Penn State’s fraternity system under fire after charges

Penn State permanently banned the Beta Theta Pi chapter where, according to the grand jury report, Mr. Piazza endured a lacerated spleen and a skull fracture. Fraternity and sorority members represent about 17 percent of the student body, according to the university. That amounts to some 7,500 members.

“Right now, it seems to be that fraternities especially defy the university’s mission and code of conduct more than they uphold those things. It’s been time — for a long time — for a good, hard look,” said Debra Hawhee, a professor in English, civic deliberation and communication arts and sciences.

She expects Penn State to impose, “at minimum,” stronger oversight over Greek chapters and to scrutinize its connection with them. She thinks administrators should sever that tie, Ms. Hawhee said.

“Sometimes institutions that have been around a long time within institutions start to grow and push in the wrong directions,” she said, lamenting the “worst sides of peer pressure” in the grand jury report. “I don’t see these kinds of values and activities having any place in higher education, frankly.”

Members representing a half-dozen fraternity and sorority chapters declined to speak with the Post-Gazette. Approached Friday, a man outside one fraternity house told a reporter: “We have nothing to say about anything.” Outside another, men shook their heads “no” as a bonfire burned what appeared to have been a picnic table.

The university’s sorority and fraternity councils did not immediately respond to inquiries. Nor did a couple of national organizations that focus on campus Greek life.

But State College Borough Council President Thomas Daubert, who has advised the Delta Sigma Phi chapter here since 1971, said he believes Greek hazing has diminished at the university over the last couple decades.

“If anyone’s gotten caught doing that, they’ve always gotten in trouble,” Mr. Daubert said. He credited chapters for philanthropic efforts including the Penn State dance marathon. Supporters often argue that Greek life cultivates leadership, career networking and academic achievement.

Mr. Daubert suggested strengthening the development of fraternity and sorority members rather than abandoning the Greek system. Worsened drinking habits in college have followed societal shifts toward consumption at younger ages, but he has no indication that the severe behavior at the Beta house is widespread at Penn State, he said.

“Our objective is to make sure that we save Greek life because it’s had a profoundly positive experience over the last 100 years,” Penn State president Eric Barron said. “But unfortunately, all across the nation, institution after institution, we have excessive drinking and instances of hazing.”

To combat the excesses, Mr. Barron said in a brief inter-view Friday, Penn State has leaned on education, partnerships, task forces and dropping official recognition for rogue fraternities. But the solution has to be an effective collaboration among alumni groups, national fraternities, students, their family members and the university itself, he said.

Mr. Barron spoke just shy of three minutes before an aide urged him to another engagement. The administration did not immediately discuss Saturday the prospect of additional changes to the Greek system.

Penn State officials announced in March new rules for fraternities and sororities. The adjustments include limits on the number of alcohol-driven events and caps on attendance at those events. Plus, an annual recruitment period, known as “rush,” has been pushed back from fall to spring of a student’s freshman year.

“It’s a mistake to wrap all the fraternities into the same category,” State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham said. She said they “have a responsibility of leadership” and, in many cases, have forged healthy ties in the community.

Still, Ms. Goreham said, tensions between Greek houses and the town swelled over the last few years. She said a suspension of the Greek system “should be on the table” for discussion.

Borough Manager Tom Fountaine said worries over alcohol abuse and sexual assault are among many reasons for the strife. He said a fatality like Mr. Piazza’s “could happen on any number of other occasions” at Penn State and other schools.

“My inclination and belief is that if it’s happening at the Beta house, it’s very likely happening at other places,” Mr. Fountaine said of extreme hazing. The house long held a prestigious reputation and self-identified as dry.

The “gauntlet” ritual wasn’t permitted under the international fraternity’s rules or under campus standards, which also ban hazing. Penn State threatened in March that the entire Greek system could go dry if chapters don’t effectively prevent underage and excessive drinking.

Skeptics questioned whether the sharp tone will endure, especially given that fraternity and sorority alumni tend to be relatively generous donors to their alma maters. Graduate student Garrett DuCharme, 24, of Chicago said the chapters “tend to get away with a lot of things” — including hazing.

“They wouldn’t have been able to get away with it for so long if fraternities didn’t have some kind of influence,” he said.