10.09.15

Page 1

theTrinitonian NEWS 3

Vol. 113 Issue 8

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK 23

SPORTS 19

Serving Trinity University, San Antonio Since 1902

ember class

new m Triniteers

October 09, 2015

of 2004

s u p m a c nded from

e p s u s s r e Trinite BY TYLER BOELTS

NEWS EDITOR

Teers re-chartered in October 2013. February 2014, the organization took a new member class. Spring 2015 A new member class was not taken April 2015 and May 2015, the organization had judicial issues (which include further sanctions from Greek Council - general probation, social probation, and more). Summer 2015 new information about the organization’s activities came to light. Upon the discovery of this new information, and given the organization’s conditional status, the University determined that an investigation should be conducted by Student Involvement. The organization did not fulfill the stated terms of the re-chartering agreement dated October 16, 2013, including: the existence of unofficial members and hosting events with alcohol (this was not permitted until 2015-2016 when the undergraduate membership reached junior standing); The organization is found to be in violation of multiple policies, including: hosting unregistered events with alcohol and using organizational dues to purchase alcohol; The organization is suspended for three (3) years (through May 2018).

NEWS...1-6

On Wednesday October 7, Michael Fischer, the vice president for faculty and student affairs, sent out a campus-wide email informing students and staff that the Triniteer fraternity will be suspended for three years. “After a careful review, I determined that it is in the best interest of the campus community to place the Triniteers on threeyear suspension. As such, the Triniteers lose all rights and privileges granted to recognized organizations, and it may not exist, formally or informally,” Fischer said. Fischer continued to note the repercussions of the decision for students affiliated with the organization. “Members of the Triniteers fraternity were notified to cease operations as an organization or face individual judicial action,” Fischer said. “Any students who requested or received membership into this unrecognized organization in the past or who act as new members moving forward risk facing judicial action, including potential expulsion.” The Triniteers began their re-chartering process in the fall of 2015. New information regarding the fraternity breaking its sanctions arose later in the year, prompting an in-depth investigation that ultimately resulted in the suspension. “The organization did not fulfill the stated terms of the rechartering agreement that dated October 16 2013, including: the existence of unofficial members … hosting events with alcohol (this was not permitted until 2015-2016 when the undergraduate membership reached junior standing) … hosting unregistered events with alcohol

OPINION...7-10

PULSE...11-14

and using organizational dues to purchase alcohol,” said Sharon Jones Schweitzer, assistant vice president for external relations. Members of the Greek Council received the information regarding the suspension at the same time as the Trinity community did. Cameron Archer, co-chair of the Men’s Greek Council, was amongst those students. “With regards to the recent Teers decision, Greek Council was not informed of the decision or investigation prior to any other students on campus. Greek Council has been provided no more information about this investigation other than what was provided to all students,” Archer said. The Trinity Greek Council noted its support of the decision to suspend the Triniteers and remarked that it has full confidence in the investigation that took place. “This decision was made at the highest levels of the school’s administration and as such we trust their decision to hold the investigation in the manner they did. This investigation has been an isolated event and in no way reflects an anti-greek administrative attitude or impending suspensions of other Greek organizations. At this time Greek Council and the greater Greek community are committed to supporting the 13 current Greek organizations on campus in every way possible. This community is strong and resilient and we are dedicated to remaining leaders and scholars on Trinity’s campus for years to come,” Archer said. At this time the fraternity will remain under suspension but there remains the possibility for an appeal to re-charter the organization in the future. “If the suspension goes without incident the university is open to working with a

multigenerational group of Triniteer alumni to explore guidelines for the reestablishment of the Triniteer legacy. The Triniteers are one of the university’s oldest fraternities [and] they are celebrating their 70th anniversary this weekend. They have a long history of scholarship, service, leadership and camaraderie,” said Schweitzer. The men of the Triniteer fraternity released a statement to the Trinitonian which goes as follows: These are times of tribulation for myself and the individuals I call brothers in this respective journey we all call life. I would like to acknowledge the fact that as an organization we’ve violated aspects of our Re-chartering process. The University gave us an opportunity and we failed. We tried, and we failed. As an organization we would first like to apologize and second, thank members of the university for trying as well. I would also seek to thank our alumni for their tremendous amount of support. I have lived a life in which tribulation has been constant. My brothers have helped me learn to fight through these tribulations and have helped me to grow into a man who humbly wishes to serve to others as they have served to me. As a former gentlemen of the Triniteers I wish to shed light upon the assumption that we, as an organization, have no values. Our perceived lack of values is indeed a tarnished perception due to the somewhat antiquated mindsets of several of those casting judgment. It is not specifically that those casting judgment are incapable of understanding our values; it is that they did not wish to try and understand. We have values that are heavily rooted in expression of oneself and, through such expression, understanding of oneself.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT...15-19

SEE OPINION PAGE 10

SPORTS...20-24


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.