A student was banned from the Alpha Tau Omega property and terminated from the chapter of which he was a two-year member Nov. 23 after he was implicated in an assault.
Junior Jonathan Goldenhersh allegedly assaulted a woman at a party at the chapter's house Nov. 17, said ATO President Brad Blinn.
Police were involved in the incident after being contacted by a friend of the victim, but the victim chose not to press charges or seek medical attention, and Goldenhersh was not arrested.
According to a press release, the chapter "is sending a formal apology to the victim expressing the deep regret and sincerity of the house."
Blinn said Goldenhersh was put up for membership review prior to Thanksgiving recess, but that the process, which typically takes about three weeks, was accelerated because all chapter members "wanted him out right away."
"There was no one that was against it," he said.
But Goldenhersh said he felt he might have been treated unfairly and that he wouldn't have been removed from the house if the incident hadn't been publicized.
The Indiana Daily Student published an article online detailing the incident Nov. 21, but Goldenhersh's name was not printed in the newspaper.
Nonetheless, Blinn said he had spoken to Goldenhersh via telephone during Thanksgiving recess about the situation and about his removal from the chapter.
"He was going to be kicked out regardless if he was in the paper," Blinn said. "He knew that."
Blinn said Goldenhersh's immediate exit from the house was necessary to uphold the chapter's principles, adding that the fraternity does not condone assault, especially against women.
Blinn said the ATO alumni boards as well as the national ATO organization were responsible for Goldenhersh's official termination. The ATO alumni board voted unanimously to expire his membership while the CEO of ATO nationals confiscated his pin, Blinn said.
The termination of membership is rare. The last similar case for ATO of which Blinn knew occurred in 1991 and involved some type of hazing in which someone got hurt, he said.
Jeremiah Shinn, associate director of student activities, said he felt the chapter is handling the situation effectively.
"Any allegation of assault should be taken very seriously and addressed swiftly and appropriately," Shinn said in an e-mail message. "I have been in contact with the chapter's leadership and am confident they have appropriately addressed this particular incident."
