UNC Looking Into Party at DKE House
Posted on Sept. 2, 2009The administration wants to know whether any University policies or policies governing fraternities and sororities were violated during a party held at the Delta Kappa Epsilon house on the night before DKE President Courtland Smith was shot and killed by a police officer.
Peggy Jablonski, vice chancellor for student affairs, said that Chancellor Holden Thorp ’86 asked her office to look into the events of Aug. 22.
Thorp wrote in his blog last week that on Aug. 23, Chapel Hill police contacted the University, and Jenny Levering, assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority life, accompanied the police to the DKE house.
“It was obvious that there had been a party there, with alcohol,” Thorp wrote. “I know that doesn’t necessarily sound unusual. But in light of the tragedy, we felt that we needed to try to determine whether any University or fraternity policies were violated. So I asked student affairs to look into this.”
Smith was shot by an officer of the Archdale Police Department during a traffic stop in Randolph County early on the morning of Aug. 23 and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Smith told a police dispatcher that he had been drinking, and members of DKE have said Smith was at the party at the house on the night before. Smith’s death is being probed by the State Bureau of Investigation.
Jablonski said that contrary to published reports, the University had not undertaken a wider review of the Greek system. She added that UNC is not investigating Smith’s death.
The alcohol policy that governs fraternities and sororities that are members of the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council prohibits common-source containers, such as kegs, cases of beer, alcoholic punches, and liquor and wine bottles. Alcoholic beverages may not be purchased through chapter funds, and all social events are bring-your-own except for those where alcoholic beverages are sold by or held at the location of a third-party vendor. Mixers between fraternities and sororities held on fraternity or sorority property must be totally alcohol-free.
Alcohol is prohibited at all rush, or recruitment, events. Rush was scheduled to begin Sept. 2, so the DKE party would not have been a rush event.
All the Greek houses at UNC are off campus on private property, but UNC maintains some limited oversight, and Greeks must adhere to certain standards and policies to stay in good standing with the University.
Interfraternity Council President Charlie Winn said Tuesday that a narrowly tailored investigation by the Greek Judicial Board, a disciplinary committee within the Greek system, was nothing unusual when there is a question of a fraternity violating rules.
“We have the Greek Judicial Board in place to hold us accountable,” said Winn, who added that the body also works closely with Levering and Winston Crisp, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, to ensure that Greek life is in accord with university policies, IFC policies and state law.
“We have had plenty of instances like this and treat it no different.”
Winn called an IFC meeting Saturday night, and Sunday, the presidents from UNC’s fraternities decided to tone down rush activities out of respect for the Smith tragedy.
“It’s basically a social restriction policy,” Winn said. “Rush is not being canceled.”
Thorp has met with a DKE alumnus, a DKE parent and a student of the fraternity.
“They were also concerned about the party — maybe being out of hand,” Thorp wrote. “They asked us to help DKE set up a substance abuse education program, and we’ll get going on that next week.”
Jablonski said that the Office of Student Affairs will provide DKE the resources but that the fraternity will manage the program on its own.
More online…
- UNC Student Dies, Shot by Officer Along Highway
News report from August 2009
