Phi Delta Theta House, 1245 34th St. Photo: Sarah Andrews
Phi Delta Theta fraternity has lost its organizational status with the university, Drake officials announced tonight. The suspension will be in effect for the next four years.
Drake administration’s actions comes off of last week’s incident that left one first-year student hospitalized for alcohol poisoning and two others arrested on hazing charges.
Nate Pastorik, now former president of Drake’s Phi Delta Theta chapter, said all current members have been given alumni status except for Pastorik – a formality he said.
“I just trying to absorb this all,” he said.
He also said all current members must vacate the house immediately.
The university released the following statement this evening:
“Drake University officials today informed national leaders of Phi Delta Theta fraternity that the Drake chapter is being removed from the University’s list of recognized student organizations, effective immediately and continuing for four years. The action follows the University’s investigation that found the Drake chapter responsible for hazing and underage drinking.
“The national Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which worked closely with Drake on the investigation, has suspended the charter of the Drake chapter as a result of violations of the fraternity’s risk management policies including alcohol and hazing.
“Drake Dean of Students R. Sentwali Bakari said he was removing the Drake chapter at the conclusion of the University’s investigation that included meetings with students, fraternity officials and alumni advisers as well as information obtained from police reports and Des Moines police officers.
“‘We commend the national fraternity for its cooperation and swift action,’ Bakari said. ‘The action the University is taking reflects the Drake community’s values and commitment to students. We are deeply concerned about the safety and well being of our students.’
“Removal is a severe punitive action in which the dean of students informs the chapter that it is no longer welcome on the Drake campus. A chapter that has been classified as “removed” loses its recognition as a Drake University organization and all of the rights and privileges accorded to recognized groups.
“According to Drake’s Student Handbook, a fraternity or sorority chapter that is on removal basis:
• Must immediately cease to use the national Greek letters in connection with the name “Drake University” or “Drake”
• May be forced to vacate its chapter house
• Is ineligible to compete in all-Greek events
• Is ineligible to re-colonize for four years
• May not sponsor parties or social events
“The General Council of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity voted to suspend the charter of the Iowa Alpha Chapter at Drake University on Nov. 13, according to a Nov. 15 letter from Jacob Kingdon, director of chapter services, to the president of the Drake chapter.
“The charter suspension includes the loss of any rights to use the fraternity name in association with any event or activity and the loss of any rights to display the name or symbols of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. This suspension also restricts any continued operation, or any resemblance to operations, such as the initiation of any new members.
“In addition, all students currently living in the chapter facility will be asked to move out of the house no later than Nov. 30. The university has offered to secure housing on campus for any students who need it. In the meantime, the chapter facility is to remain alcohol-free and any damages to the facility may result in individual discipline or fines.
“‘The General Council regrets the need to take this most serious form of action,’ Kingdon concluded in his letter. ‘However, it is felt the best way to ensure a bright future on the Drake University campus is to suspend the charter until a time when Phi Delta Theta can return to campus.’”
Corrected: 11/17/2009 1:32 p.m.
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November 16th, 2009 at 10:17 PM
The Utah Alpha chapter is at the University of Utah, our chapter is the Iowa Delta.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:55 PM
You mean former chapter…
November 17th, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Does this mean formal is canceled?! I WAS REALLY EXCITED! :/
November 17th, 2009 at 12:51 AM
hmm… which fraternity will lay claim to West End?
November 17th, 2009 at 1:05 AM
Reading the TD this year sure makes me proud to be an Alumni (…sarcasm).
But congrats to the TD for actually covering news, as opposed to the “this student-run event happened in Olmsted this past weekend” approach. Keep it up!
November 17th, 2009 at 1:14 AM
Ted why are you reading the TD if you graduated?
