In the books, Pt. 1
April 24, 2007
The Northern Star obtained the following information from NIU Judicial Affairs incident reports and DeKalb police reports through several Freedom of Information Act requests. The Judicial records obtained by the Star do not include individual names, only the action taken against the organization. Individual violations are handled by NIU Judicial Affairs, but are not open public record. Names have been included, from corresponding DeKalb police reports when an arrest was made.
Some reports may seem vague, as some records showed only a guilty plea for various violations.
For some incidents, national fraternal organizations revoked specific NIU chapters’ charters. Since there are no NIU judicial records for the incidents that caused these charters to be revoked, they were not included in this report.
Due to the volume of records involved, the Northern Star chose only to report on fraternity violations. Chris Regan, president of NIU’s Interfraternity Council declined comment on any of the incidents, and said he had instructed fraternity presidents to do the same.
The reports below summarize the documents, which are available, in their entirety, at www.northernstar.info. Many incidents involve a violation of NIU’s Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Social Policy, which can also be found online.
Punished: Oct. 19, 2006
Violation: The Delta Eta chapter of TKE fraternity was evicted from a Holiday Inn Hotel in Rolling Meadows April 8, 2006 after several behavioral violations.
The chapter had its formal dance in Rolling Meadows from April 7 to April 9, but the eviction of the organization took place at 10:30 p.m. April 8. At 9 p.m., when one individual was caught “urinating in the hotel hallway,” according to a TKE written statement issued to NIU Judicial Affairs.
After the individual was caught by the hotel management staff, he was immediately evicted from the Holiday Inn, and the management staff issued a warning to the rest of the fraternity that any other incidents would result in the eviction of the entire organization.
Other incidents included members spitting in the hotel pool, indecent exposure around the pool area and noise violations during nighttime hours. Upon the Rolling Meadows Police Department’s arrival, each member was asked to pack up his belongings and was escorted to another hotel.
As a result, TKE suspended the individual who urinated in the hotel hallway from attending the next formal dance. In a written statement, TKE said that it planned to double security from “three to at least six members, including one sober executive board member” during similar events.
The general manager of the hotel was contacted on two occasions, including a formal apology on behalf of the organization.
Judicial action: The organization was given a $250 fine, one-year deferred suspension, one year disciplinary probation, 500 hours of community service, a letter of apology to the Holiday Inn and required attendance of leaders to a civility class.
Punished: Oct. 4, 2006
Violation: Witness reports submitted to NIU Judicial Affairs described a rape that allegedly occurred at the Phi Kappa Theta house on Sept. 20, 2006.
According to the reports, several friends went to the Phi Kappa Theta house for a party, when one member of the group was approached by what a witness claimed was a member of the house, who later sexually assaulted her.
One report from a friend of the alleged victim stated the individual “took her into his room. He then continued to make inappropriate comments and used force against her will over and over. She [the alleged victim] then said that she was able to get enough strength to get up and leave.”
Judicial action: The organization pleaded guilty “in the matter of Alcohol (hosting and providing) and violation of NIU Social Policy,” which punished Phi Kappa Theta with a $250 fine, a one-year deferred suspension of the chapter, one year disciplinary probation and the attendance of the alleged offender to a civility class.
Punished: Nov. 8, 2006
Violation 2: What began as a fraternity scavenger hunt ended with DeKalb police at the Phi Kappa Theta house Oct. 16, 2006.
DeKalb police responded to a report of a person throwing a drink at a Taco Bell drive-thru attendant. The attendant told police a car ordered a drink at the drive-thru and yelled, “fire in the hole!” before throwing the drink back at the attendant.
After the car sped away, another car did the same thing minutes later and the attendant was struck again. This time, the attendant noted the car’s license plate and called the police.
A short time later, a DeKalb police officer stopped the vehicle driving in the 1000 block of W. Hillcrest Drive. The driver, Charles Obecny of Alsip, admitted he had thrown the drink, and that the prank was a part of a fraternity-related scavenger hunt with about 14 other people.
Obecny also admitted that when he attempted to flee the Taco Bell after throwing the drink, his car struck the side of the building when he lost control.
The scavenger hunt participants also admitted to videotaping the acts to show the fraternity later. The participant who was pulled over showed the officer a list of activities the groups were instructed to perform, including the “fire in the hole” incident – which was worth 2,000 points, a top-ranking score in the contest.
The sheet also advised that if any of the pledges were caught, they were to claim they were members of the AKL fraternity, and that Phi Kappa Theta members would deny any knowledge of the event.
Officers then responded to the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house and the organizers of the event called the pledges and told them to stop and return to the house. Officers spoke with a group of participants and asked them about the first car that threw the drink at the Taco Bell attendant. One person volunteered that someone threw a cheeseburger at McDonald’s, but said the individual missed the attendant.
The officers took one of the cameras as evidence. The tape in the camera showed Andrea Lacorte of Morton Grove throwing something at the Taco Bell attendant and also running naked through the King Memorial Commons, another scavenger hunt item, worth 2,000 points. The tape also showed some of the same incidents taking place the year before with different people throwing things at McDonald’s attendants.
DeKalb police charged Obecny and Lacorte with battery and disorderly conduct. Both were released after posting bond.
Judicial action: The fraternity was fined $250 and required to complete 1,000 hours of community service, which must be completed by May 2 of this year. Members were also required to complete four educational programs on sexual harassment, alcohol, violence and hazing coordinated by Greek Affairs.