Two NIU students will be kicked out of school because they repeatedly harassed another student who is gay.

“This is a very serious matter and a very ugly situation,” said Larry Bolles, director of the University Judicial Office.

“Three individuals are involved. Two are looking at expulsions,” Bolles said. “One will be banned from the NIU campus because he is a Kishwaukee College student. Two other NIU students are looking at serious sanctions.”

The Northern Star learned the five men involved are members of the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity, and one was found guilty June 27 for possession of a controlled substance in Cook County. The man was sentenced to 30 months probation.

One of the latest incidents of harassment occurred Aug. 29.

“A student filed a complaint with me—a student who indicated he was gay. A group of other NIU students wearing a fraternity’s T-shirts stood outside the gay man’s apartment, and there was a verbal exchange of slurs, negative comments about gay people,” Bolles said.

“One man was calling for the gay man to come out while the others were standing there,” he said, adding it apparently was the climax of a long feud.

DeKalb Police reports logged Aug. 30 indicate that the gay man’s roommate reported that the door of their apartment was kicked in, causing $250 in damage.

The gay man refused comment, but Alpha Kappa Lambda President Chris Gorman said, “AKL does not condone or tolerate any discrimination against minorities, such as occurred.

“We feel that the members that caused the physical damage to the door and did the harassment acted independently of our organization,” he said. “To resolve it, we are taking judicial action, and the members involved have been suspended from the fraternity.”

Gorman refused to release names of the men involved. “I feel I know what happened, and I don’t want to comment.”

The judicial system of the Interfraternity Council will meet Tuesday to discuss possible sanctions, said Dawn Sturma, greek affairs adviser for University Programming and Activities.

“We would most like to see the IFC governing themselves. Whatever sanctions come about, we want to see them impose the right thing,” Sturma said.

National Alpha Kappa Lambda Executive Director Keith Gilchrist said members of the NIU chapter reported an incident involving three people, two members of the fraternity and one pledge.

“I would expect and I have been told that the people involved have apologized for the incident. I don’t believe the incident was fraternity-organized,” Gilchrist said.

The incident triggered reaction from NIU’s gay community.

“I think it’s really scary,” said NIU Gay/Lesbian Union Co-president David Huggins. “It makes me angry that up to 15 people stood by and watched someone be harassed. Where are people’s consciences on this campus? It shows exactly the sort of ignorance that exists on this campus.”

GLU members will go to the Alpha Kappa Lambda house Sept. 17 to give an educational presentation about minorities, Huggins said.

“Our biggest concern is that we don’t want to talk to closed minds,” Huggins said. “We don’t want this to be a negative experience.”