November 17th, 2009 at 1:16 AM
This is a sad day
the brotherhood,house and it’s energy changed my life
November 17th, 2009 at 3:29 AM
Nate: It’s strange to you now maybe, but many alumni like to stay up to date on what’s happening at their alma mater. The TD is one way to do so – especially for someone, like myself, who graduated with a degree in journalism and may have worked as a staff member for the TD back in the day.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:44 AM
This is a very, very sad day. Almost 50 years of history…. Gone.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Glad to hear it. But then again I could do without the entire greek system.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:46 PM
I don’t know what’s sadder; The fact that a storied institution closed, or that it had to happen because, instead of being about brotherhood, the entire frat became about drinking. A true shame.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Very sad day indeed. This has been a tragic series of events, both for the young man who almost died and for the leadership of this fraternity. I encourage the other fraternity leaders at Drake to take a good look at thier “dry” status and non-hazing policies. This could just as easily have been any one of your fraternities.
Just reading through the Drake security reports in the T-D tells me that it’s not just the Greek system that is the problem, either.
Parents, beware. Don’t expect the University to protect your student. All the “education programs” and “brochures” in the world won’t help when your young men and women are set free to explore all the realities of college life. Teach them well, parents. Pray and keep your fingers crossed, too. It’s a scary world out there.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Several years ago, the Phi Delts nationally proudly announced that all their chapters would be alcohol free.
I guess that announcement never made it to Iowa.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Aaron who are you to make a judgement that the “entire frat became about drinking”? You were never in it, nor closely associated with it. Your just another person that has made a judgement without knowing all of the facts. Every greek house, whether social or not has a pledge dad or pledge mom night. This situation could have happened very easily to any one of those orginizations.
Also I dont understand Drake’s rationale behind their punishment. A couple of years ago Pike’s entire house beat a kid so badly during their I week that he had to go the hospital. Their only punishment was that they could rush for a semester. I don’t see how Drake can hand out two radically different punishments. There needs to be clarity in that decision making process and changes obviously needed to be made.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Just goes to show that “dry” designations are only that–a designation. Despite attempts to remove it from the chapter house, the use (and unfortunately abuse) of alcohol will continue unabated. To echo the comments of others, hopefully the students involved and the chapter members of Phi Delt have learned a lesson in moderation and self-control. And to the other chapters on Greek Street, don’t expect to hide behind the “dry” designation if a similar incident happens to your group. I hope my chapter uses this incident as an opportunity to educate its members, rather than simply bash the suspended house. All the Greek houses have had similar problems in the past, and the only way to make a positive out of the negative is to avoid the mistakes of others and change the focus of the brotherhood from alcohol consumption to the positive aspects of fraternity life like philanthropy.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:02 PM
If you’re not greek, stop being bitter. We still don’t care about your lame thoughts. This is a terrible day for every single member of the greek community. My thoughts and prayers are with the men of phi delta theta, esp their leadership and the men who worked their ass of to change that house. All that taken away because of a few members. It couldn’t have been ANY chapter. and Yes I agree with ljones, DRAKE has a drinking problem. The bars are filled with people are are affiliated and not affiliated, read that damn security reports and stop bitching about not being greek an thinking you have all the facts straight because you don’t.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:22 PM
I guess I’m one of the only people to find this on facebook : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=176699698930&ref=nf . I understand you guys are upset about losing your charter, but is getting “black out drunk” the real answer to this. Fraternities are meant to help train the future leaders of society. This is no way to celebrate almost killing a kid.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Ben beat me to it. I have a hard time sympathizing with a frat who celebrates after almost killing a pledge. And, besides, you don’t have to be in a frat to know what’s going on. I’ve heard stories from multiple places and, quite frankly, none of them are unbelievable. Sorry to say it, but Phi Delt deserved it.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Good night Iowa Delta, and thank you for all the great memories. Hope to see you again in four years.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:54 PM
Ben, glad you brought up that link. That just doesn’t make sense whatsoever. “We got kicked off campus for drinking so we aren’t going to learn a lesson but instead we are going to drink even more!”
