The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was suspended last week from campus for one year, following a decision in response to the sentencing of fraternity member Nicholas L. Vogele.
The former University student pleaded no contest to criminal mischief charges following a Jan. 15 incident at the fraternity’s house.
Since several fraternity members were involved in the incident, a committee made up of University students and staff members had to decide if the incident would be classified as a “fraternity event.”
It was not a fraternity event in the sense that the chapter got together, voted and planned to take part in this act of sexual harassment toward a fellow Pi Kappa Alpha member, according to Ron Binder, associate director of Residence Life.
“What the University does is look at all the facts of the case and then determine if [this incident] rose to the level of a chapter event,” Binder said. “In this situation, they said ‘yes it did’, so the chapter bears some responsibility for what went on.”
The University’s chapter immediately filed an appeal of the decision to the Vice President of Student Affairs, Edward Whipple.
“We feel the process was done wrong,” said Charlie Upchurch, the chapter’s vice president. Pi Kappa Alpha members are on a “no-comment system” until the appeals process is complete — which should occur early next week.
The decision also stated, effective next year, that the fraternity will not be allowed to occupy its on-campus house. The chapter was granted the house in the fall of 2004.
The victim of the incident, who will be referred to as Greg, believes the University made the right decision to suspend the whole chapter. He said the incident deeply impacted his life as well as that of his family.
“It’s been hard to go to classes and I’ve been seeking counseling,” Greg said. “I am trying to make the big decision right now, with my counselor, if BGSU is the right campus for me.”
Greg also “guarantees” the chapter will not be successful in appealing the University’s decision.
“I take back routes to my classes now and I try to keep my distance from everyone,” Greg said. “I don’t want to see any of those guys.”
The decision is not automatic, Binder stressed. The chapter is suspended for a year, but they have to reapply in order to be reinstated into the University.
“I’ve lost a lot of friends and I knew what I was getting myself into, and I was just trying to stick up for myself and everyone else that goes through this,” Greg said. “I just wanted to let them know that it’s okay to go forward, it’s hard at first, but you just have to fight through it.”
Vogele’s former fraternity reinstated their BGSU chapter last fall, after nearly a nine-year break from the University. In 1996, after a 54-year run on campus, the Pi Kappa Alpha house disbanded due to poor leadership and dwindling numbers, according to the Dec. 15, 2003 BG News.