Pi Kappa Alpha: Loss of Recognition

Update: On April 25, 2018, the Disciplinary Appeals Committee met to hear the appeal you submitted. You appealed on the grounds (2) the university disciplinary procedures were violated in a
way that probably adversely affected the outcome of the case, and (3) the sanction was unduly harsh.

The Disciplinary Appeals Committee denied your appeal with the following rationales:

Ground (2) rationale: The committee acknowledges that there was minor procedural violation by
including an additional member on the panel. However, given the history of misconduct by this fraternity, the nature of the infraction, and the fact that the original sanctioning decision was unanimous, the committee determined that this violation was extremely unlikely to adversely affect the outcome of the case.

Ground (3) rationale: The committee determined that the sanction of dissolution is significant but not
unduly harsh. Based on the conduct history of the chapter as well as the fact that the Founder's Day event occurred while the chapter was in the middle of a hazing investigation, the sanction of dissolution is appropriate.

This decision by the Disciplinary Appeals Committee is final and the disciplinary process is completed for this incident. All sanctions imposed go into effect immediately.


Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity was involved in an incident on March 3, 2018, where the chapter violated multiple policies regarding alcohol. Separately, the fraternity was placed on Disciplinary Deferred Dissolution beginning on March 22, 2018 through March 22, 2019 after being found responsible for hazing, falsifying information, and unauthorized consumption, distribution or possession of alcohol. This disciplinary status placed the organization on notice, meaning any further violations of the Code of Conduct would result in the dissolution of the organization.

Original Post:
Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity accepted responsibility for all charges brought against the chapter. The University Committee on Discipline (UCOD) convened on April 17, 2018 for a sanctions-only hearing to resolve the charges listed below:

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

Respect for Community E1 (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 I1 (Posted Rules and Regulations) 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.

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 J1 (Encouraging Others) Encouraging or facilitating others in actions that violate the Code of Conduct.

After reviewing the information related to incident, the Committee made the following finding(s) regarding the violation(s) for which you were charged and agreed with the chapters pleas of responsibility.

Respect for Self A1 (Unauthorized Consumption, Distribution, or Possession) -- Responsible
Respect for Community E1 (Failure to Comply) -- Responsible
Respect for Community I1 (Posted Rules and Regulations) -- Responsible
Respect for Community I1B (Social policy - 1.D.11.a - Irresponsible Distribution of Alcohol) -- Responsible
Respect for Community J1 (Encouraging Others) -- Responsible

After careful deliberation, the Committee dissolved the fraternity effective April 17, 2018 through August 1, 2020. Dissolution is the loss of University recognition and the privilege to use the University’s name or represent it in any capacity. In addition, the chapter will lose all privileges to use University equipment or facilities, and this includes access to group housing.

The chapter will be eligible to return to Lehigh at the end of the dissolution period, provided the campus is open to expansion and is subject to recognition processes in place at that time. Should affiliated students fail to comply with sanctions and operate as an underground or unrecognized group without University recognition, oversight, and approval, this would jeopardize and further delay the chapter’s ability to return to campus.

The chapter retains the right to appeal the decision, and the Office of Student Conduct & Community has informed the fraternity leadership of the deadlines and process for appeals as outlined in the Lehigh University Code of Conduct. If an appeal is submitted by the Friday, April 20, 2018 deadline, the Disciplinary Appeals Committee will meet to make a determination shortly thereafter. If the appeal is denied, the conduct hearing outcome will be upheld. If the appeal is granted, a new conduct hearing would occur.

The Committee gave the following rationale for the decision and sanctions:

In the hearings the chapter has had this academic year, the panel has offered appreciation for the chapters pleas of responsibility. Once again we do appreciate that the chapter accepts responsibility for the violations it was charged with. Unfortunately at this point it's too late. Just in this past academic year, Pi Kappa Alpha has been involved in every single educational sanction that Lehigh University offers through the conduct process. The conduct process is supposed to be educational, however we have no more methods to educate this chapter. Even though the chapter was not dry or on deferred dissolution during the Founders Day event, the chapter was in the middle of a hazing investigation. It is so disappointing that even through all of the conduct processes and investigations and hearings, the chapter was still unable to follow University policies during this event. The panel does believe that Pi Kappa Alpha has the national support to come back to Lehigh as a successful chapter after the period of dissolution and when the Office of Fraternity of Sorority Affairs is in an expansion process. The sanction of dissolution through August 1, 2020 begins immediately.