November 18th, 2009 at 12:52 AM
And who, on a pledge mom or dad night, doesn’t go out and drink with them?
November 18th, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Student, they “aren’t celebrating the fact that they almost killed a kid.” Poor decisions were made by everyone involved with the alleged hazing incident. The fraternity wasnt about what happened there. These kids just want to get together and have one last event to remember the good times they had with Phi Delt.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:04 PM
It’s a party at bar that the Phi Delts are known to congregate at. It’s a farewell. This could have been any fraternity, and if they want to go out this way, let them.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Although I am not Greek, I can sympathize with Phi Delt’s situation. I am friends with plenty of Greeks and know for a fact that not one single fraternity or sorority has a spotless record. The recent events concerning Phi Delt and the Sigma Chi probation are just one of many transgressions that range from binge drinking, dirty rushing and sexual misconduct- all the way to over 30 Pikes and football players beating the snot out of a few SAE brothers a couple of years back. And no- the sororities aren’t innocent bystanders in all of this either.
, speak of brother and sisterhood and the importance of social and campus-wide philanthropy and are always first to point out that they breed leaders and men/women of action. If that is the case, prove it. I know Greeks cannot control everything that happens in their world, but take responsibility and retake control of your respective houses. Its gotten to the point where its indisputable that something drastic happens every, single year. This must stop. No excuses, no bullshit- just stop.
At this point, I believe its time the Greeks start practicing what they preach. They wear the t-shirts (are you a leader or a follower? note: you’re reading the my t-shirt
Note: this isn’t coming from a bitter GDI who doesn’t understand/hates Greeks. I’ve dated Greeks and some of my best friends are in houses. I love you guys to death. But at this point, if campus-wide and nation wide perceptions of Greeks and the system as a whole are to change- it begins and ends with you guys. The perceived “aura” of invincibility that even I must admit- many Greeks have- has been completely blown out the window. I believe that for Greek street, this is a much needed dose of reality. Unfortunately a house and an entire brotherhood with a proud 50 year tradition here had to be lost in the process.
The first two friends I made at Drake ended up pledging Phi Delt and FIJI, I myself was a heartbeat away from joining Phi Delt my freshman year. Please Greeks, learn from this. Because I for one, would absolutely hate to see another house- another brother/sisterhood needlessly lost.
November 18th, 2009 at 2:53 PM
I am a Teke and was a member of the Drake Chapter in the mid-seventies. The chater even then was the smallest house on campus and was roundly ridiculed for its no-hazing policy.
I am proud to have been a member when we came to this futuristic decision and hope that others now see us in a slightly different light.
And yes the Phi Delts ALWAYS kicked us around in sports. At least the TKEs will be there to play this winter.
(However we WON the academic trophy every year I was there, with me having the lowest score in the house.)
November 18th, 2009 at 10:16 PM
Clearly, if you’re not Greek, it’s not your place to comment on Greek life. Why you ask? Because you just don’t get it.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:43 PM
“Clearly, if you’re not Greek, it’s not your place to comment on Greek life. Why you ask? Because you just don’t get it.”
It’s not that you don’t have a place to comment on Greek life, but when you make it ignorant, then people will tell you that you just don’t get it. Making broad generalizations of the houses is very dangerous. Yes, there are problems, but the good far outweigh the bad. So when some have said the Phi Delt incident should be the nail in the coffin for the Greek community or that all houses are like this, yes, we do get upset because you don’t understand.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:03 AM
“Yes, there are problems, but the good far outweigh the bad. So when some have said the Phi Delt incident should be the nail in the coffin for the Greek community or that all houses are like this, yes, we do get upset because you don’t understand.”
My counter would be that maybe it is you that just doesn’t get it (and by you, I refer to those in the Greek system that think they are special and above the law, and the GDI members of the Drake community).
What’s so dangerous about this factual statement: Greek houses haze their initiates by using alcohol to poison them. I’ve never talked to a single Greek that would deny this. Not one. Your “secret” isn’t safe anymore.
