THE DIRTY ARMY: A University of Florida fraternity has been suspended and its fraternity house closed for a year over a hazing incident in which pledges were found shirtless and kneeling in the house’s basement.
Tau Epsilon Phi’s alumni board will also conduct a member-by-member review and overhaul the pledging program under an agreement reached between fraternity and university officials.
Authorities have decided against pursuing criminal charges against members for violating the state’s anti-hazing law.
UF police and the dean of students entered the fraternity house Nov. 3 to find the incident in progress. One pledge later told police that pledges were kneeling for an hour and a half. Police also found evidence of other hazing rituals.
“It was just a stupid, juvenile situation that didn’t need to happen,” said Rick Freedman, a South Florida attorney who serves as alumni board vice president.
State Attorney William Cervone decided against filing criminal charges because there were no significant injuries and the university judicial system was handling the situation, according to university police.
Under Florida law, hazing is a third-degree felony if serious bodily injury occurs and a first-degree misdemeanor if there’s a chance of harm.
The fraternity house, 9 Fraternity Row, will be closed Dec. 31 and reopened Jan. 1, 2010, under the agreement. Fraternity leaders are planning to kick off a fundraising campaign next year to raise $4 million for a new fraternity house and also are preparing to welcome 4,000 alumni for their 85th anniversary in Feb. 2010.
Freedman said the hazing incident won’t affect those plans.
“Our alumni have overwhelmingly come out and said ‘What could we do to help?’ ” he said.
The fraternity avoided more serious penalties. In July, UF suspended Pi Kappa Phi for four years over forcing new members to drink large amounts of alcohol and perform physical challenges.
Patricia Telles-Irvin, UF’s vice president for student affairs, said Tau Epsilon Phi’s cooperation played into the agreement for a one-year suspension.
“They owned up to the mistake … and they’re willing to deal with it in a very appropriate way,” she said.
While most hazing incidents are reported after the fact, a tip led UF Dean of Students Paige Crandall to summon police to the house in the midst of the incident. Crandall and officers arrived to find a group of pledges on their knees, while six other members sat in chairs in front of them with bottles of beer.
Telles-Irvin said the university has occasionally gone to fraternity houses to act on such information.
“If we are concerned for the safety and health of students, we may have to take that measure,” she said.
One officer reported overhearing a fraternity member talking about eating a laxative and passing out. A fraternity member later told police that pledges ate from a bowl of chocolates, but were told they were laxatives.
Police found diapers attached to duct tape and a trash can filled with ice and water, which were consistent with information about hazing. While pledges had wet socks and reported being cold, there were no reported injuries.
Freedman said the lack of injuries led to the year-long penalty as opposed to a longer suspension.
“We have never touched or injured someone and we would never do so,” Freedman said.
