Déjà vu

As 21-year-old Sigma Pi pledge Mason Sumnicht lay dying at Enloe Medical Center, disconnected from life support after a Nov. 4 binge-drinking episode left him unresponsive and suffering brain damage, Chico State University President Paul Zingg announced that all Greek life on campus was suspended indefinitely.

Zing delivered the message to about 400 of Chico State’s 1,200-member Greek community last Thursday (Nov. 15) at the Bell Memorial Union. The college is home to 26 fraternities and sororities, all of which will receive instructions on how to be reinstated at the beginning of next semester.

There was a strong dramatic element to the assembly, as those in attendance were given no information other than that the president was making an important announcement concerning Greek organizations; murmurs of disciplinary actions against specific organizations and further scrutiny of the system rippled through the crowd beforehand, but it seems few suspected all Greek activity would be halted.

Vice President for Student Affairs Drew Calandrella spoke first, citing a number of incidents in the last year as cause for the meeting, including alcohol policy violations, physical assaults, alleged sexual assaults and allegations of hazing, including three this semester within a 30-day period.

“Many of you are exemplars of what Greek life and what Greek organizations are supposed to be,” Calandrella said. “But I think you also know that the kind of behaviors I’ve mentioned can, in one fell swoop, knock out everything on the positive side of the ledger.”

Before introducing Zingg, Calandrella said the actions of wayward Greeks reflected negatively on the whole campus community and foreshadowed Zingg’s announcement: “This meeting marks a new chapter in Greek life on this campus.”

Zingg began by comparing the meeting to one held with the Greek community seven years earlier, following the death of 21-year-old fraternity pledge Matt Carrington, who suffered cardiac dysrhythmia during a bizarre initiation rite requiring him to drink copious amounts of water. The groups were put on notice back then as well.

“I called you together for one simple question,” he said, his voice rising to an angry tone. “Have you read your charters? Have you read that stuff about brotherhood, sisterhood, civility, respect, citizenship and scholarship? About responsibility?”

The president’s voice cracked with emotion as he continued, alluding to Sumnicht, who would die later that day: “It is not enough at vigils and memorials to proclaim no brother left behind when you stand by idly and watch a brother gulp down 21 shots for his 21st birthday, and let him pass out in his own vomit, and then at some point when you realize that he’s not responsive to call 911.”

Zingg alluded to other incidents in which police and fire officials have been showered with glass bottles responding to parties at Greek houses, after Greeks themselves called for assistance. He gave an analogy of airlines having to ground all planes for inspection if even one plane is suspect before delivering his knockout blow.

“Effective immediately, this entire Greek system is suspended,” he said, as many students in attendance released an audible gasp and many women began to cry. “Effective immediately we will reset, review and think about our future together.

“The system has to rise and fall on the commitment of all its members.”

Calandrella spoke again, explaining what suspension meant: no socials, no recruiting, and Greek letters on houses would have to be covered or removed. He said a process by which chapters can be reinstated will be laid out when students returned for spring semester.

“Some may not come back; some may not want to come back,” he continued. “Part of what you will learn is that some of the regulations will have changed, they will have become tighter, and that the standards will have been raised. And you may not like those, but let me be very clear: They’re not negotiable.”

On Monday (Nov. 19), Joe Wills, Chico State’s public affairs director, said new guidelines are still being hammered out. Since the president addressed students the day before the beginning of Thanksgiving break, there has been no mass communication to chapter officials as of yet.

Wills did say violations of the suspension would be taken very seriously.

“If any group refuses to comply, that sends us a very clear message,” he said. “That would give us the indication that there is a group that doesn’t intend to or want to return, and that would have serious repercussions on their attempt to get reinstated.”