Dean nears decision on fate of Sigma Nu

The Greek Judicial Board has made a recommendation to Dean of Students Richard McKaig to punish the fraternity Sigma Nu for a hazing incident that occurred last year. \nMcKaig said he will make the final decision about the fraternity's fate sometime next week. McKaig declined to reveal the punishment the judicial board recommended until he makes his final decision. \nEarlier this year, on Feb.13, a Sigma Nu pledge was hazed at one of the fraternity's events resulting in cuts on and around his wrist. He was later taken to the Bloomington Hospital by a member of the fraternity. A few days later, the student called the IUPD about the situation, and an investigation was conducted.\nMcKaig will now wait for word from an Associate Fraternity Advisors meeting that will be attended by Stan Sweeney, the associate director for greek life, and Steve Veldkamp, assistant dean of student affairs and director of student activities.\n"They will attend a national convention for directors, staff and students," McKaig said. "I will ask them to talk to some of the national Sigma Nu people and then report back to me."\nThe national convention offers IU a good opportunity to have face-to-face discussions with national chapter presidents for different fraternities. After a conversation with the Sigma Nu national president, Veldkamp and Sweeney will bring information home to McKaig to aid him in making his decision. \n"The biggest thing the judicial board usually looks at are the priors for a fraternity," Interfraternity Council President Evan Waldman said. "If it is a small violation and they have a clean record, usually the punishment is not as big scale. They are more likely to take a harsher action if the records develop a pattern of judicial board appearances."\nThe prior record of Sigma Nu was assessed by the judicial board, but from this point, all that will be considered will be their recommendation and the national chapter president's advice.\nThe other recent case involving hazing at a fraternity involves the Kappa Sigma fraternity and is still at the appeals level. The primary element behind deciding cases related to hazing, lies in the severity of the incident, McKaig said.\n"It depends on the nature of the hazing," he said. "Hazing can range from making students clean or a personal servitude type, to something that results in personal injury. This instance involved personal injury, so it is being viewed as more serious."\nSenior Casey Holsapple, president of the Sigma Nu house, said he had no information on the judicial board's decision.\n-- Contact senior writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.