In the books, Pt. 3
April 24, 2007
AΦA | Alpha Phi Alpha
Punished: Oct. 24, 2003
Violation: NIU officials included incident reports of all violations except for ones involving Alpha Phi Alpha. As of press time, the university had not provided reasoning for exempting these records from the Freedom of Information Act request.
By law, all incident reports are open to the public under the Freedom of Information Act of 1966.
Judicial action: On Oct. 24, 2003, APA was given a two-year suspension before a suspension by its national organization fewer than two weeks later. On Oct. 31, 2005, APA was given another two-year suspension, which presumably will expire in fall 2007.
Punished: Aug. 2, 2006
Violation: What began as members of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity members pelting a group of passersby with snowballs ended in a fight that landed one individual in Kishwaukee Community Hospital in the early morning hours of Jan. 28, 2006.
According to NIU Judicial Office and DeKalb police reports, a group of several friends passed the Sig Eps house at 924 Greenbrier Road on their way to Burritoville. Once the group passed the house, “about five” individuals who were on the front steps of the Sig Eps house “aggressively” threw snowballs, one of which hit a female in the group. The group asked those throwing the snowballs to stop, and as a result, all five rushed toward and cornered the group, threatening them, saying “we’ll beat your asses, pussies” in attempts to get one or more members of the group to fight.
At this point, two friends joined the group of people walking by and questioned the aggressors as to what the problem was. The aggressors then circled the two and confronted them “nose-to-nose.” Another individual, which DeKalb police witness reports identified as Raul Herrera of Schiller Park, allegedly incited the situation further with more verbal threats that resulted in several shoves.
One of the individuals who questioned the attackers was then “punched on the left side of his face with enough force that his eyes rolled to the back of his head.” The individual fell to the concrete, backward and unsupported, unconscious. Police reports did not say who threw the punch.
Herrera then allegedly moved in and punched the victim in the face “two or three more times.” Soon, the victim regained consciousness, but had trouble focusing and did not know where he was. His friend, who had accompanied him, attempted to explain where he was, and screamed for the attackers to leave the attacked individual, whose face was “covered with blood,” alone.
Before the attackers left, they reportedly gave one last shove that resulted in the victim falling face-first to the pavement. Another friend was called to help remove the victim.
According to witness reports, Herrera and another individuals then walked into the fraternity house, while many people sat on the fraternity’s fence laughing. The entire fight took “no more than 45 seconds,” according to reports. A group of friends assisted the victim, but when he looked up at his attackers, Herrera warned the group to “f—ing not look at them.”
One witness alleged that while the fight was happening, no members of the Sig Eps fraternity attempted to break it up.
After the victim was safely removed from the area in front of the fraternity house, he was escorted to Kishwaukee Community Hospital by his two friends, where they found he had a broken jaw and nose, and required stitches.
Herrera was charged with battery, and DeKalb police issued a warrant. According to DeKalb County Courthouse documents, Herrera was arrested at O’Hare International Airport after he returned to the United States from Mexico City.
A name check by a U.S. Customs officer revealed that Herrera was wanted on an assault warrant out of DeKalb County. Charges against Herrera, who is currently a Sig Eps member, were later dropped by the prosecution.
Judicial action: $250 fine, one-year deferred suspension, one-year of disciplinary probation, 200 hours of community service and required attendance of one or more members to a civility class. According to the report, several guests were involved in the fight, but the Greek Judicial Board felt that, “as a house, they were not accepting responsibility concerning the event.”
Punished: Oct. 23, 2006
Violation: Sigma Pi pleaded guilty to “Hosting/providing alcohol to minors at an unregistered party” Feb. 24, 2006, but did not accept original sanctions, which included a one-year chapter suspension.
Judicial action: The organization was given a two-year deferred suspension, one-year probation, 500 hours of community service, $500 fine, no recruitment of new members, social events or other activities, and two leaders were removed from the chapter house.
Punished: Oct. 27, 2006
Violation: A Phi Sigma Kappa pledge alleged his hand was burned with a cigarette by an alumni and was later punched and “beaten up” by several attackers at the fraternity house on Sept. 28, 2006.
According to a report the pledge filed with NIU’s Judicial Office, he was engaging in a conversation about martial arts with other pledges when some alumni overheard the conversation and called him over. The pledge then claimed an individual connected with the fraternity called him a “bitch,” to which the pledge “politely” asked them not to call him any derogative names.
The individual who directed the derogative term at the pledge responded by saying, “Do you know who I am in this house?” The pledge responded, saying he didn’t care, but that he did not wish to be referred to in such a manner. The individual then became angry, and invited the pledge to step outside and fight. The pledge refused.
At this time, another sorority was approaching for “sing backs,” a homecoming event that would precede the fraternity asking the sorority to homecoming. Since the sorority was visiting the house, one member of the fraternity advised the pledge to apologize, even if it was not the pledge’s fault, to smooth things over.
The pledge agreed, and when he extended his handshake to make amends, the individual who had suggested a fight responded by saying “no way” and then burned the pledge’s finger with a cigarette.
The pledge remained at the fraternity house for 20 minutes, and as he got up to leave, was advised to leave through the back door. The pledge engaged in conversation outside for 15 minutes and was then grabbed by the neck by two attackers. The pledge claimed he told the two he did not wish to fight and that he meant no disrespect.
They responded by saying that it was too late, and one of them punched the pledge in the mouth. The pledge reported that he was punched by two or more individuals before he escaped.
Judicial action: The fraternity pleaded guilty to physical abuse, and was given a one-year deferred suspension, one of probation, a $250 fine, 1,000 hours of required community service and the requirement that a member or members of the fraternity attend a civility class. The organization was also required to present three educational programs.