The fraternity that hosted a party with 270 underage drinkers in February was sanctioned by the Temple University Greek Association (TUGA) Judiciary Committee last month.
Four fraternity brothers, an advisor and an attorney represented the Pennsylvania Alpha Delta Chapter of Pi Lambda Phi at the March 6 hearing.
The Chief Justice of the TUGA Judiciary Committee, Eli Shaika, as well the rest of the judiciary committee found the Chapter responsible for alcohol violations, according to University Greek Advisor Kristl Wiernicki.
The Chapter did not lose its University charter; the National Headquarters of Pi Lamda Phi is conducting an investigation to see what further sanctions, if any, will be taken, Wiernicki said.
After campus police and a Liquor Control Enforcement agent presented evidence in front of the judiciary committee, Shaika presented the following charges:
-Providing alcohol to minors in violation of Pennsylvania state law and Fraternity Insurance Purchasing Group (FIPG) risk management guidelines.
-Failure to comply with Pa. state law and FIPG risk management guidelines (BYOB) in the possession, sale and consumption of alcohol beverages.
-Sponsoring an open party, in violation of FIPG risk management guidelines and University’s social event registration policy.
-Failure to adhere to local fire and health codes/standards, in violation of FIPG risk management guidelines.
Wiernicki would not specify which of the four charges the fraternity was sanctioned for.
“The Pennsylvania Alpha Delta Chapter was found responsible for alcohol violations. They were not found responsible for violating fire and health codes,” Wiernicki said.
The Chapter moved back into its house about a week after they had to move out on Feb. 22 because of violations found by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, said Temple Police Lieutenant Robert Lowell.
The Chapter is now under social suspension, which was effective immediately after the hearing and won’t be reviewed until late fall of 2003, Wiernicki said.
Social suspension means the Chapter can have governance meetings, conferences, speakers and parties, but these would have to be held outside of the fraternity’s house at 2000 N. Broad St.
The Chapter will also have a community service requirement, must conduct an alcohol summit during the fall dry rush of 2003 and have 60 percent of its brothers in attendance at governance meetings, something they have not adhered to in the past, Wiernicki said.
In addition to the participation requirement at governance meetings, the Chapter will have to increase its participation in most of the annual Greek events, Wiernicki said.
The Chapter will also have to submit an agenda for The Greek Showcase, Greek Sing and other events in coordination with Greek Week will be required of the Chapter.
“The other Greek Week activities, up till now, they haven’t participated a great deal,” Wiernicki said.
“If they are on social suspension it means they can still, and they must, fulfill their other obligations and be a contributing member of the Greek system and that’s what the committee wants them to do.”
The Chapter is sorry for its actions and thankful for still being recognized.
“We’re sorry that we kind of brought fire to the Greek community here at Temple University,” Chapter president Phil Stefano said.
“We’re very, very happy to be still recognized as a part of Temple University and we are happy that we received such a tremendous amount of support from the Greek community.”
The social suspension is subject to review by the TUGA Executive Board no earlier than November 2003, if the obligations are met, Wiernicki said.
When the suspension period ends, the Chapter will be placed on social probation, Wiernicki said.
“Probation means you can hold an event-nothing can go wrong. It’s like sudden death overtime,” Wiernicki said.
“If anything goes wrong you’re back on suspension, probably for a much longer period of time.”
Wiernicki also said TUGA could have done more than suspended the fraternity; the Chapter could have been expelled from the Greek Association.
Chapter advisor Chad Cheleden says the Chapters’ charter will not be lifted or suspended by the National Headquarters and they are in agreement with the TUGA board on the sanctions against them.
Cheleden also said that the house is in good standing in terms of code violations.
“That house is safe and the city of Philadelphia has certified it as so,” Cheleden said.
Cheleden also said the House has four means of exit from each floor; he said the L&I code requires two.
The fire detection system met and exceeded the City building codes and “all sanctions and violations were lifted within seven days of the event,” he said.
“What it means is that the Chapter had a “clean bill of health,”” Wiernicki said.
“They had documentation indicating to the best of their knowledge they were up to code before L&I visited them on Feb.20.”
Cheleden also said the Chapter will be converting the first floor of the house into “more of a living space” for the members, with pool tables, ping pong tables and television sets.
“Yes the kids made some bad decisions-that’s’ not going to happen again,” Cheleden said.
“They’re going to change the way they do things over there. And that may mean no more big Thursday night blowouts.”
Chris Silva can be reached at cbsrican@aol.com.
Be the first to comment