After wrapping up proceedings for the fights over Labor Day weekend, the Interfraternity Council judicial board is at work again following incidents at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity Oct. 10 and 11.
Delta Tau Delta fraternity member Kyle Ruona has been appointed chief justice of the judicial board, IFC President Scot Rogers said. Ruona said the three cases being investigated were the removal of lug nuts from a Sigma Phi Epsilon member’s vehicle, the burning of a couch outside of the Sigma Phi Epsilon house and the suspected encouragement of pranks against Sigma Phi Epsilon by Kappa Sigma fraternity members.
During Tuesday’s IFC meeting, Sigma Phi Epsilon President Nate Michel requested an investigation of all three situations, citing concern for member safety.
The first case occurred Oct. 10, when Sigma Phi Epsilon member Zack Rockey noticed the lug nuts were missing from the passenger side wheels of his 2001 Ford Focus.
“I was just pulling out of the drive to go home for fall break, and the wheels just fell off,” Rockey said.
He said he noticed a difference in the way his car operated on his trip home last weekend, and is going to take his car to get an estimate of the damage.
“I think something could be wrong with the axle because as I was driving home the car was definitely leaning to the right,” he said.
Sgt. Gregg Schiffelbein, of the Baldwin City Police Department, said the case was being investigated.
On Oct. 11 another Baldwin City public safety service was called to the Sigma Phi Epsilon house after a couch outside of the house caught on fire. Fire Chief Alan Craig said the department responded at 2:43 a.m.
“It was burned up significantly, and it was out when we got there,” Craig said. “It was put out with a fire extinguisher by the residents.”
Craig said the building was probably not in danger since it was made of brick, and an investigation is under way by the police department.
While the police department investigates the lug nut removal and the burned couch, the IFC judicial board will be investigating all three events. Rogers said the judicial board is made up of the chief justice and one member from each of the four Baker fraternities who hold voting power on IFC. Ruona said as of Tuesday, the representatives from each fraternity are George Maxwell, Kappa Sigma; Casey Smith, Sigma Phi Epsilon; Jeff Skillman, Delta Tau Delta and Nick Wasser, Zeta Chi fraternity.
Rogers said there are four levels of offenses the judicial board can choose from, ranging from monetary fines and community service hours to written apologies.
The investigation will commence with questioning of Sigma Phi Epsilon members, and then proceed with questioning members of Kappa Sigma who are thought to have committed the acts, to confirm or deny the accusations, Ruona said. He plans to have the first meeting within the week and have the process wrapped up in two weeks.
Schiffelbein said he, Associate Dean of Students Teresa Clounch, Multicultural Affairs Director Ron Holden and Louise Cummings-Simmons, vice president for enrollment management, attended the weekly meetings of Kappa Sigma and Sigma Phi Epsilon Monday.
“I talked to both fraternities just to say hey, due to the activity we’ve been having, we wanted to let everybody know that the seriousness of something that could happen,” Schiffelbein said.Schiffelbein said this year has seen more fraternity quarrels than usual.
“We’re just concerned that if this keeps happening that someone could get seriously hurt,” he said. “We just want this to stop.”
