Sobering history
January 1987:
Playboy ranks Chico State the No. 1 Party School in the nation.April 1987:
The Pioneer Days riots explode a few blocks from campus. Nearby businesses vandalized, cars overturned and 37 people arrested, leading to cancellation of the event.May 1990:
Rancho Chico Days (a successor to Pioneer Days) leads to riots on the May 4-6 weekend, resulting in more than $80,000 in damage. The event is eventually canceled.Oct. 7, 2000:
18-year-old Adrian Heideman dies inside the Pi Kappa Phi house after a night of drinking brandy. Three fraternity leaders serve 30 days in Butte County jail after pleading no contest to providing alcohol to a minor.Feb. 2, 2005:
21-year-old Matthew Carrington dies from water intoxication at the now-defunct Chi Tau fraternity.Feb. 20, 2005:
Chico State President Paul Zingg addresses the Greek community, calling for a complete overhaul of the Greek system.Sept. 29, 2006:
Matt’s Law—named after Matthew Carrington—is signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, allowing for felony prosecutions when serious injuries or deaths result from hazing.Feb. 19, 2009:
18-year-old Chico State freshman Bethany Dixon is admitted to Enloe Hospital in critical condition after a night of drinking at the Sigma Kappa sorority house. She survives.Aug. 19, 2012:
22-year-old Shaun Summa is found dead in a Chico back yard. The cause of death is asphyxiation associated with acute alcohol intoxication.Sept. 9, 2012:
20-year-old Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo student Brett Olson is found dead in the Sacramento River after taking part in Chico’s Labor Day float. Olson had drowned, and alcohol and cocaine are later found in his system.Sept. 16, 2012:
22-year-old Carly Callaghan is found dead on the floor of her room. A toxicology report later shows she had alcohol, Prozac and a high level of morphine in her system.Nov. 15, 2012:
21-year-old Mason Sumnicht dies after being pulled from life support. Twelve days prior, he was admitted to Enloe with a blood alcohol level of 0.468, more than five times the legal limit.Nov. 15, 2012:
President Zingg addresses the Greek community for the second time in eight years, suspending its operations for three months.Feb. 22, 2012:
Chico State is host to a Community Action Summit attended by 400 community members, including campus officials, students, bar owners and law enforcement officials.These are just a few of the notable events of the past 26 years.