The Phi Delt incident should be the nail in the coffin for the business-as-usual way of business that the entire Greek community has been living under up to point. If it serves as the nail in the coffin of the Greek system at Drake, all the better. It’s a win-win situation.
November 21st, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Being a new member of the Greek Community at Drake, I find many of these comments to be harsh. Greeks are constantly being talked about as alcoholics and that they party too much, but I know many people in my house and the other houses that have never drank in their lives. Just because you join the Greek Community does not mean you love to party or drink. And if you were to take a look at the people who attend the parties thrown by Greek houses, almost half the people there aren’t affiliated with our community. Drinking is not a problem that the Greeks have, drinking is a problem that college students have. I also don’t think you can call the Drake students alcoholics or say that drinking is a huge problem our university has. If you visit any other college campus I can guarantee their students party just as much, if not more, than we do. Drake is just getting a bad rep. right now because our school is small and news/gossip travels fast.
The Phi Delt incident really is a tragedy. I know many of the pledges and I could not begin to tell you how upset each one is because their house has been shut down. However, just because you no longer have the title as Phi Delts, does not mean your friendship has to end. Not everyone in the house was involved with the hazing incident and its sad to see everyone being punished for it. Also, Phi Delt was a dry house and it seems like everyone thinks the incident took place at their house, but it was at another location.
I also feel like I am constantly being told that the Greeks here tend to separate themselves from the non-Greeks or that we don’t step up and take leadership opportunities. Please take a look at the members of SAB or Student Senate or PMACs or any other organization on campus, Greeks hold a position in almost every organization. We are leaders on campus.
I also think that it is important to hear Greek and non-Greek opinions on the things that have been happening around campus. If we exclude the thoughts and opinions of people who aren’t in our organization, we are telling people that we only care about ourselves and that their opinions don’t matter. Greek life is going to get an even worse reputation if this happens.
And one last thing, saying that every house hazes is bullshit in my opinion. After I decided to become a pledge, I was extremely worried about being hazed and the members of my house told us time after time that hazing is not acceptable and we have very strong rules against it. To this day, and I am now an active member, I have never been hazed by my organization and I have friends in different houses who have also never been hazed.
Its sad to see that the actions of one house is bringing down everyone in the Greek Community. We all understand the dangers of alcohol and hazing. Students on campus are constantly being reminded about what happened. I think its time to bring the incident to an end, stop publishing articles, stop getting the press involved, stop with the signs and lectures. We are being overwhelmed with the Phi Delt incident and honestly, the students stopped listening awhile ago. It will be easier for the Phi Delts to move on from the situation and in the end the student population, the Greeks and non-Greeks, are going to make their own decisions. If those decisions are good or bad is for us to find out but regardless of everything we’re reading and being told, we most likely are not going to act differently. It’s sad but its true and its our college experience.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:45 PM
“What’s so dangerous about this factual statement: Greek houses haze their initiates by using alcohol to poison them. I’ve never talked to a single Greek that would deny this. Not one. Your “secret” isn’t safe anymore.”
This IS NOT a factual statement. I don’t know which members of which houses you have been talking to (one member of one house does not constitute all members of all houses), but that is a very dangerous statement to put out as fact.
What people outside of the system don’t understand is the unity amongst members. When something happens to one house, it affects all of the houses in profound ways. And some people just don’t understand that bond.
I assume the “business-as-usual” you reference is because of the “factual” statement you present. Your fact is fiction and not “business-as-usual.”
December 29th, 2009 at 6:42 PM
While I am not a member, or in anyway associated with the fraternity, I would attempt an appeal of the decision. It happened to one kid and for anyone to generalize the entire fraternity is blatantly ignorant. While drinking has become a part of college life, I believe that this action toward the fraternity is ridicules. If anything, the ones who should be punished are the ones that took part in the “hazing” not the fraternity as a whole.