Sigma Nu's national fraternity has revoked the charter of the Delta Xi chapter at the University of Nevada, Reno.
An executive with the national fraternity said their investigation found violations of alcohol and hazing policies at the Reno chapter.
In December, the university's Office of Student Conduct suspended the chapter for 15 years for violating the school's alcohol and conduct codes, in the wake of the death of 18-year-old student Ryan Abele in October.
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University Police Services says they have completed its investigation into Sigma Nu and the death of 18-year-old Ryan Abele of Concord, California.
Statement from the University Police Services:
“The series of events related to this death do not support probable cause for any felony or gross misdemeanor crime pursuant to NRS 200.700 and NRS 200.605,” University Police Chief Adam Garcia said. “It is important to point out that the standard of proof required for a criminal charge is much higher than that required for an administrative action, such as the imposition of ‘loss of recognition.’”
The results of the police investigation do not impact the decision by the University to suspend the recognition of the Sigma Nu Delta Xi Chapter for 15 years. The University came to this resolution following a student conduct investigation completed by The Office of Student Conduct that was initiated Monday, Oct. 17, 2016 after learning one of Sigma Nu’s pledge candidates sustained an injury at the fraternity house. The Office of Student Conduct does not investigate criminal violations and has no jurisdiction to do so. Student Conduct investigates violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
The “loss of recognition” is based on violations prohibited by the University Student Code of Conduct, the 2016 Relationship Agreement for the Recognition for Social Fraternities and Sororities, and the University of Nevada, Reno Residence Based Alcohol Policy.
“Loss of recognition” means the fraternity will not be afforded the rights, privileges and resources available to them under the relationship agreement.
The University received communication from the chapter related to the 10-day deadline given to it through the written informal resolution on Dec. 19, 2016. The Office of Student Conduct has scheduled a meeting with the chapter for Friday, Jan. 13, 2017. At the meeting, the assistant dean of student conduct will discuss the charges of misconduct, review the hearing type and hearing process, under the procedure stated in the Student Code of Conduct, Section IV. B. 5, schedule a hearing date, and discuss any additional information.
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Officials at the University of Nevada, Reno said they had agreed to a hearing with Sigma Nu to discuss the fraternity's 15 year suspension from campus, following the death of a student at the fraternity's house.
The University's Office of Student Conduct says that the Delta Xi chapter of Sigma Nu requested a meeting to appeal the fraternity's "loss of recognition" on campus. A "loss of recognition" means Sigma Nu would not be afforded the rights, privileges and resources available to them under the University's relationship agreement.
At the meeting, the Office of Student Conduct will discuss the charges of misconduct made against the fraternity, review the hearing type and hearing process, schedule a hearing date, and discuss any additional information.
A document dated December 19 reports on the university’s investigation and suspension of the fraternity.
The document, which has been released as part of public record, says that Sigma Nu received a “Notice of Investigation” that was dated on October 17, after Abele fell down a staircase leading to the frat house basement on October 16. Abele died 12 days after.
The reports states that active members and candidates of the fraternity were consuming alcohol on or about October 15 as part of a chapter event at the fraternity house. The event was a ritual ceremony that made the pledges, who were under the age of 21, into official candidates of the fraternity. The ritual was held in the basement of the chapter house where candidates were asked to dress “formal” and bring a change of clothes. The students also had matching bandanas that were eventually used as blindfolds during the ritual.
According to the document, after a speech to the candidates, they were asked to put on their blindfolds (bandanas) and they were led to the basement of the fraternity for the ritual event. During the ritual, pledges were told “the two rules of Sigma Nu” which were 1. No hazing and 2. It’s “super-secret”.
Following the ritual, the document states that they moved to a “Big Brother reveal ceremony” where the Big Brothers lit a candle of the Little Brothers and the blindfolds were removed revealing the identity of each Big Brother. After the reveal ceremony, the candidates and active members moved upstairs where they broke into five groups called “families”. Each “family” had a name and a designated liquor. The families shared the alcohol. The report states that alumni were also present for the ceremony and for a period of time after the ritual ceremony ended.
The investigation also stated that after the designated liquor bottle was emptied, the tradition was for the candle from the earlier reveal ceremony to be placed on top of the empty bottle and the Big and Little Brothers would melt the candle so it sealed the bottle and the blindfold (bandana) was tied around the neck of the bottle.
