By Sarah Carrillo
News Editor
Sigma Nu, one of Pepperdine’s oldest fraternities, has received the death penalty from campus officials, who have permanently banished the organization from Pepperdine University.
The stunning decision came after a series of instances involving underage and excessive drinking by the fraternity and one party this semester that led to an accusation of sexual assault. After hearings with the Student Organizations Judicial Board, the University dismissed the fraternity from campus permanently for violating probation, which had been in place from a previous incident.
Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Mark Davis stressed that the alleged rape at an off-campus party was not the reason for Sigma Nu’s deactivation. However, it has inflamed an already volatile atmosphere around the fraternity and has also led to an investigation by Public Safety.
A female Pepperdine student who attended the “Key in the Fifth” party Feb. 7 has accused a fraternity member of sexual assault, though no formal charges have yet been filed. Director of Public Safety Earl Carpenter confirmed that there is an open investigation regarding the allegation, “but because of the nature of the case I can’t comment any further.”
It is the policy of the Graphic not to publish the name of alleged rape victims. The student told the Graphic that she did not wish to discuss the incident, but did issue a statement: “Unfortunately these things happen a lot more than the public is aware of. We need to be more aware of issues like sexual assault. I think the minds of teenagers are somewhat warped as to where the line is crossed on sexual assault.”
Sigma Nu President Frankie Masterson said the party was run responsibly and he was unaware at the time that there was such an incident. The party had a pajama theme and every guy was handcuffed to his date with plastic handcuffs. The women’s date for the evening told the Graphic that she disappeared for awhile during the party, but he did not know where she had gone.
“She went upstairs after we were unhandcuffed and I didn’t see her for awhile,” he said. “When she came back she went straight into the bathroom for awhile and then left.”
Sigma Nu members interviewed by the Graphic maintained that the accused fraternity member is innocent.
The definition of rape in the California Penal Code is “the act of sexual intercourse accomplished with a person not the spouse of the perpetrator, under any of the following circumstances … where a person is prevented from resisting by any intoxicating or anesthetic substance, or any controlled substance, and this condition was known, or reasonably should have been known by the accused.”
The incident has led Davis to consider ways to raise awareness about sexual assault.
“The school needs to have a good moral, ethical and philosophical conversation of what is sexual assault,” Davis said. “In general this is a topic we ought to be talking about. It’s one of the most underreported crimes and I think there’s a real need for education. We will continue to address the issue (at Pepperdine).”
According to Pepperdine crime statistics, released by the Department of Public Safety, there have been four sexually related crimes reported from 1996 to 2002. No statistics were available for 2003. However, it is generally believed that many of these crimes, especially date rape, go unreported both on and off-campus.
The “Key in the Fifth” party is one of two incidents that led to Sigma Nu’s deactivation. The other occurred at the Miramonte Resort during the Sigma Nu formal Nov. 15-16. Student Organizations Coordinator Chris VanVelzer said the fraternity had alcohol and caused “significant damage” to the hotel.
“The Student Organizations Judicial Board (decided) that Sigma Nu fraternity did host the events on November 15 to 16, 2003, and February 7, 2004, and that both events were in violation of University policy on alcohol and drug free activities.”
Masterson said the fraternity is going to appeal.
“Obviously the school has a great case against us,” Masterson said. “But I don’t think the punishment fits the crime. We’re still a group, and we’re going to appeal it. No matter what, nothing is going to change. We’ll still meet and have events. Our brotherhood has never been stronger.”
Now that Sigma Nu is deactivated, it is not allowed to hold on-campus events, like philanthropy, or advertise the fraternity through clothing. Sigma Nu had planned a philanthropy event for today, but it was canceled.
Masterson said the clothing restriction may be difficult to enforce.
“I don’t think I could even stop our guys from wearing their letters and being proud of their fraternity,” he said. “We don’t mean to disrespect the school, we’re just showing our pride.”
Sigma Nu was originally on probation for a hazing incident and a party that occurred last semester. Masterson said the hazing incident involved a miscommunication between the fraterity and the pledges.
“We sent the pledges to an alumni’s house and gave them an unrealistic task that we didn’t actually expect them to do,” Masterson said. “But they tried to do it anyway. No one was hurt, though, there was no alcohol and no physical abuse.”
VanVelzer said the University only removes groups from campus as a last resort and only if there is a pattern of actions that violate University policy.
“Because of the serious nature of the Sigma Nu’s most recent hearings, and because the fraternity had been placed on probation and clearly warned that further violation of University policy woud lead to suspension or deactiviation of the chapter, it was really in the chapter’s hands to make the decision whether they would remain on-campus or not and show that they intended to function within University policy,” VanVelzer said.
In the past when groups have been removed from campus, VanVelzer said it has been possible for groups to return after a four-year moratorium. However, VanVelzer said he is not sure if this can happen if Sigma Nu’s appeal is denied.
“I wish we didn’t need to take this course of action,” Davis said. “I know some of the students in Sigma Nu wanted to change the direction of the fraternity, and I know it’s a disappointment to them that the chapter didn’t realize that the type of parties they hosted would not be tolerated at any campus in the nation – public or private. Nationally, there is a growing concern about the negative consequences of high risk drinking, such as damage to property, alcohol poisoning, driving under the influence, unplanned sexual activity and sexual assault.”
Sigma Nu was granted a charter at Pepperdine in July 1996, after spending four years as local fraternity Sigma Psi. The last fraternity to be removed from campus was the Sigma Pi fraternity. It was deactivated two years ago for violating University policy.
Submitted April 1, 2004
