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College sanctions Theta Delta Chi fraternity

By Kevin Welsh ’15

While many students still speculate on the details of an April 4 Theta Delta Chi party, the Dean of Students office have found enough evidence from the event to sanction the society for underage drinking. The sanctions include a ban on member recruitment until fall 2016, and a two-year social probation, which means they are forbidden from hosting any events with alcohol until the fall of 2017. TDX denies the more extreme allegations about the event which includes rumors of brothers lacing the drinks of several first year women, but moreover they worry that their situation exemplifies the unfair judicial process Greek organizations. Furthermore, in response to these sanctions the society has decided to pursue a course of action few other Greek organizations ever have; TDX plans to disband immediately and cease operations at Hamilton College.

Last week, the Hamilton community received an e-mail from Dean of Students Nancy Thompson outlining infractions by Theta Delta Chi. She wrote, “Today I sanctioned the Theta Delta Chi fraternity for holding an off-campus event at which underage students were served alcohol. Medical assessment and/or treatment was required for several of their guests.” The event happened at a house downtown where four TDX members live, colloquially referred to as Tops, and the “theme” of the party was boxed wine. Dean Thompson’s e-mail established that unspecified medical assistance was required for guests at the party, but rumors at Hamilton contest that the medical aid was needed for more than just excessive drinking.

Specifically, allegations suggest that members of TDX forced underage students to drink, particularly first year women, and then spiked their drinks with incapacitating narcotics. The Dean of Students Office and TDX both deny these speculations. Dean Thompson said, “I do not have evidence that [the allegations] are true,” and President of TDX Gordon Bogardus ’17 dismissed the claims saying that no party guests have, “even hinted about having their drink spiked or being drugged.” Bogardus continued saying, “I don’t know if people actually think that...but I’ve seen some absurd stuff on YikYak, and I just want to make sure the absurdity stays there.”

With the verified events of the party in mind, two judicial processes began. First, four members of TDX, who live at Tops, were charged by the Dean of Students office, and second, the society was charged with serving underage students. Sanctioning individuals and sanctioning societies involve two separate processes at Hamilton, though since these cases concerned the same event each process involved the same evidence.

The judicial process against the individuals never even reached a proper hearing, though. Despite evidence of underage drinking at Tops, the Dean of Students office failed to produce evidence connecting any specific house members with the alcohol. Andrew Nachemson ’15 faced charges from the Dean of Students Office and with three of his housemates. He said, “[The Dean of Students Office] didn’t even have enough evidence to hold a hearing, let alone convict us of any charges.” While the Society at large received significant sanctions because of the party, no individual members of TDX received any punishment.

The lack of compelling evidence did not impede the judicial process facing the Society, however. Whereas the Student Handbook outlines a clear judicial process for students, no guidelines at Hamilton outline a set procedure for sanctioning organizations. This lack of direction means that the Dean of Student’s Office retains full discretion over the proceedings. Students facing punishment go through a rigorous process involving either an administrative hearing or a Judicial Board hearing, but Greek organizations simply face the decisions of the Dean of Students Office. Dean Thompson described that in this case, “I met with the president  [of TDX] and we agreed underage students had been served... then [I] decided on what the sanction would be.”

Nachemson explained that despite not being found responsible as an individual, he believes his fraternity did not fare as well because “Dean Thompson has absolutely no oversight in terms of doling out punishments to fraternities. She was able to use evidence that wasn’t permissible in a Judicial Board hearing to sanction the fraternity, and we were not permitted to counter that evidence with our own.”

Bogardus supported this feeling of injustice and further explained his side of TDX’ s experience: “our ‘process’ as a fraternity consisted of a single 45 minute meeting with Nancy Thompson during which we were unable to see any of the evidence concerning their decision.” He said that Dean Thompson had already arrived at a conclusion of responsibility and a sanction by the time the fraternity met with her, and that they faced even further unclear scrutiny during the meeting. Upon asking for a clarification of what would define a TDX party, Bogardus says Dean Thompson provided a liberal definition of such an event, “Dean Thompson said only that she would know a social event when she sees it.”

Facing undefined and all encompassing scrutiny going forward, TDX decided to disband rather than jeopardize the status of any of their members. The society fears that any gathering of their members could violate the terms of their probation and consequently incur their elimination from campus. The group has decided these risks are too high to bear and “plan[s] to disband as soon as possible” according to Nachemson.

In addition to the concerns about violating probation, the organization also acknowledges the structural issues they will face after their recruiting suspension is lifted, “Next time we can initiate a new class there will only be one TDX grade on campus. That grade will be graduating, once again leaving a single class on campus, who themselves are brand new to the fraternity.” Though TDX’s sanctions pose difficult challenges for the fraternity, their reaction is unexpected because most societies have been sanctioned at some point and have chosen to continue rather than dissolve.

As a small consolation for the brothers of TDX, the ISC is working with the Dean of Students Office to create an equitable, official process for society regulations. Tentatively named the Inter-Society Judicial Committee, the new procedures aim, “To establish a process for sanctioning Greek societies accused of violating college policy and to incorporate student input into that process.” While the details of the committee’s composition and technical procedure are still being discussed, ISC co-chair Erik Marks ’15 who helped establish the committee said “Associate Dean of Students for Health and Safety Jeff Landry and Nancy Thompson and the student chair of the Judicial Board, Kate Getman, think it’s a good idea and have agreed to work with it.” Both ISC and Judicial Board members will compose the Board, which will function similarly to the current the Sexual Misconduct and Harassment Board in that it will only convene when necessary and provide an investigative report for senior staff. Fortunately for Greek organizations the Committee hopes to start hearing cases next fall.

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