When hazing leads to death: one campus' response - Southeast Missouri State University

Black Issues in Higher Education, June 25, 1998 by Karin Chenoweth

"They're didn't listen to us. All they listened to was a bunch of lies," Banks said. "There's no evidence, and I wonder why? Because nothing happened to them."

West said sorority officers also reportedly met with pledges in the first week of March to initiate them, weeks before the planned initiation. At that time, they also had not received approval from their national headquarters to begin initiating new members, West said.

"They were not supposed to be in any contact with the candidates at the time that there were activities going on," West said. "We felt like some of the activities that were going on were hazing."

West would not elaborate on that type of physical and mental abuse that allegedly occurred.

Under the terms of the current suspension, the chapter will not be permitted to register as a student organization again until fall 2001. Despite the suspension, the sorority has options.

"They can still exercise their option to appeal," said Dr. David Stockham, dean of students. "They have that right, so we have to preserve it."

Chapter officers have not yet responded in writing to the university. The sorority has thirty days to appeal the change, as required by the school's student code of conduct. None of Delta Sigma Theta's national officers could be reached for comment.