TEP to serve semester suspension for hazing and alcohol violations

and STEPHEN GLASS The Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity has moved out of its Walnut Street house after its national office agreed to a one semester suspension for unspecified violations of hazing and alcohol codes. The agreement also stipulates at least one year of alcohol-free social probation on and off campus and requires a live-in advisor in the chapter house should the chapter return to campus. The December settlement, negotiated between the University and TEP's national office, requires all fraternity members who were brothers at the time of the spring 1991 incident -- current juniors and seniors -- to be given early alumni status. A joint statement released Friday by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the TEP national office did not detail the charges levied against the University chapter. The release states the University's chapter accepts responsibility for its members who "knowingly tolerated" violations of the University and National Fraternity's Code of Conduct, Alcohol and Hazing policies. The agreement required all TEP members to vacate their house at 3805 Walnut Street by the end of fall semester. The Judicial Inquiry Office concluded in November that TEP was collectively responsible for three hazing incidents that occured in the Spring 1991 semester. A finding of collective responsibility means the entire house can be held liable for the charges and punishments can range from probation to revokation of charter, according to University policies. Jonathan Seidel, executive director of TEP's national office, said Friday the fraternity can "take action against individual members" following incidents of hazing. He did not say whether individuals in the chapter had been or will be punished beyond placing them on early alumni status. He also declined to specify what hazing violations ocurred. Early alumni will not be able to "practice and program" with the chapter if the house returns from suspension, Seidel said. TEP president Jeremy Sokolic did not return phone messages placed at his house yesterday. Several brothers removed final remnants of the fraternity's belongings from the house on Friday but declined to comment on their suspension. The front room was in disarray and windows were left wide open overnight Friday. According to now-TEP early alumnus Bruce Forman, brothers who lived in the house are now "going to an array of places, mostly off campus." During the suspension, TEP members can only meet to prepare an application for readmission. If the University approves the application, the fraternity will remain on general probationary status for at least two years, which carries a host of stipulations. When the chapter house reopens, TEP has agreed to have a live-in advisor -- a practice uncommon among InterFraternity Council houses. The settlement also mandates that each member of the chapter serve a minimum of 25 hours community service per semester, and the chapter itself must participate in at least one community service project each semester. The statement also stipulates the chapter maintain an Alumni Advisory Board consisting of at least three people. This board's responsibilities include attending major chapter functions, including initiation, and attending Greek Alumni Council meetings. The fraternity must also implement an education program designed for brothers that will be open to representatives of OFSA, in order to comply with general probation requirements. TEP must host annual workshops for brother and pledges on topics including "gender issues" and alcohol abuse, the release added. The Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Board will review the chapter's progress each spring throughout the chapter's probation. "We're commited to the chapter's success -- bouncing back from this, the chapter being strong again," Seidel added. "We are confident of it being successful."

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