CRYSTAL LUONG
Editor in Chief
Following disciplinary hearings for alcohol-related policy violations, the university has placed both Delta Delta Delta and Kappa Alpha Theta sororities on probation for the duration of the semester.
The decisions, issued Wednesday, Sept. 21, to the groups’ student leaders, puts Tri Delta on probation without loss of privileges and Theta on social probation, prohibiting the sorority from hosting social events.
The policy infractions that prompted the sororities’ Sept. 7 disciplinary hearings stemmed from implicating content found on the Facebook, an online directory that connects Pepperdine community members through personalized profiles, photos and links.
Over the summer, the university notified five Greek groups — the two sororities and Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities — via letters and photos of their possible improper conduct involving alcohol.
After judicial hearings and considering a line of policy violations dating back to April 2004, Pepperdine suspended Beta mid-July. Sig Ep and Sig Chi have undergone hearings the past two Wednesdays, and decisions on the fraternities are expected before Friday, according to Associate Dean of Students Tabatha Jones.
Jones, who also chairs the Student Organizations Judicial Board, could not comment on the specifics of the board’s deliberations for Tri Delta and Theta.
“As a general principle, the committee considers the nature of the alleged violation, the organization’s disciplinary history and its potential for improvement when making decisions,” Jones wrote via e-mail.
Tri Delta has not had any incidents of code-of-conduct violations at Pepperdine prior to the most recent ruling, according to the sorority’s president, senior Brittnee Stanton.
“This incident is not characteristic of Tri Delta, and I appreciate the fact that Pepperdine recognized this, considering the verdict,” Stanton said.
In recent history, Theta has been in trouble for similar violations, which placed the group on probationary status during fall semester of 2004, according to Student Organizations Coordinator Chris Van Velzer. The prior incident, Van Velzer said, played a factor in the university’s decision to institute social probation.
During the process of judicial hearings and while waiting for their verdicts, the Greek groups forged on with engaging potential new members. Numbers indicate that the university’s disciplinary actions had little effect on this fall’s recruitment, which ended Monday with Bid Night.
“I feel it’s the best recruitment I’ve seen in four years,” Stanton said. Tri Delta brought in 28 pledges, bringing the group to a total of 103 members.
Theta President Laura Lemon characterized last week as “one of the most successful recruitments” for her sorority as well. Theta passed its quota of 28 and offered 31 bids.
The sorority stands at 87 members, according to Lemon.
Discipline has, perhaps, benefited the Greek groups.
“It gave them an opportunity to more carefully define who they are for the potential new members,” Van Velzer said.
Stanton expressed sentiments along the same lines about Tri Delta and recruitment.
“We knew who we were and what we were about,” she said. “If they (potential members) asked (about disciplinary actions), we were honest.”
For Theta, social probation has not and will not hurt the sorority, according to Lemon.
“Social doesn’t define Kappa Alpha Theta,” Lemon said. “Sisterhood does.”
09-29-05