Published 2012-03-07T11:53:00Z”/>
Juniper Rose
Phi Kappa Tau, already put on probation by the university, had additional sanctions levied on its members by the Interfraternity Council Friday.
The fraternity’s president, Marcus Dubois, plans to appeal the IFC’s sanctions, he said.
The IFC, a student-run board with a representative from each of the 10 university-recognized fraternities, excluding the fraternity in question, assigned Phi Kappa Tau additional sanctions that are stricter than those assigned by the university, said Juan Blanco, program coordinator for student activities.
These sanctions would prevent Phi Kappa Tau from recruiting new members this semester or in fall and remove the fraternity’s social privileges, such as participating in IFC intramural sports, Greek Week or socials with other Greeks during this time, he said.
The sanctions assigned by the university did not prevent the fraternity from recruiting in fall 2012, Blanco said.
Members of Phi Kappa Tau were disappointed by the sanctions given by the IFC, Dubois said. The university had already given the fraternity constructive and educational sanctions.
Phi Kappa Tau had hoped sanctions from the IFC would have been more congruent with the sanctions set by the university, Dubois said. There’s nothing positive about a year of no recruitment.
“Right now we’re working with the university to do positive things and get back on campus,” Dubois said. “We feel like a restrictive policy like that only helps to hinder our organization.”
The educational sanctions placed by the university on Phi Kappa Tau’s probation period included having members work with the Campus Alcohol and Drug Education Center, construct a recruitment manual, table for Walking Under the Influence and hold presentations on campus, he said.
Phi Kappa Tau’s national organization is also imposing educational sanctions on the chapter, Dubois said.
“We have already admitted our mistake,” he said. “We want to move past it and make amends with the school.”
By preventing Phi Kappa Tau from taking on new members until next year, the IFC is not giving the group a chance to redeem itself, Dubois said. There were 20 prospective members for spring 2012, which would have nearly doubled the size of the 26-member fraternity if all were admitted.
Phi Kappa Tau’s national organization and board of governors have taken the lead on the appeal, Dubois said. Where it goes now is out of members’ hands.
The fraternity appealed aspects of the university’s sanctions Tuesday, and plans to submit its appeal of the IFC sanctions by Wednesday, he said.
Seeing a fellow chapter become subject to the judicial process is never easy, said Christopher McEachern, IFC vice president of conduct.
“But I hope these proceedings can serve as an educational tool for the entire Greek Life community,” he said.
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<strong>Juniper Rose can be reached at</strong>
<em>[email protected]</em>