Notes from the report say that active members took cell phones from the candidates to prevent them from taking pictures or videos, their phones were not returned until the following morning. They say there was smoking of marijuana and cigars and while no food was served at the party, snacks were available. After the “family celebrations”, two topless, exotic dancers were hired by the fraternity to perform at the house.
The report noted that several students left during the dancers' performance because they were uncomfortable or “not into that type of thing.” Some candidates said they intentionally poured alcohol outside of the chapter house so members would believe they drank the alcoholic beverages. They say most of the candidates slept in the rooms of their Big Brothers and one candidate had to be “put to bed” because he was too intoxicated. Other members were vomiting both inside and outside of the house.
On Sundays, the candidates were asked to meet at the house to clean the chapter facility as part of their new member process. On October 16, it was the first time candidates were asked to meet in the basement to receive their cleaning assignments. The investigation revealed that many of the students were still drunk on Sunday morning at 6 from the previous night. The new member candidates were asked to stand “in formation” facing the stairs and the lights were off. At this time, one of the new members fell down the stairs, and the lights were turned on.
The document shows that a member from the fraternity did not contact any University administrator or the University police to report the incident; they also failed to answer calls made to them by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. On the day of the incident, they were “instructed by local fraternity alumni members, including an executive board member of the local housing corporation, not to speak to the University administration or the fraternity's national office about the incident.” They also said they were “unaware of the Chapter Crisis Management Plan that they created as a result of an alcohol-related incident that occurred in Fall 2015 and the 2016 University Relationship Agreement for the Recognition of Social Fraternities and Sorority, which includes that the chapter must notify the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life within one hour of an incident occurring involving the chapter.”
The document says that the member(s) of the fraternity was following the advice of local alumni and if there were any future incidents they were to follow the same protocol regardless of an agreement with the university.
The report also states “The chapter remains under 'interim suspension' until this process is completed.”
The university ordered the suspension on Tuesday, December 20 after concluding Sigma Nu's Delta Xi Chapter violated the school's alcohol policy and codes of conduct.
National leaders from Sigma Nu are conducting their own investigation into the alleged violations.
Brad Beacham, executive director of Sigma Nu based in Lexington, Virginia, said Wednesday the national fraternity's own investigation is "ongoing."
He said the fraternity founded in 1869 "remains committed to its principles and to its mission of developing ethical leaders."
Sigma Nu had until Dec. 29 to appeal.
From the University of Nevada, Reno:
University of Nevada, Reno Statement: Informal Resolution for Sigma Nu, Delta Xi Chapter
At the University of Nevada, Reno our goal is to educate students in a healthy, safe and secure environment. Our policies and Student Code of Conduct are clear: conduct that endangers the health or safety of any member or guest of the University cannot be tolerated.
Pursuant to an investigation by the University’s Office of Student Conduct and, in an attempt at an informal resolution, the University has suspended the operations of the Sigma Nu Fraternity, Delta Xi Chapter at the University of Nevada, Reno and invoked the consequence of “loss of recognition” of the chapter by the University for 15 years.
Sigma Nu has 10 days to appeal this decision. The organization “may accept this decision or request a hearing in front of a Student Conduct Hearing Board or Hearing Officer.” The hearing process would follow the procedure stated in the Student Code of Conduct, Section IV. B. 5.
The “loss of recognition” is based on violations prohibited by the University Student Code of Conduct, the 2016 Relationship Agreement for the Recognition for Social Fraternities and Sororities, and the University of Nevada, Reno Residence Based Alcohol Policy. “Loss of recognition” means the fraternity will not be afforded the rights, privileges and resources available to them under the relationship agreement.
The University has come to this resolution after a thorough student conduct investigation that was initiated Monday,
Oct. 17, 2016 after learning one of Sigma Nu’s pledge candidates sustained an injury at the fraternity house.
The Office of Student Conduct does not investigate criminal violations and has no jurisdiction to do so. Student Conduct investigates violations of the Student Code of Conduct. The standard of proof for Student Conduct is preponderance of the evidence which means, “more likely than not.”
Sigma Nu members have until 4:30 p.m. Dec. 29, 2016 to set a meeting to discuss the informal resolution of this matter or to state their intent to request a formal resolution through the hearing process. The chapter remains under “interim suspension” until this process is completed.
Sigma Nu’s national office continues to investigate the charges brought against the fraternity. Representatives of Sigma Nu national have communicated to the University that they intend to reach a decision about the status of the Delta Xi Chapter by mid-January.
A separate University Police Services’ investigation is still underway. Police Services investigates violations of the criminal code.
(The Associated Press also contributed to this report.)
