GVSU Boots Sig Ep Off Campus For Making A Responsible Decision

Dent7 years ago

Here we go again. On Wednesday, Grand Valley State announced a ban of their second fraternity in the last year as their Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter will now join the former Delta Upsilon as a defunct branch.

From WoodTV8:

GVSU confirmed its decision Wednesday to expel the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity from campus after repeat violations surrounding alcohol consumption and hazing. The decision bars the fraternity from GVSU for five years.

The decision was appealed by members, but GVSU’s investigation led it to uphold its choice to remove the fraternity.

The final blow came just as the school year started in September. A 21-year-old student was hospitalized after having too much to drink, university officials said. Fraternity brothers say the student fell in the bathroom and had a concussion.

Full disclosure: This is my school so admittedly I’m biased. That being said, this feels a little harsh. Look, there are plenty of times when a school has all the right in the world to cut a fraternity loose. But having the final straw be a 21-year-old who had too much to drink doesn’t seem fair. Especially considering that the fraternity brothers in attendance took the correct action in helping him to the hospital. The Sig Ep brothers seem to be in agreement over that sentiment.

Jacob Gaft, a senior who was a member of the fraternity, said the students should not be punished for how they handled this situation, but rather lauded. He said his fraternity brothers may have saved the injured student’s life.

“It was a 21-year-old who was drinking under his own conditions. He slipped and fell. Two sober brothers brought him to the hospital,” Gaft said. “He did have a concussion but I would say we followed all the rules.”

This is why every school needs to have some type of fraternity amnesty law. We’ve seen what kind of horrible shit can ensue when brothers are afraid to take someone to the hospital for fear of consequences. Obviously, that shouldn’t stop anyone from making the right decision, but it also doesn’t help any. It should especially apply in situations like this one when the infraction doesn’t even seem to be hazing related.

Sure, this particular chapter had seen probation time for offenses in the past. Sure, they probably shouldn’t have been throwing a party so quickly after that probation was lifted. But in this scenario, the punishment doesn’t seem to fit the crime..

[via WoodTV8]

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