DAVID HARDEN/Arizona Daily Wildcat The Delta Tau Delta fraternity is in trouble for making pledges clean the house, do push-ups and eat ravioli covered in syrup.

Delta Tau Delta faces community service, $2,500 fine

Delta Tau Delta fraternity was recently placed on suspension through May 2004 and now faces a host of sanctions for a hazing violation that that occurred in early January.

Members of the fraternity made new pledges do push-ups and other calisthenics, perform cleaning duties and eat ravioli topped with syrup and butter, said Associate Dean of Students Veda Kowalski.

The university will require the more than 60 members of Delta Tau Delta to perform 500 hours of community service, revise their pledge education program and present a program on hazing to the Interfraternity Council, Kowalski said.

In addition, Delta Tau Delta's national organization fined the chapter $2,500 and will require it to conduct an anti-hazing program, in association with university sanctions, for the Greek community, said Jim Russell, executive vice president of Delta Tau Delta international fraternity.

Additionally, the chapter's executive board will be required to attend the Western Pacific Division Leadership Conference in Portland, Ore., at the end of the month, Russell said.

"We are trying to teach the ability to be good leaders," he said.

For the remainder of the semester, the fraternity will be required to reduce its social expenditures by 50 percent, with the expectation that the money saved will be used to fund the officers' trip to Portland and the anti-hazing program.

Ultimately, the national organization will require the chapter to develop a written, detailed plan on how it " · is going to achieve excellence in individual behavior, chapter house improvement and maintenance, campus and community involvement... and finally, a blueprint for an active and effective honor board to deal with member behavior," Russell said.

Delta Tau Delta President Jamie MacGeorge said he was advised not to comment.

The hazing was first reported to Greek Life Jan. 9 via an anonymous phone call to the hazing hotline, said Chris Bullins, coordinator for Greek Life

That evening, Greek Life interviewed 15 new members of Delta Tau Delta and reported its findings to the Dean of Students office the next day, Bullins said.

The Dean of Students office found the fraternity responsible for the hazing allegations and informed the organization of its probation status by letter Jan. 31, Kowalski said.

The probation will last until May 2, 2004. If the fraternity violates any university policy before that date, it faces possible withdrawal of university recognition, Bullins said.

Delta Tau Delta is not the only UA fraternity in trouble for hazing.

Sigma Chi fraternity is under investigation by the Dean of Students office for hazing activities that allegedly occurred in the same week as Delta Tau Delta's infraction.

In December, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity lost its university recognition when it repeatedly violated its probation for hazing violations in 2001.

Delta Chi fraternity also lost its university recognition in May for hazing violations.