As ‘rogue’ fraternities emerge, WVU president sends message to parents

Moves by several West Virginia University fraternities to shed school governance and form their own interfraternity council prompted WVU President E. Gordon Gee to write to parents Sunday expressing concern about effectively ungoverned organizations and safety.

In his letter, and in a statement released Monday by the university, Mr. Gee called the matter one of grave concern.

“I am extremely disappointed that these fraternities have disassociated with the University in a deliberate and reckless manner,” he said. “We have worked extremely hard over the past few years to improve the fraternity atmosphere and image on this campus, and the great majority of our fraternities agree with the increased standards.”

Three fraternities that “fall short of academic standards established earlier this year” announced they were severing ties and intend to operate off-campus as independent organizations, WVU officials said.

“The three — Alpha Sigma Phi, Phi Sigma Kappa and Kappa Alpha Order — said they are renouncing University recognition and establishing their own organization,” the university statement said.

A fourth fraternity, Sigma Chi, sent a similar letter Aug. 10.

Mr. Gee said most fraternities and sororities at WVU are behaving responsibly, but he nevertheless felt he had to act.

Further escalating the situation, officials said, was the apparent decision by one fraternity to proceed in defiance of the university with announced plans for

rush activities this week, including freshmen.

Fall classes began Wednesday at WVU.

Alcohol deaths, sexual assault and hazing at WVU and elsewhere have sparked intensifying scrutiny nationwide of fraternities, and schools have often been criticized for a lackluster response. The move by several fraternities to, as Mr. Gee put it, go “rogue” points to pressures those schools face in the opposite direction.

The actions by the four fraternities followed the release this spring of results of an effort dubbed “Reaching the Summit: Plan for Excellence.” WVU announced in February that Mr. Gee had imposed a moratorium on social and recruiting activities of 16 fraternities belonging to WVU’s Interfraternity Council. WVU also raised academic standards to join a fraternity or sorority from a 2.5 grade point average to 2.75. Chapter GPA averages must meet the same requirements to stay in good standing.

In addition, freshmen “are not able to join until they reach the minimum standards of membership, which is typically in the spring semester,” the university’s statement said.

Mr. Gee said he wants to work through differences by meeting Tuesday with fraternity alumni and national leadership. Following that call for discussion, Alpha Sigma Phi and Phi Sigma Kappa said they would rescind their letters of disassociation.

Kappa Alpha’s national office in Lexington, Va., later said the local chapter had agreed to “pause” its withdrawal from university oversight given Tuesday’s planned meeting.

Mr. Gee said Sigma Chi had not pulled its notice of withdrawal, but he noted that the national office of Sigma Chi said it does not support the withdrawal and had placed the chapter on indefinite suspension.

WVU officials said the organizations’ complaints include policies governing membership recruitment and chapter operations.

“Despite their assertion they would promote WVU health and safety initiatives, there would be no oversight or accountability,” Mr. Gee said. “I cannot and will not stand by while West Virginia University students are exposed to potentially unsafe environments.

“We will take every action possible to see that these dissident fraternities, and any others that want to follow their lead, will soon realize the gravity of their decision.”

WVU officials reiterated the consequences for organizations that function as organizations unrecognized by the university.

Mr. Gee said those fraternities can’t participate in IFC-sponsored programs or those backed by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, including Homecoming or Greek Week. He said chapters may not take part in intramurals or any activity sponsored by a recognized student organization and cannot use “West Virginia University” or its marks or brands.

Hank Nuwer, a professor at Franklin College in Franklin, Ind., who has studied and written extensively on hazing deaths, said it’s not unusual for individual fraternity chapters to attempt to operate unofficially off campus after being sanctioned.

But several doing it at once is unusual, he said Monday. It also is concerning, given dangerous behaviors that have occurred at these largely unsupervised chapters, he added.

“The term rogue or renegade is well-chosen,” said Mr. Nuwer, who edited a book “Hazing: Destroying Young Lives,” published this year by Indiana University Press.

“They can become a norules type of organization and often do, and you’re putting a lot of power in 18 and 19 year olds,” he said.

Mr. Gee noted in his letter to parents that Kappa Alpha continues to promote locally that it is hosting rush activities this week: “It is imperative that you know our campus has deferred rush, which means freshmen are not allowed to join until the spring semester.”