Moves by several fraternities at West Virginia University to shed school governance and form their own Interfraternity Council prompted school President E. Gordon Gee to write to parents Sunday expressing deep concern about effectively ungoverned organizations and safety.
In his letter, and in a statement released Monday by the university, Mr. Gee called the matter one of grave concern, noting recent efforts to curb fraternity trouble at the institution.
“I am extremely disappointed that these fraternities have disassociated with the University in a deliberate and reckless manner,” he said. “We have worked extremely hard over the past few years to improve the fraternity atmosphere and image on this campus, and the great majority of our fraternities agree with the increased standards.”
Three fraternities that “fall short of academic standards established earlier this year” told WVU leaders that they were severing ties, said university officials, but those groups intend to operate off-campus as independent organizations.
“The three – Alpha Sigma Phi, Phi Sigma Kappa and Kappa Alpha Order – said they are renouncing University recognition and establishing their own organization,” the university statement said.
A fourth fraternity, Sigma Chi, sent a similar letter Aug. 10.
The president said he believes in fraternities and sororities at WVU and said most organizations are behaving responsibly, but he nevertheless felt he had to act.
Further escalating the situation, officials said, was the apparent decision by one fraternity to proceed in defiance of the university with announced plans for rush activities this week, including freshmen.
Fall classes at WVU began Aug. 15.
Alcohol deaths, sexual assault and hazing at WVU and elsewhere have sparked intensifying scrutiny nationwide of fraternities, and schools have often been criticized for a lackluster response. The move by several fraternities to, as Mr. Gee put it, go “rogue” points to pressures those schools face in the opposite direction.
He said the actions by the chapters on his campus followed the release this spring of results of an effort dubbed “Reaching the Summit: Plan for Excellence.” It was announced in February that Mr. Gee imposed a moratorium on social and recruiting activities of 16 fraternities belonging to WVU’s Interfraternity Council.
Along with the moratorium, WVU raised academic standards to join a fraternity or sorority from a 2.5 grade point average to 2.75. Chapter GPA averages must meet the same requirements to stay in good standing.
In addition, all new member education activities are limited to four weeks as of this fall and freshmen “are not able to join until they reach the minimum standards of membership, which is typically in the spring semester,” the university’s statement said.
Mr. Gee said he wants to work through differences by meeting Tuesday with fraternity alumni and national leadership. The university said that following that call for discussion, two fraternities — Alpha Sigma Phi and Phi Sigma Kappa — said they would rescind their letters of disassociation.
Mr. Gee said campus chapters of Kappa Alpha and Sigma Chi have not pulled back their notice of withdrawal, but he noted that the national office of one, Sigma Chi, has stated that it does not support the withdrawal and placed the chapter on indefinite suspension, while Kappa Alpha has withdrawn its initial support.
WVU officials said the organizations’ complaints include WVU policies governing membership recruitment and chapter operations.
“Despite their assertion they would promote WVU health and safety initiatives, there would be no oversight or accountability,” Mr. Gee said. “I cannot and will not stand by while West Virginia University students are exposed to potentially unsafe environments.
“We will take every action possible to see that these dissident fraternities, and any others that want to follow their lead, will soon realize the gravity of their decision.”
The university quoted IFC President Calvin Komiske as saying he was “disappointed that my peers are going down a path that puts them at odds with their alma mater.”
“The student voice was heard in this process – I made sure of that. This current action is an unnecessary overreaction that is infuriating our Council’s other member groups,” he said.
WVU officials reiterated the consequences for organizations that function as organizations unrecognized by the university.
Mr. Gee, in his letter, said those fraternities cannot participate in IFC-sponsored programs or those backed by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, including Homecoming or Greek Week. He said chapters may not take part in intramurals or any activity sponsored by a recognized student organization and cannot use “West Virginia University” or its institutional marks or brands in any manner. Nor can they reserve campus space.
Hank Nuwer, a professor at Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, who has studied and written extensively on hazing deaths, said it’s not unusual for individual fraternity chapters to attempt to operate unofficially off campus after being sanctioned.
But several doing it at once is unusual, he said Monday. It also is concerning, given dangerous behaviors that have occurred at these largely unsupervised chapters, he added.
“The term rogue or renegade is well chosen,” said Mr. Nuwer, who edited a book “Hazing: Destroying Young Lives,” published this year by Indiana University Press.
“They can become a no-rules type of organization and often do, and you’re putting a lot of power in 18 and 19 year olds,” he said.
Mr. Nuwer said it can be a balancing act trying to intervene in such situations without infringing on individuals’ right to association. He said it seems Mr. Gee is acting wisely by going public.
At WVU, even as Mr. Gee and the university took their case to parents, a Facebook post by Kappa Alpha Order West Virginia showed the wide gap in sentiment.
“HUGE response and great success at the Pig Roast last night! Join us tonight for our second night of Rush. Dogeball will be from 7 to 9 p.m,” the post stated. “All are welcome, and we mean all.”
Kappa Alpha continues to promote locally that it is hosting rush activities throughout this week, officials said.
Mr. Gee singled out Kappa Alpha’s intent to proceed in his letter to parents.
“After several attempts to have such promotion removed from social media, the posts remain in place, and indeed, escalated [Sunday] to specifically recruit freshmen,” Mr. Gee wrote. “It is imperative that you know our campus has deferred rush, which means freshmen are not allowed to join until the spring semester. We do this to give our freshmen time to acclimate to college life.
“Kappa Alpha’s actions are in direct defiance to University regulations and protocols,” Mr. Gee added. “Therefore, I must strongly encourage you to speak with your students and discourage them from participating in any Kappa Alpha event should they be considering this option.”
On Monday, Kappa Alpha’s national office in Lexington, Va., released a statement that appeared to take issue with academic and other requirements imposed on Greek organizations, saying they are not being applied to other student organizations and “there is no research which suggests that any of these requirements will address the concerns WVU has listed …”
It also said the fraternity agreed to “pause” its withdrawal from university oversight given Tuesday’s planned meeting but took issue with Mr. Gee’s suggestion that the national had withdrawn support.
Fraternities at WVU generally have houses off campus, and the chapters have national offices, spokesman John Bolt said.
Bill Schackner: bschackner@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1977 and on Twitter: @Bschackner
First Published: August 20, 2018, 4:44 p.m.
