By
Kristopher Califano
Arizona Daily Wildcat
"Full brotherhood" event not meant to encourage stealing, fraternity president says
A dozen Kappa Sigma pledges who were arrested Wednesday while taking part in a scavenger hunt for items ranging from a couch to a girl in her underwear will be investigated by the Dean of Students Diversion Program.
Kappa Sigma has not been notified by the Dean of Students office and does not expect any repercussions from their national chapter, said Chad Foust, Kappa Sigma fraternity president.
"We would rather have the law take care of it," said Foust, a public administration senior.
A copy of the University of Arizona Police Department report will be forwarded to the Dean of Students soon and the investigation will proceed, said Melissa Vito, dean of students.
The pledges were arrested for different charges, but the most serious pertained to suspicion of theft of a residence hall couch and a citation for suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Participants in the scavenger hunt were given a list of items, including a dildo, a girl willing to strip, a sorority girl in lingerie and one of the Baldwin brothers.
Foust said Kappa Sigma did not really intend for the pledges to bring back a Baldwin brother nor a sorority girl in her underwear.
The Kappa Sigma fraternity denies that the event was a hazing ritual.
"It was a full brotherhood event. This was not only a pledge event, it was a house event. Actives were involved and pledges were involved," said Foust.
All those arrested were pledges.
Vito is beginning the process of investigating the case and said she isn't sure if the scavenger hunt would be considered as hazing.
"Hazing is something we take very seriously, but we don't want to leap to any conclusions," Vito said.
The pledges were also arrested for stealing a lawn ornament and a street sign from East 69th Street.
Foust said the scavenger hunt participants were instructed to bring the items from home or to take Polaroids of the items.
"You're not supposed to steal, we don't condone stealing," he said.
