Social fraternity suspended

Alpha Kappa Lambda social fraternity has received a two-year suspension from the University by the Conduct Hearing Board. The sanctions follow the injury of a student after a bid-night party in September. The fraternity members are appealing the ruling.

Eighteen-year-old freshman Ryan Schafer signed his bid with AKL Sept. 15 and then continued to the house of an AKL member where he consumed alcohol, according to a report submitted to the national fraternity by AKL chapter president, senior Dan Naumann.

Schafer then went to another off-campus residence where he continued to drink. AKL members later took him back to the AKL house to "sleep off the effects of the alcohol," the document said.

Schafer said the individual who was watching over him left to use the bathroom, and when he returned was unable to find him. Schafer said he tried to leave the AKL house but fell down the stairs. He was later found at the bottom of the stairs, bleeding from his head.

"I woke up the next morning, and I didn't feel very bad, I just felt very tired, so I went back to my room and slept for quite a bit of the day," he said. "On Sunday morning I decided I probably needed to get it checked out, so I went to the hospital."

Schafer suffered skull fractures and was sent to Boone County Hospital in Columbia, Mo. Schafer said he feels fine now.

"I just drank way too much, and it was on my own accord," he said. "I didn't have anybody saying, 'drink this much.' There were people there that weren't drinking out of my pledge class. I guess I just got carried away."

Schafer, who still is a member of the fraternity, said he hasn't felt any ill will from members since the incident occurred. He said he thinks the fraternity should take some responsibility for what happened.

"Obviously it did happen on their watch, but it shouldn't be something so detrimental that it can erase 53 years of history because of one incident," he said.

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The fraternity reported the incident to the University and to their national fraternity, said sophomore Truman Patterson, vice president of AKL. In addition to sanctions from the University Conduct Board, AKL also went before the Greek Judicial Board and received sanctions from their national fraternity.

Jeremy Slivinski, executive director of the national AKL fraternity, said that after conducting an investigation, the national fraternity sanctioned the chapter on terms they consider appropriate, understanding the University would have its own sanctions.

"We expected a heavy punishment," he said "... We were surprised by the suspension. We believe this will hinder the relationship needed to develop the chapter and make sure this doesn't happen again."

Under the sanctions from the national fraternity, Truman's chapter had to revise its risk-management policy, change its pledge education program to match the national program and do community service, in addition to other requirements.

"The chapter's daily operating ability has been suspended, and now they are operating under the direction of the national fraternity and local alumni," Slivinski said.

Any future events that have alcohol must be at a third-party venue, he said. This was the policy of the national fraternity before the incident as well, although it's not clear that the Sept. 15 events violated this policy, he said.

"It's questionable whether [the party Sept. 15] was a fraternity-related event," Slivinski said. "There were a lot of unknowns."

AKL members also appeared before the Greek Judicial Board. Sal Costa, director of Greek life, said the Greek Judicial Board passed their findings and sanctions on to the Greek Advisory Board, which comprises Costa, the Interfraternity Council adviser, the Panhellenic Council adviser, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and three student assistant Greek directors. This panel has the ability to evaluate the sanctions imposed by the Greek Advisory Board.

Currently, the Greek Advisory Board is waiting to evaluate the sanctions recommended by the Greek Judicial Board until the AKLs finish their appeal of the Conduct Hearing Board sanctions.

"We can't jump the gun and do things until we find out exactly what will happen," Costa said. "The sanctions that came down from the Greek Judicial Board will be re-evaluated once we find out what the sanctions from the University Conduct Board are."

Patterson said the University Conduct Board hearing was Dec. 13. The fraternity was found in violation of sections 8.05.2-5 and 8.05.2-15, disruptive conduct and alcohol- and drug-related misconduct.

"We were given two years of University suspension, which means we can't participate in any formal events on campus," he said. "No rush, intramurals, homecoming or Greek Week. And we have a third year of probationary period. We can't have another violation."

AKL member sophomore Matt Szewczyk helped draft the letter of appeal. The Student Conduct Code allows organizations to appeal the decision of the Conduct Board in the case of a suspension.

"We found their punishment too harsh, considering the circumstances of the event," he said. "What we reason and appealed to them in our letter, their suspension of two years is literally a death sentence. We're in a competitive pool for members. By the time we can bring in a new pledge class, most of our members will have graduated."

Currently, there are about 68 AKL members, 33 of whom are likely to graduate in the next two years, sophomore Justin Rolwes stated in an e-mail Tuesday.

Szewczyk said the sanctions from the Greek Judicial Board and their national fraternity were educational and will help them grow. However, Szewczyk said the sanctions from the University Conduct Board will likely be the end of their organization.