Gillian M. Reinhard ’20
Features Editor
Following an administrative resolution hearing held Jan. 23, preceded by a two-month college investigation, St. Anthony Hall was placed on a one-semester censure and Alpha Delta Phi (AD) was placed on a four-semester suspension. The disciplinary actions differ significantly. While the Hall will not be permitted to recruit pledges nor hold socials until the beginning of the fall 2020 semester, AD will not be able to undertake in any “fraternity-related activities” (including recruitment and socials). Additionally, the AD dining hall will be closed until Jan. 5, 2022, meaning that all of AD’s current members, aside from its fall 2019 pledge class, will no longer be able to participate in fraternity activities while students at Trinity College.
The Tripod obtained a letter from Dean of Students Joe DiChristina to the Board of Trustees detailing the incident, which, according to the letter, stemmed from a Nov. 9, 2019 physical altercation at 4:00 a.m. involving 24 Trinity students, nearly all of whom belonged to AD or the Hall. The documents do not provide details of the incident or of the circumstances behind the incident. As DiChristina explained in the letter, AD received a more severe sanction due to its “significant conduct violations” over the past four years. DiChristina further indicated that “both organizations have been found responsible for the altercation.”
The Tripod also obtained the decision letter sent to St. Anthony Hall from Dean of Students Joe DiChristina and Associate Dean of Students Rob Lukaskiewicz. The Trinity administration found the Hall responsible of committing “conduct that is unbecoming of a Trinity College student.” Additionally, the Hall (as an organization, not certain individuals) were accused of “behavior… that endangers the health and safety of oneself or of others,” as well as “failure to comply with Trinity College’s alcohol policy and regulations.” The letter also indicated that “eleven members or affiliates of the organization did not effectively deescalate the altercation nor mitigate its extended, disorderly, and unsafe duration.”
Unlike AD, the Hall’s dining hall will remain open. However, if the college lifts the Hall’s censure in the fall of 2020, the organization will only be able to hold socials once monthly until fall 2021. The college has also indicated that “there will be no new members of the eating club” and that this sanction will be “reviewed by the college in January 2021.”
Further, the decision letter appears to stipulate that future membership in the Hall will closely involve the participation of Trinity College, stating that “all potential new members will be interviewed by a committee representing the college, St. Anthony Hall nationals, and St. Anthony Hall alumni.” It was not immediately clear from the decision letter for how long the college would remain involved in the review of new membership.
While there will be no transcript notation for the students involved, the decision letter indicated that the Hall’s censure “means that the organization is not in good standing with the College.” The decision also notes that “alcohol use by the fraternity as an organization” is not allowed for spring semester 2020.” The college also stipulated that the Hall’s censure status will be reviewed after a membership report is prepared and delivered by Mar. 24, 2020, current membership participates in educational workshops through Dec. 2020, and members engage in participation with “stakeholders on campus to cultivate new relationships that support the college’s mission and strategic plan.”
“In neither case [AD or the Hall], has [Trinity College] chosen to ‘derecognize the fraternity,’” read the letter sent by DiChristina to the Board of Trustees. The letter continued, noting that the college believes “that Greek life is a positive and integral part of our community.” The Dean of Students Office also noted that the college will work closely with AD to help continue the fraternity’s existence following the two-year suspension. DiChristina further stated that we “are extremely fortunate that the “altercation did not result in any serious or lasting physical harm to the students involved.”
Following the administrative decision of Jan. 28, the executive boards of AD and the Hall have five business days to decide to appeal the sanctions. An announcement from the administration to the wider Trinity community is expected to follow.
President of AD Courtland Boyle ’20 spoke to the Tripod and indicated that “AD is seeking an appeal and has no further comment.”
Following the article’s publication, DiChristina declined to discuss the matter with the Tripod, indicating that “if and when the time is appropriate, then the College will make an official statement.”
Director of Campus Life and Social Houses Kathryn Wojcik also declined to speak with the Tripod. The President of the Inter-Greek Council and the President of the Hall did not return requests for comment.
A version of this article originally appeared as a special report on the Tripod’s website on Jan. 30 and was subsequently included in the Tripod’s print edition of Feb. 4.
Anon: Related coverage: http://mobile.royalgazette.com/court/article/20190106/conditional-discharges-for-boyle-family-trio&template=mobileart
Thornton Sanders: Shutting down AD for two years wrongfully interferes with the civil rights of ADs in the active chapter (most of whom were not involved in the “unbecoming behavior”) and AD alums (none of whom were involved) to enjoy the private use of their privately-owned property. If Trinity knows the identities of the individual ADs who participated the bad behavior, it should punish them only, not all members of the fraternity. Shutting down AD for two years is a violation of the common law of torts: it is a clear interference with the private relationship between the fraternity and all its members, a violation of civil law. If the Trustees fail to act quickly to rescind the administration’s egregious mistake in judgment, AD will have no other choice but to sue Trinity and its officers, requesting the courts to prevent Trinity from carrying out said punishment and to award punitive damages. This lawsuit can be funded by crowdsourcing. There will likely be many contributors.
Anything short of shutting down AD permanently wrongfully interferes with the civil rights of all students on campus and residents of the neighborhood. The egregious mistakes in judgement go back to the founding of AD and are on the part of generations of trustees and AD members. Let’s crowdsource the funding of a Non-Greek organization or perhaps an Anti-Greek organization whose time is long overdue.