4. Respect for
Community I1 (Posted Rules and Regulations) -- Responsible
5. Respect for
Community J1 (Encouraging Others) -- Responsible
6. Respect for
Self A1 (Unauthorized Consumption, Distribution, or Possession) -- Responsible
7. Respect for
Self B1 (Unhealthy Consumption) -- Not Responsible
1. Respect for Others D1 (Hazing) -- Responsible
Hazing
is any action taken or situation created, whether on or off campus, to produce
mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Hazing
includes but is not limited to any brutality of a physical nature, such as paddling,
whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements,
forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug or other substance, or any other
forced physical activity that would subject the individual to physical harm or
mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact,
forced conduct which could result in extreme embarrassment, or any other forced
activity which would adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the
individual. Among prohibited activities are forced or coerced activities which
create excessive fatigue; cause physical and psychological shocks; involve
kidnapping; involve morally questionable quests, treasure hunts, scavenger
hunts, or any other such activities; involve publicly wearing apparel that is
conspicuous and not normally in good taste; cause students to engage in public
stunts and buffoonery, morally degrading or humiliating games and activities,
or late night activities which interfere with scholastic activities. Also
prohibited are any activities that are in violation of federal, state, or local
laws, this Code of Conduct, or accepted standards of good taste or propriety.
For purposes of this definition, any activity described in this paragraph upon
which the admission into or affiliation with an organization is directly or
indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be "forced or coerced"
activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity
notwithstanding.
Basis of Charge: The notebook and the
subsequent testimony of the chapter members showed that the chapter engaged in
events throughout their new member program that constitute hazing.
The Chapter provided alcohol to underage
new members as a part of a "Big Brother / Little Brother" night.
The Chapter required that, on a rotating
basis, one of the new members serve as SCB (“Senior Class Bitch”) each week.
They were required to drive people to get food and run errands.
The Chapter held an event called
"The Game" in which pledges were told there was a football game, but
in fact the members trashed the house (threw food and garbage all over the
house) and the pledges were made to clean it up.
The Chapter had meetings in which the
pledges were required to kneel for a sustained period and recite facts and receive
direction as to their required tasks for the upcoming week. The Chapter
required new members to dress and look the same (be clean shaven etc.).
The Chapter required new members to do
late night clean-ups of the house and were told they were not to communicate
with others electronically during that time.
The Chapter required new members to
carry certain items for the use of the brothers, including personal items such
as condoms.
The Chapter dictated that new members
were not allowed to use the main stairwell in the house.
The Chapter dictated that new members
could only use certain bathrooms in the house.
The Chapter required new members to
address brothers by first and last name only.
The Chapter required each new member to
keep a notebook during new member education and the new member class was
required to make sure that the notebooks were all the same.
The Chapter told new members to lie or
provide incomplete information regarding new member education activities,
especially if University administrators inquired about such activities. Members
referred to new members in degrading terms such as "Bitch, Maggot,
Fool"
2. Respect for Others F1 (Other Conduct) --
Responsible
F.
Other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person
or group of people. This would include, but is not limited to, 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.
Basis of Charge:
The activities of the Chapters new
member program including activities late at night, sleep deprivation, denial of
social contact, threatened the health and safety of the new member class.
3. Respect for Community A1 (False Information) --
Responsible
Providing False
Information:
- Intentionally furnishing false information to a university official, hearing panel, or Conduct Officer.
Basis of Charge:
Over the course of the initial
investigation in spring 2014 and the subsequent investigation it became clear
that members of Delta Phi Fraternity knowingly and intentionally provided false
information to investigators.
The chapter knowingly and intentionally
provided a new member plan that had inaccurate and/or incomplete information
regarding activities, goals, and purposes.
4. Respect for Community I1 (Posted Rules and
Regulations) -- Responsible
I.
Violating
any Lehigh University policies, rules, or regulations, including but not
limited to, residential living policies (General Provisions for Occupancy) and
policies related to the use of the university computer network.
Basis of Charge:
The Chapter failed to provide an
accurate and detailed new member plan to the University as required by the
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.
The Chapter allowed at least one person
to affiliate with their chapter knowing that they were not eligible to do so.
5. Respect for Community J1 (Encouraging Others) --
Responsible
J. Encouraging or facilitating others in
actions that violate the Code of Conduct.
Basis of Charge:
The chapter provided alcohol to underage
new members and encouraged them to consume that alcohol.
The chapter encouraged and allowed
students who were not eligible to affiliate with the organization to
"ghost pledge".
6. Respect for Self A1 (Unauthorized Consumption,
Distribution, or Possession) -- Responsible
7. Respect for Self B1 (Unhealthy Consumption) --
Not Responsible
- The unauthorized or illegal consumption, distribution, or possession of alcohol.
Basis of Charge:
The chapter
provided alcohol to underage new members
- The consumption or distribution of alcohol in a manner detrimental to one’s health and safety (or the health and safety of others).
Basis of Charge:
Underage students were provided a bottle
of alcohol to share with their big brother. This can reasonably be considered
to constitute an environment where two people are encouraged to consume large
quantities of hard alcohol.
The chapter is
currently on deferred dissolution and by definition in the code further
violations of the code result in dissolution. Furthermore the panel finds the
events in question to be serious enough that the chapter should not be allowed
to remain on campus. In addition, evidence has shown that this was not a
one-time event and the panel remained unconvinced that current members/leaders
can enact the change needed to ensure such events do not occur in the future.
Finally, having a house on the hill is a privilege and the actions of this
organization do not, at this time, show that they deserve to keep it.
At the hearing,
the Delta Phi National Office presented a plan for recolonization of the
chapter. This plan called for immediately moving all of undergraduate members
to alumni status, and prohibiting them from participating in any future
undergraduate activities regardless of the outcome of the hearing.
Additionally, the National Office planned to remove the bulk of the chapter’s
Alumni Corporation from their leadership positions.
The students currently
living in the Delta Phi facility are permitted to remain in the facility for
the rest of the semester. Lehigh staff will be conducting periodic walk-throughs
of the facility. Additionally the facility is alcohol-free for remainder of the
year: no alcohol is permitted in the facility including in the rooms of
individual members regardless of their age. Lehigh’s Office of Residential
Services will work to identify all available housing options for 2015-16.
Lehigh has an on-campus residency requirement for all first and second year
students. Upper class students were informed to register for the Residence Hall
Upperclass Lottery. Residential Services will also assist in identifying
off-campus housing for those upper class students not interested in living on
campus next year. Housing questions should be forwarded to Residential Services
at inrsd@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-3500.
Delta Phi Fraternity
retains the right to appeal this decision, and the Office of Student Conduct
& Community expectations has informed the fraternity leadership of the
deadlines and process for appeals as outlined in the Lehigh University Code of
Conduct (lehigh.edu/go/codeofconduct). If
an appeal is submitted, the Disciplinary Appeals Committee will meet to make a
determination. If the appeal is denied,
the conduct hearing outcome will be upheld.
If the appeal is granted, a new conduct hearing would occur.