IFC Judicial Board expels fraternity
CU’s Chancellor G.P. “Bud” Peterson is urging the closure of the Boulder chapter of the Delta Chi Fraternity after nine pledges allegedly trashed an Estes Park motel room last month.
“Given the demonstrated absence of strong and active local support and guidance for this chapter, I strongly recommend that the Boulder chapter be closed immediately,” Peterson wrote in a March 14 letter to Delta Chi International.
In the letter to the fraternity headquarters in Iowa, Peterson wrote that the chapter needed to be shut down so that the organization can reestablish itself.
“This action will provide time for the student leadership to reassess the challenges within the organization, re-develop a strong, local advisory network, and provide support for the current members to transition to another living arrangement,” Peterson wrote.
Peterson did not rule out the possibility of reopening the fraternity.
“At some future point in time, when the support for the undergraduate leadership is firmly in place, I would be happy to work with you to re-establish the chapter,” the statement said.
According to an Inter-Fraternity Council Judicial Board press release, the board has expelled the fraternity from the IFC.
On Feb. 16, nine pledges of the Delta Chi fraternity checked into two Super 8 Motel rooms. The pledges, all of whom were all under the age of 21, were arrested around 2:30 a.m. Feb 17 after allegedly consuming alcohol and damaging the rooms. The damage was estimated to be over $15,000 and included a one by three foot hole in a wall, ceiling fans and heating units ripped from their places and destroyed, blood and vomit on various surfaces, and suspected urine in a coffee pot. Police also found marijuana, liquor bottles, and a keg of beer in the rooms.
Delta Chi’s national headquarters met to decide on sanctions to impose on its CU chapter in connection with the incident. The IFC Judicial Board met after the national headquarters came to its decision to impose additional sanctions.
According to a press release from the national headquarters dated March 7, the headquarters removed a temporary suspension of its CU chapter. It also placed its CU chapter on probation until May 31, 2009. The chapter will be supervised by a staff member until it is determined the supervision is no longer needed.
The press release also said the Delta Chi national headquarters has “disassociated” the nine pledges and begun “expulsion proceedings” against one initiated member.
According to the IFC press release, the six member judicial board met on March 16 and decided to expel the fraternity.
“We considered the sanctions from the [national headquarters],” said IFC Chief Justice Adam Sobel in the IFC press release. “Our judicial board unanimously agreed that they were insufficient, given the seriousness of these offenses and the embarrassment caused to our community and our university.”
According to the press release, Delta Chi can appeal the IFC decision by March 30. Delta Chi cannot reapply for membership in the IFC before the fall semester of 2011 if the decision is upheld.
“Our due process procedures allow for an appeal of this decision of the Judicial Board,” said CU Greek Advocate Marc Stine.
Stine said the appeal will likely take place after spring break.
Campus Press Assistant News Editor Kate Spencer contributed to this report.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Sam Dieter at samuel.dieter@colorado.edu.
Contact Campus Press Assistant News Editor Kate Spencer at katherine.a.spencer@colorado.edu
