Fraternity under review for reinstatement on campus

A fraternity placed on probation under allegations of hazing nearly two years ago by Southeast Missouri State University is holding out hope it will be allowed back on campus.

Phi Delta Theta was suspended from campus activities after fraternity members wrestled with pledges and at least two were injured at an October 2001 gathering. Former pledge Michael Raleigh broke his wrist in a fall on the lawn of the fraternity's house. The resulting investigation revealed another pledge suffered a concussion the same night when fraternity members bounced up and down on his head.

Although no criminal charges were filed, the university chose to suspend the fraternity as part of a clear anti-hazing message. Since then, Phi Delta Theta dropped from 65 active members at Southeast to just 18, said Jerod Posey, new member educator and fraternity chaplain.

"For the past two years, it almost seemed hopeless," Posey said. "But now it's looking really good."

The Interfraternity Council unanimously approved Phi Delta Theta's application for reinstatement last week, but that application is still being reviewed by Dr. Dennis Holt, vice president of enrollment management.

Posey said members are optimistic for the outcome.

"It's going to be great, everybody will be really excited," he said. "We're looking forward to getting back on campus and having the full privileges of a Greek organization."

An answer from Holt could come in early December, said the fraternity's faculty advisor, the Rev. J. Friedel.

'Long, hard process'"It's been a long, hard process," he said. "They've been working very hard to ensure that any irregularities that occurred in the past that they've addressed those things."

Friedel said the group is grateful for the second chance.

"I have to thank the university in the whole way they've worked with us in the reinstating process," he said. "They've been very educative."

The members must provide an educational workshop for campus organizations on how to identify and avoid actions that can be construed as hazing.

"I think the men of Phi Delta Theta are very concerned that this doesn't happen to anyone else," Friedel said.

There have been three other publicly disclosed hazing incidents at Southeast in the last decade. The most serious was the fatal beating of student Michael Davis by Kappa Alpha Psi members in February 1994. Seven fraternity members were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and the university permanently banned the group. Two other fraternities were suspended for hazing: Alpha Kappa Alpha in 1996 and Sigma Tau Gamma in 1997.

Some of the current members of Phi Delta Theta were recent initiates when the fraternity was put on probation. They were recently allowed by the school to recruit 10 pledges, but only after the formal Greek rush week was over for other campus groups, Friedel said.

mwells@semissourian.com

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