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Call 6: Hazing, 'capping' led to frat suspension

Posted at 9:22 PM, Feb 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-11 10:02:42-05

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- In December 2015, Indiana University suspended the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, but it is only now that we have learned exactly why. 

"This suspension is due to members taking part in conduct which violated the Fraternity's standards and expectations with regard to risk management, and which contradict The Creed and values of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity," fraternity officials said in the release at the time. 

IU spokesman Mark Land said at the time that the chapter was "found responsible for violations of the student code of conduct related to hazing and drug use"

PREVIOUS | IU suspends Phi Kappa Psi fraternity

Records provided exclusively to Call 6 Investigates by Student Life and Learning show problems with the fraternity started in 2013. 

On November 18, 2013, a student was taken to the hospital with a .345 BAC after attending a Phi Psi party.

Following that incident, 90 percent of the chapter members were required to attend a 1.5 hour training on how to intervene in an unsafe situation such as drug and alcohol abuse and in an IU Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Prevention Presentation. The fraternity was under disciplinary probation through March 2014. 

A Student Life and Learning investigation determined part of the training was not completed, and the drug/alcohol workshop was given an extension. 

Less than two months later, on January 12, 2014, the fraternity hosted a party with handles of alcohol, an ice luge, and numerous open bars, according to the documents from Student Life and Learning 

As a result, at least 15 members were required to participate in a leadership program. The fraternity had a new written risk management policy and they were put under probation through December 2014. 

More than a year went by without any reported interventions and sanctions when the chapter was placed on probation by their headquarters on May 4, 2015 after receiving reports of hazing.  

According to documents, the chapter had a current and past hazing practice that included: sleep deprivation, servitude, interrogation/line ups, and participating in "capping," a physical form of hazing in which members balance on their knees and elbows on top of bottle caps and would stay on them as long as they could or until the caps filled with blood. 

A hearing was held to create IU sanctions to match those of the fraternity's headquarters. 

IU sanctions for the violations included: membership review to be done by an outside consultant firm, a mandated live-in advisor, a new member education curriculum and syllabus, mandated student life learning support meetings, health and risk education programs, Step Up Bystander Intervention Presentation, a chapter fine, social probation through the end of 2015 and deferred suspension through the end of 2015. 

A Student Life and Learning investigation found the membership review was never done by consultants, but by alumni and it only resulted in 15 men being removed.

Two months later, on July 9, 2015, the fraternity was cited for not complying with the previous sanction regarding the new member education program. Other sanctions were only partially completed.

In November 2015, Student Life and Learning followed up on the progress of sanctions. At that time,  two of the sanctions had not been completed and one had only been partially completed. 

Also in November 2015, Student Life and Learning received a police report of "overwhelming" amount of marijuana and paraphernalia as a result of a fire alarm being set off by the amount of marijuana smoke. At least five bags of marijuana were found in plain sight and multiple pieces of paraphernalia in plain sight were destroyed and confiscated. 

Less than a month later, on December 3, 2015, Student Life and Learning received an anonymous report that hazing was occurring during the Fall 2015 semester. 

Four days later, they received a second anonymous hazing report. Both reports stated that men were still participating in "capping." 

On December 8, 2015, Student Life and Learning placed the chapter on cease and desist. 

The next day, new members were contacted. Multiple new members said that on at least one occasion, three active members forced at least six new members to participate in hazing in which capping, headstands, pushups and sit ups occurred. 

Student Life and Learning also learned that the house director watched line ups from a video camera and the house director knew and condoned line ups and servitude hazing, including making pledges drive him places. 

A few weeks later, Phi Kappi Psi said the Indiana Beta Chapter at IU had voluntarily surrendered its charter. 

RTV6 reached out to Phi Kappa Psi headquarters for an on-camera interview for this story, but they declined. 

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