Should the chapter submit an appeal and the appeal be denied, the fraternity will lose access to group housing upon conclusion of the University’s disciplinary process. Pi Kappa Alpha undergraduates living in the facility will not be relocated immediately so as to not disrupt students’ living arrangements towards the end of the semester. The space would be transitioned into a traditional residence facility, and Lehigh staff and LUPD would conduct periodic walk-throughs of the facility. Residential Services staff are prepared to assist students regarding alternative housing options for the 2018-2019 academic year, and additional information regarding on campus housing opportunities and instructions will be shared by Residential Services early next week. Housing-specific questions should be directed to Residential Services at inrsd@lehigh.edu or (610) 758-3500. Additionally, no decisions have been made regarding the facility and its future purpose for the upcoming year and thereafter.

We recognize that losing a chapter certainly has an impact across our fraternity and sorority community and that this year has been particularly difficult. No organization nor its membership are invincible and immune to consequences, and our team cautions students to use sound judgement when making decisions that impact their organization, its membership, and continued legacy on campus. Fraternity and sorority life has a long-standing history at Lehigh University, and we’re committed to supporting fraternity and sorority members so that they may live by their respective founding principles that foster leadership, service, scholarship, integrity, and friendship. Our staff will continue to work with fraternity and sorority members to provide support alongside educational, cultural, and leadership development programs which meet their needs beyond the classroom.

Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Staff Announcement

We are beyond excited to share that Phoebe Galbraith has been selected to serve as an Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs!!  

Phoebe will join us from the University of Tennessee where she is completing her Master of Science degree in College Student Personnel (anticipated May 2018).  Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Boise State University in May 2016.  As a graduate student, she has worked extensively with the Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Panhellenic Council, and brings a wealth of knowledge to our team. 

Those that interviewed Phoebe provided overwhelmingly positive feedback when evaluating her candidacy.  They said the following:

Phoebe is an outstanding verbal communicator being clear and concise with her answers.  She used specific examples from her variety of experiences both in Greek Life and other functional areas to illustrate her advocacy for students, ability to have challenging conversations, and self-awareness.  I found her to be a good balance of poise, professionalism and relatability.  She appears to be a team player that is eager to learn.  

Phoebe was incredible! Would bring value to the already amazing OFSA staff. Hire her immediately. Answered questions fully, showed confidence yet humility, and connected with each and every person in the room. Willing to learn and yet work hard. Values align with OFSA and would hit the ground running. 

GREAT CANDIDATE!! So personable, easy to talk to, knew her stuff!  Will bring new perspective, good balance to work with both students and OFSA staff.

Phoebe will join us on July 25, 2018.  Feel free to reach out and send a welcome message by emailing her at phoebegalbraith7@gmail.com. 

Many, many thanks to all that participated in the search process to help us identify our newest team member.

Feature Friday: Micah Golomb-Leavitt, Phi Kappa Theta

This week Micah Golomb-Leavitt from Phi Kappa Theta shares his Spring Break service trip experience: 

From March 11 - March 17, eleven of the sophomores in Phi Kappa Theta, including myself, took part in a service trip in Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic. Each day at 8:30 a.m., we would travel 30 minutes through the city to the Hogar Escuela Armando Rosemberg, a school and orphanage educating children from one-year-olds to seniors in high school. Here, we would help the grounds crew with any tasks they needed done for the day. Some of the tasks involved repainting walls, cleaning trash from the school grounds to make it more presentable and breaking down school desks and recycling the metal which could help the school administrators raise money to purchase new supplies for the students. On the final day, we played the high schoolers in basketball with around one hundred kids watching and cheering in the audience, electrifying the environment around the school.

