Kappa Sigma fraternity, Northwestern’s largest fraternity chapter, was suspended by the university and Interfraternity Council on June 23 for improprieties at a spring formal at the Shedd Aquarium.
The fraternity’s national organization also revoked its charter after the university cited Kappa Sig for vandalism, alcohol use, safety issues, animal endangerment and reckless behavior.
Incidents at the formal violated a probation agreement resulting from a February 2002 “pledge dad hunt” that landed an intoxicated freshman pledge in the hospital. The probation was scheduled to end in spring 2004. Now the fraternity cannot recharter on campus until January 2007, after all current members graduate.
Weinberg junior Bryan Tolles, who attended the formal, said the fraternity had to pay about $300 in damages for missing signs and broken glasses and plates.
He said he thought the animal endangerment charge stemmed from a fraternity member dropping a closed flask in the beluga whale tank. The whale then brought the flask to its trainer, who returned it to the fraternity member.
“Compared to other formals that I’ve been to, this was relatively tame,” said Tolles, the fraternity’s secretary and recruitment chairman and Associated Student Government executive vice president.
But NU officials and Kappa Sig alumni said they do not take the fraternity’s actions so lightly.
“The Shedd is one of Chicago’s cultural jewels, but it was treated like a cheap beer hall by a bunch of arrogant drunks,” NU alumnus Jim Kratz wrote in an e-mail to The Daily. “To imply that this was no big deal was to deny the action that ended over 60 years of our chapter’s history and significant contribution to the university.”
IFC President Jeremy Esposito said although it sets bad precedent to suspend a fraternity, he was glad administrators let the IFC Judicial Board take a crucial role in the decision.
“It’s showing you can make your own decisions to make a healthier greek system the university holds in higher regard,” said Esposito, a Medill senior.
Kappa Sig is not the first fraternity to receive harsh university sanctions in the past few years. Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity was suspended in 2001 for an alcohol-related incident at an off-campus party.
In 2000 NU’s chapter of Sigma Chi was kicked off campus after its charter was suspended by the national organization.
Sigma Chi is planning to return to campus this year.
“Overall there are good men and strong leaders in (Kappa Sig),” said Kyle Pendleton, associate director of Greek Affairs. “But the undergraduate chapter as a whole has exhibited an unwillingness to uphold the standards of the university and the fraternity.”
Members were told June 20 to be out of the fraternity house at 2251 Sheridan Road in two days. Although NU said it would provide interim housing for the summer, some members couldn’t find rooms.
“A lot of us really panicked because we’re looking at 48 hours and then we’re homeless,” said Weinberg junior Doug Rusch, who was able to spend a week in the Foster-Walker Complex.
Though fraternity members will be scattered, they have been talking about holding unofficial events. Still, it will be more difficult to get everyone together without having an on-campus house, Rusch said.
“Anybody who expects it to be the same is fooling themselves,” he said.