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UW-Stout suspends fraternity
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by Cassie Kornblau
Monday, February 5, 2007
The University of Wisconsin-Stout suspended a campus fraternity last week — with no chance of appeal for four years — after city police cited more than 100 underage drinkers at a Feb. 1 party.
According to Menomonie police, a new Department of Education grant aimed to curb underage drinking made the large-scale bust of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity possible.
"Our purpose was to locate a house party where illegal consumption of alcohol was occurring," MPD Officer Aaron Bergh said. "This is part of our ongoing efforts on both the education and enforcement side to stop underage drinkers."
With the increased funding, the MPD was able to use resources from the UW-Stout Police Department and the Dunn County Sheriff's Department to cite 133 underage drinkers and arrest several others for providing false identification, obstructing police officers, resisting arrest and other criminal offenses.
Doug Mell, UW-Stout director of university communications, said the arrests were not in response to any prior troubles with the fraternity, but rather an active effort to reduce underage drinking by securing the scene and maintaining control of the area.
"We want students to know how serious we take underage drinking," Mell said. "We will not stick our heads in the sand, but rather make a pro-active effort to stop underage drinking."
Mell said there is a strong likelihood police will show up at any campus party because of the inherent dangers of underage drinking.
Mell added the arrests were not aimed at the Greek system or combating legal drinking.
About 250 people make up UW-Stout's Greek system, and there are five other sorority and fraternity houses on campus, Mell said. He added students at UW-Stout do not receive citations often and the Feb. 1 bust is just an isolated incident that by no means reflects on the entire student body or the UW-Stout Greek community.
Clint McCurry, vice president of Sigma Tau Gamma, said this is not the first incident involving some of its fraternity members and added the chapter was already on probation for an incident two years ago.
The fraternity is launching an investigation into the arrests, McCurry said, and will determine what action to take from here.
"Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity regrets the apparent violation of our policy and Wisconsin State law by members our chapter at UW-Stout," read a statement from the fraternity's national chapter. "Sigma Tau Gamma does not condone underage consumption of alcoholic beverages or any activity that encourages such behavior."
McCurry said Sigma Tau Gamma offers educational tools to address drug and alcohol risk management. The national organization has field staff trained in delivering presentations across the country to educate members on these issues.
"The problem with underage drinking is a national problem," McCurry said. "It is not just with fraternities."
UW-Stout recognizes the national problem with underage drinking and offers programs addressing alcohol consumption at freshman orientation and during a month-long event in October organized by students.
Anonymous (February 5, 2007 @ 2:42am):
wtf.
don't get any ideas, fiore.
Anonymous (February 5, 2007 @ 4:21am):
I blame Lauren Woods.
Anonymous (February 5, 2007 @ 3:45pm):
Its to bad that the Dunn county sheffif's department and the Menomonie police cant make enough money from day to day, so they need to pull in almost 40k from a underage bust...
Anonymous (February 5, 2007 @ 7:14pm):
It figures a group with tony ritchie as a memeber would get into tons of trouble...what an idiot
Anonymous (February 6, 2007 @ 12:56pm):
Why doesn't this article mention that no alcohol was served or sold or provided to any minors?
Anonymous (February 6, 2007 @ 5:00pm):
you all need to get life
Anonymous (February 8, 2007 @ 12:44pm):
unlucky
Anonymous (February 8, 2007 @ 1:00pm):
if tony ritchie isn't the biggest douche on campus, i dont know who is
Anonymous (February 8, 2007 @ 1:01pm):
i wonder if tony ritchie would even feel like defending himself against the charge of idiot? surely, he can't be the only moron around -- 133 underages, i mean come on!
Anonymous (February 8, 2007 @ 6:10pm):
...i find it interesting that any media source fails to mention the other two big house parties that got busted up last weekend, only the frat house taking the negative attention...weird
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 9:26pm):
I'm thrilled They are gone! They caused a great deal heartache for my family! When they vandalized our golf course and resort 2 years ago! They should have been suspended at that time!
Thank You!!! For Finally Giving Us Peace of Mind!!
I think you all know who I am!
Anonymous (August 31, 2007 @ 10:42am):
I would like to add to the last comment. That not only did the fraternity greatly compensate the golf course for damages caused quickly, they also went and volunteered labor to the golf course. Surely this was of benefit to your family. If it had not been a fraternity the golf course would not have recieved as much as they did for the incident. I was simply a witness to those events at the golf course, but I was suprised at how much intergrity the members showed in taking resposibilty for the actions of a few individuals. I dont know many people that would have done, rather than jsut hanging the individuals out to dry. Furthermore I believe that since everything had been settled that the step to bring the event to the university just shows what kind of people you are. After they do everything in their power to make it right you have to go and throw sand in the wound, quite childish if i do say so my self.
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