This experience was truly impactful, as it allowed us to recognize the privileges we have every day in the United States, receiving a private school education and having access to resources such as career counseling that prepare us for life beyond college. As soon as we arrived in Santo Domingo and at the orphanage, we could feel how different the culture was, and how differently we, as young Americans, view money and wealth. This realization was one of the most important things we experienced in the Dominican Republic, and that really helped us to make the most out of our week-long service trip. Every chance we got to speak to the children in the school we took advantage of, despite the evident language barrier. Every opportunity we were given to help the administrators make the school environment a safer and cleaner place we made sure to do so with our best ability. We hope our time there positively impacted the children at the orphanage as much as it did us, but the truth is that they need more support than eleven college students cleaning and painting. We are so glad that we were given the opportunity to experience this trip and help out in whatever ways we could; however, the impact we had on the community is hopefully only the beginning to a lifetime of service that we, as a whole university, can provide to children like them.

Feature Friday: Erin Hank, Zeta Tau Alpha

Major kudos to Erin Hank, ZTA for such a thought provoking piece! 

This past fall semester, I had the opportunity to expand my Greek life experience at Lehigh by becoming a student leader for Greek Allies. I began attending Greek Allies meetings last year in the fall of my sophomore year as the liaison for my chapter, Zeta Tau Alpha, and I immediately loved having a space to critically analyze diversity and inclusion in our community.

When I first came to Lehigh, I appreciated how Greek life gave students the opportunity to join values-based organizations with like-minded individuals. I joined ZTA because the women I met were kind, supportive and hard-working. I found purpose in our philanthropy, Breast Cancer Education and Awareness, and opportunity in our community service efforts. However, I found it difficult to ignore the ways in which Greek life as a whole falls short. Historically, fraternal organizations were created as a space for undergraduates to openly discuss social issues on their campuses. Over time, it appears that we have strayed from those founding principles. The media frequently portray students in Greek life as a bunch of wild 20-year-olds who only care about alcohol. Although from experience I knew that this was not the reality, I still felt responsible for the way that Greek life was viewed. We have one of the largest platforms in the university setting to create the communities that we want to live in, so why did it feel like we were not taking advantage of it?

Greek Allies has provided me, and many others, the opportunity to break through our chapter barriers, compare positive and negative experiences, and work together to find solutions to many of the social issues we face on campus. My experience leading Greek Allies has given me an increased confidence to have difficult conversations with many other people in my community. One of the most impactful activities we’ve done takes a close look at individual identities and privileges. The discussion includes discussing which identity you are most aware of on a daily basis, least aware of, and which garners you the most and least privilege, etc. Although we appear to live such similar lives as college students, this activity really highlights the way our identities shape our daily lives. I find myself learning so much from those around me who have such insightful comments about our community in relation to the world. I have been able to take the lessons I’ve learned about the influence of intersectionality, toxic masculinity, and stereotypes on our daily lives back to my chapter.

The mission of Greek Allies, to expand inclusivity and diversity in our community, truly brings fraternal organizations back to their root of social groups focused on social issues, and not just alcohol. This semester, Greek Allies has given the opportunity to individual chapters to host a Greek Allies meeting at their chapter house and, by doing so, we truly emphasize how our chapters should be accepting of all peoples. Additionally, we are partnering with Panhellenic and SPEAK to bring the conversation of trans-inclusion to Panhellenic chapters.

I have been inspired by all the kind, intelligent, and compassionate people I have met during my time in Greek Allies. I have learned so much from them, and continue to learn more each and every day. One particular lesson of which I am continuously reminded is that, despite all of our differences and outward identities, we are all much more similar than we know. The willingness to open up to new people and form new bonds is one of the most essential skills we can have. Many of the conversations we have engaged in during our Greek Allies meeting have inspired me to pursue further leadership opportunities, including Greek Emerging Leaders and Leadershape. I am beyond grateful to be able to be a part of such an amazing group of students. I appreciate that we receive such great support from OFSA, the Pride Center, and all three councils. The support I receive from everyone I’ve met through Greek Allies, and the lessons I continue to learn from them, will continue to inspire me to work and lead with integrity.