Students discuss mental health issues on campus Page 10
The history of Wake’s underground tunnels Page 6
Spotlight: Tanner Price Page 12
A world-class wakeboarder lives among us Page 18
OLD GOLD&BLACK WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
VOL. 97, NO. 14
T H U R S DAY, D E C E M B E R 5 , 2 01 3 “Cover s the campus like the magnolias”
oldgoldandblack.com
Reports of hazing increase on campus Kappa Sigma Fraternity loses charter it is actually a scene from a fraternity ritual at Wake Forest University. Talk to most students on campus, and they will have heard similar stories. “Everyone [on campus] definitely has heard some hazing horror stories,” said one junior student who is not involved in Greek life. In the past two semesters, reports of hazing on campus have increased. “In the spring semester of 2013, we first received a high volume of allegations,” said Steve Hirst, director of student organizations. “There were six groups that had hearings and were looked into for hazing. Three of the six were found responsible, three were found not responsible.” This semester, one of the six groups that previously had a hearing was alleged of hazing again this semester. That is currently under investigation. Another organization, Kappa Sigma, has lost its charter after their national headquarters suspended it for their organization. Graphic by Ian Rutledge/Old Gold & Black Original images courtesy of www.units.miamioh.edu
BY MOLLY DUTMERS Online Managing Editor dutmmk11@wfu.edu Trapped in a basement. Stuck living in a pen created for animals with a dozen other grown men. Forced to eat inedible food only from a trough. Ordered to sit in other people’s vomit. This sounds like a scene out of a horror movie, but
The Suspension of Kappa Sigma Fraternity Kappa Sigma Fraternity was one of the three organizations found responsible for hazing after allegations were made last spring. “[Kappa Sigma], appealed their sanctions (from the spring semester) to the appellate body of the student life committee and the appeal was heard,” Hirst said. “Some of the sanctions were modified, but as part of that process, it initiated a review by the organization’s headquarters staff. The headquarters made the decision to shut Kappa Sigma down and that decision was made right before the [Thanksgiving] break.” This decision means that Kappa Sigma cannot function in any form.
13 years later... it’s time to say goodbye. After 77 wins and five bowl games, Grobe announced his resignation as the university’s head football coach BY NICK WELDON Sports Editor weldnr11@wfu.edu Wake Forest head football coach Jim Grobe felt it was finally time to say goodbye. The man that led the Demon Deacons to a 2006 ACC Championship and a berth in the Orange Bowl resigned Dec. 2 after 13 seasons. “When you look back at this 13-year period, it will go down as the greatest football period in Wake Forest history,” athletic director Ron Wellman said. “There’s one reason for that and that’s Jim Grobe.” After being hired on Dec. 11, 2000, Grobe be-
gan a run that would include 42 ACC victories, 28 more than any other Wake Forest coach. A large part of his conference victories came against instate opponents North Carolina, N.C. State and Duke. Grobe went 23-10 against these rival teams. Despite his overall run of success, Grobe’s final years at the helm were marked with several disappointing defeats and missed opportunities: a heartbreaking defeat in Death Valley, consecutive blowouts courtesy of Florida State and a fourth quarter loss to Miami. “I just really feel right now, it’s good for the program to have some new energy and some new direction,” Grobe said. “I feel like these past two seasons
See Grobe, Page 14
“They are no longer a fraternity at Wake Forest,” said Hirst. “They do hope to return to Wake Forest in three to five years.” Kappa Sigma acting president, sophomore Lee Terwilliger, declined to comment. A Harmful Tradition The university claims to have a zero tolerance policy for hazing, but students know that hazing is part of the culture of Greek life at Wake Forest. “I think most of the Greek life on campus participates in [hazing],” said a university junior who is in a sorority, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Greek life has a significant presence on campus. In spring semesters, roughly 53 percent of females at the university are in sororities and 39 percent of males at the university are in fraternities. There are 13 fraternities on campus, not counting Kappa Sigma, and eight sororities. Hazing is frequently a term associated with Greek life. It is meant to build solidarity and foster close relationships between members of an organization. Hazing is defined as an initiation process involving harassment, intimidation, humiliation or abuse. Some initiation processes are relatively harmless or are even performed all in good fun, although they can be humiliating. However, several initiation processes are far from all in good fun. “I think to some extent it can bring a pledge class together,” said one senior fraternity member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid self-incrimination.
See Hazing, Page 6