Videos Spark Scrutinty of Sigma Chi

Editor's Note: This is why it is important not to post videos on facebook or even pictures of social events online. You never know who is going to look at them. It is also a shame that such events reflect poorly on our fraternity as a whole.

Greek Life Office says actions of Sigma Chi brothers, pledges were 'unacceptable' and 'distasteful'
Jonathan Greenberger
Issue date: 4/28/04 Section: News

A Sigma Chi brother dunks his head in water filled with ice cubes.
Media Credit: Student Life
A Sigma Chi brother dunks his head in water filled with ice cubes.

Media Credit: Student Life
Video obtained by Student Life of Sigma Chi brother dunking his head in ice water.

A frame from a video depicting a group of Sigma Chi pledges and brothers performing while their audience throws beer cans and boxes at them.
Media Credit: Student Life
A frame from a video depicting a group of Sigma Chi pledges and brothers performing while their audience throws beer cans and boxes at them.

Media Credit: Student Life
Video obtained by Student Life of cans and boxes hurled at dancing brothers and pledges.

Reporting by Jonathan Greenberger, Liz Neukirch and Cory Schneider

New videos surfaced yesterday with images of Sigma Chi brothers and pledges engaged in what University officials have deemed "unacceptable" and "inappropriate" behavior. The videos appeared on the same day the fraternity received sanctions from the University as the outcome of a hazing investigation.

The videos, obtained early yesterday morning by Student Life, were allegedly shot by a member of Sigma Chi.

The Greek Life Office, which received copies of the videos yesterday from another fraternity, has opened an investigation into the incidents.

Most of the 28 videos and 31 photographs obtained by Student Life show fraternity brothers and pledges performing raucous, sexually-charged skits before their peers. During and after many of the skits, videos show the performers being pelted with beer cans and boxes by members of the audience.

Another video depicts a student dunking his head into a container of water filled with ice cubes, while others off-camera chant and count the seconds that the student's head remains submerged. After about 20 seconds, when the student rises from the water, he is given a beer, which he proceeds to chug for approximately 10 more seconds. Photographs show numerous other students with their heads in the same ice-filled water.

While Director of Greek Life Karin Johnes stressed that the investigation into the incidents has just begun, she provided a written statement that characterized the videos as "distasteful" and "displaying inappropriate behavior that is unacceptable to the community."

Although other conclusions have yet to be drawn, Johnes' statement said that the University will consider revoking its recognition of the Sigma Chi chapter.

"Revocation is always a possibility in an investigation like this, but given the collective nature of what's been happening, it's even more so on the table now," she said in an interview last night.

Rob Salyer, the fraternity's alumni advisor, said the actions in the videos and photos "weren't up to par with what" is expected by the University and him, but refused to comment further until an investigation is complete. Sigma Chi President Adam Wood and Vice President Justin Thompson both declined to speak about the matter.

The videos come on the heels of the University's recently completed investigation into allegations of hazing at Sigma Chi. The focus of that investigation was two pledges who were transported to the hospital during the night of March 18-19. Sanctions for the fraternity that arose from this investigation were delivered to Sigma Chi last night, although Johnes and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Students Jill Carnaghi refused to describe the details of the penalties.

Carnaghi, contacted before she knew of the videos and photos, said that the just-completed investigation focused only on the events of March 18-19, treating them as isolated incidents.

Johnes said that the results of this last investigation will affect the outcome of the new one. "Previous violations will be considered," she said.

One of the questions she will be asking as she looks into the events on the videos is the level of involvement by the fraternity's officers.

"We'll look at what role did the officers play," she said, but added that regardless of how involved they were, "I believe officers are personally responsible for what happened."

How the images were distributed is an open question. Sophomore Eric Triebe, who claimed responsibility for the videos and pictures in a written letter to Student Life, maintained that the media was "stolen" from his digital camera and then "unlawfully distributed."

Johnes said that she obtained the videos from another fraternity troubled by Sigma Chi's behavior.

"There are fraternities concerned by this. They realize that what one fraternity does affects us all," she said.

Johnes claimed to have "a little bit" of concern that there will be retaliation against those responsible for distributing the digital files.

"I would hope that at this point [Sigma Chi] would take responsibility," she said. "Taking up a rivalry with another fraternity is only denying responsibility, and they can't blame anyone for this but themselves."

The videos and photos were produced by a member of Sigma Chi, she added, so the possible distribution of the media was "a risk they entered into willingly."

Posted By: Esteban Escobar