5 UA Phi Gam fraternity members jailed on hazing charges

[LucieTheLakie]

If the charges are true, I hope they shut this fraternity down and expel the perpetrators:

Five University of Alabama fraternity members were arrested in Tuscaloosa today on charges of hazing.

The students are members of Phi Gamma Delta. All five were booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail with bond set at $1,000.

The fraternity members several weeks ago reportedly made pledges stand in buckets of ice and salt, a combination which led to burns on the pledges’ feet. University officials didn’t confirm those specifics, or the time of arrests. AL.com asked school authorities midday about the hazing allegations, and they said they weren’t aware of any. They then released a media statement about 6:30 p.m.

School spokesman Chris Bryant said the arrests followed a thorough joint investigation by the University of Alabama Police Department and the UA Office of Student Conduct.

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/09/5_ua_phi_gam_fraternity_member.html#incart_2box

[LucieTheLakie]

And now the story has gone national:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/phi-gamma-delta-frat-members-charged-alabama-hazing-probe-n436691

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/alabama-frat-brothers-accused-hazing-article-1.2380805

[NoVADad99]

Stupid is as stupid does.

[chesterton]

Why wasn’t this fraternity shut down two years ago when some of the members attacked a former Marine who had made the unfortunate error of stopping to ask some of them for directions?

I look at the photos of these five Phi Gamma losers (yes, they are innocent until proven guilty but they still look like total losers, albeit likely very rich ones) and just have to laugh at the frat’s website claim that they “have a tradition of pledging the finest freshmen attending the University of Alabama.” Yeah, right.

I can think of many better things to do with all of those beautiful fraternity houses along Fraternity Row. An added benefit: clearing the air of the scent of vomit that permeates the area on Saturday mornings.

[SouthFloridaMom9]

[Atlanta68]

UA shut down SAE for a year or two in the recent past for hazing violations, so wouldn’t be surprised if this Frat is treated the same way.

[aeromom]

…this is a prime example of why some of us just do not understand why anyone would enter into the Greek system…come at me bro if you want, but I’m just sayin’…

[LucieTheLakie]

From Newsweek:

According to AL.com, (UA) previously investigated a number of fraternities, including Phi Gamma Delta, in 2012. The investigation did not lead to any charges and Phi Gamma Delta was eventually cleared.

Once considered a necessary evil of the fraternity pledging process, hazing has faced more serious scrutiny as of late. In New York, a case of hazing at a Baruch College fraternity led to the death of a student and two lawsuits.

Phi Gamma Delta provided Newsweek with this statement on the matter:

The incident that prompted the arrests of members of Phi Gamma Delta at the University of Alabama took place on September 14. When the chapter president learned of the incident, he took the initiative to conduct an investigation and then contacted the University to report his findings. The president and other officers of the chapter, exercising their disciplinary authority, suspended all of the members who were involved. One of those members lived in the chapter house and has been required to move from the house.

Phi Gamma Delta International Fraternity, in concert with the University, has imposed a temporary suspension of chapter activities while the investigation continues.

Phi Gamma Delta has a long-standing prohibition of hazing, and members are instructed on that position early and often, including the consequences of violations. Any member who engages in hazing does so out of defiance of the Fraternity’s position and not ignorance of it.

It appears the leadership of this fraternity actually acted like leaders and reported the perpetrators to university officials. If that’s indeed true I will retract my earlier comment in the OP that I hope the fraternity is shut down if the accusations prove to be true. I’m of the opinion that this fraternity probably still deserves some kind of sanctions (the allegations took place under their watch after all), but I’ll leave it up to the university and the fraternity’s national office to determine what those sanctions should be.

I do think the fact that they didn’t seek to cover up or obfuscate (assuming their statement is true) warrants consideration when determining their future on campus.

[mom2collegekids]

The 5 have been expelled

[Mandalorian]

It’s a shame. This was widely considered to be one of the best.

[ahsmuoh]

@chesterdon. While I don’t disagree ypthat these 5 should be severely disciplined I think if you ban all fraternities because of hazing then you in turn need to ban all athletic teams (Google the overwhelming hazing in college sports teams) and marching bands.