USU hazing probe still under way

In the wake of criminal charges filed against a Utah State University fraternity and sorority and 12 of their members, activities of the two chapters remain suspended.

The students all face various misdemeanor charges, including obstructing justice, hazing and supplying alcohol to a minor, according to documents filed in 1st District Court in Logan. The Sigma Nu fraternity and the Chi Omega Sorority were charged as organizations with felony hazing.

University officials have always had strict rules against hazing and underage alcohol use, both of which may be factors in the November alcohol-poisoning death of Michael Starks, an 18-year-old freshman from Salt Lake City.

Starks was a Sigma Nu pledge when, according to court documents, he was participating in an initiation ceremony and drank enough vodka to put his blood-alcohol level more than than four times Utah's legal driving limit.

According to a statement released Monday, USU stands by previous action taken prohibiting relations between the school and the fraternity and sorority. "Our focus is to adhere to university policies that deal with infractions of the student code," which mirrors state law on hazing.

Officials at the school said an "administrative student disciplinary process will be carried out against any student who may have hazed other USU students or violated other sections of the student code." The process pertains to both individual students and organizations involved.

Four men and eight women were charged in Cache County last Friday. According to school policy, each will face disciplinary action based on the level of his or her involvement in the incident.

USU spokesman John DeVilbiss said the review portion of the process, including investigation, is under way and remains a "top priority."

Only the victim's family is entitled to the outcome of the process, according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The fraternity and sorority are conducting individual investigations based on statements in the court documents.

"We respect the responsibility of law enforcement officials to pursue criminal charges," said Brad Beacham, Sigma Nu executive director. "We will take this and all subsequent new information into consideration as we continue to work with local officials to complete our investigation and make decisions regarding the future of the Sigma Nu chapter at Utah State University."

"Hazing and alcohol abuse is contradictory to Chi Omega's values and purposes and will absolutely not be tolerated," according to the Chi Omega Web site.

It is unknown whether Sigma Nu or Chi Omega will return to normal status, as university officials and the two organizations suspended all activity immediately following news of Starks' death.

Logan's Epsilon Upsilon chapter of Sigma Nu, headquartered in Lexington, Va., was founded at USU in 1938. Beacham said this is the first time official action has been taken there.

---

E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com