The Herald
Arkansas State University
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity has appealed their
suspension given by ASU after the university determined the organization failed
to provide proper
security and maintain a guest list at their Feb. 18 party where a student was
shot.
The organization has appealed to Dr. Lonnie Williams, associate vice chancellor of Student Affairs, who is expected to make a decision quickly.
A petition has also been started on behalf of the organization, but no Phi Beta Sigma member could be reached to comment on where to sign.
“They could have investigated the incident a little more before making their decision,” said Kyona Stubbs, a marketing major from Palarm.
David Shaw, assistant dean of students,
met with fraternity officials Thursday during an administrative hearing where
the organization was
allowed to present explanations for the charges against them. The fraternity
received a letter Friday from Shaw explaining ASU’s course of
action.
The university found the fraternity in violation of all but one charge against them: not having their advisor present at the party.
The university imposed the following sanctions on the fraternity:
• Campus suspension through the sumer of 2008
• The loss of their Student Union Office
• The removal of their flag from its campus location
• The loss of social activities on or off campus
• The loss of the right to conduct membership intake
• Social suspension
The fraternity is limited to hosting
four-philanthropic events, which must be approved by the National Pan-Hellenic
Council advisor, during the 2007
fall semester. Failure to abide by the sanctions will result in further actions
against the fraternity.
The fraternity will be able to petition the vice chancellor of Student Affairs for reinstatement on campus during the 2008 fall semester.
“They are trying to make the
best out of a bad situation,” NPHC Advisor Kimberly Johnson said, referring
to the continuation of the other NPHC
organizations’ Greek weeks.
Johnson said her organization’s Greek weeks continue without their end-of-the-week parties because “We are here to give back to the campus.”
Shaw said it is never easy making decisions like this and added that he thinks the shooter from the party was a non-student.
“Anytime you revoke someone’s privileges to do anything its very hard,” Shaw said.
Before making his decision, Shaw said he consulted his supervisor and colleges and tried to get “everyone’s opinion.”
“This is the second event sponsored
by your group in which shots have been fired in less than a 12 month period,”
Shaw said in the letter. “One would
have to wonder, if the violations of lack of appropriate security and not following
protocol had not occurred, would we have had this outcome?”
Alpha Kappa Alpha President Tiffany Frazier hopes that when ASU get its new Greek advisor, a cooperative council can be formed between the three councils on campus.
“An all-Greek council would
allow us to come together to work on projects and resolve issues like this,”
said Frazier, a biology major from Pine
Bluff, and vowed to work to create the council.
