Clemson Fraternities Under Fire
STUDENT’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH DRAWS ATTENTION TO “GREEK LIFE” DANGERS To hear studentYou must Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this content.
STUDENT’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH DRAWS ATTENTION TO “GREEK LIFE” DANGERS To hear studentYou must Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this content.
43 comments
Saw a report in the Greenville News that a USC frat was under suspension. What is that about?
Under suspension vs. maybe killed someone. Fits is really missing the lead here.
yeah what was I thinking!
Delta Tau Delta – suspended for violating rush policies, having alcohol at parties where alcohol was not permitted and a couple of other violations. The suspension was warranted – though really meaningless, the chapter has their own house (not USC property).
A frat is under suspension when no more frat can be added to the alcohol. The solution can no longer support the frat when it reaches a state such that adding one more molecule of frat to the alcohol causes a Republican to fall out of the solution.
Also called “a southern state.”
That’s quite a band of brothers. One of their guys was feeling “off” on a early morning group run so they wish him the best and kept on trucking? Quality individuals. His blood is on their hands.
well said.
Is there such thing as a “supported fall”?
I think that would refer to something like a bungee jump or sky dive, where you have a device to support the fall…just my guess.
actually it is a medical way to say that someone landed on their head.
It can also mean that your donors hire you as a “consultant” because you agreed to run, even though you knew you’d lose.
Also referred to as “supported fail.”
unsupported or unassisted? This sounds fishy to me.
The State newspaper called it an “unassisted fall”. What does that mean?
The students would likely know the real truth. After all, they are right in the heart of what goes on around campus, etc, among their peers. Students share information and gossip.
There is plenty of reasoning for Clemson officials to try Jedi mind tricks.
*****….meanwhile, over at the Century 21 real estate office….***
Agent Orange: ” This is just awful……a kid getting shafted by his pals in a frat….”
Agent 007: ” Yeah…….talk about getting shafted. Look how Wil Folks is giving his readers the shaft with this article here in the Post and Courier… http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20140924/PC16/140929682/1177/heirs-property-legal-education-seminar-to-be-held-saturday-in-hollywood-area
Agent Orange: “What do you mean….?”
Agent 007: “Well …is ROSE Manigault related to PIERRE Manigault who owns the Post and Courier..? THe same press that takes advertising from corporations and the State Ports Authority and other Government “ties” who actually “Domain” heirs property and screw BLACK people as well as WHITE taxpayers at the same time…?
Agent Orange: “WOW……the Post and Courier FRAT “choked” how many heirs property descendants in the “Neck Area” from Calhoun to the Navy Base….alone…?”
Agent 007: “God …we are going to make a fortune in commissions……”
SigEp describes hazing as..
“Therefore, hazing has no place in Sigma Phi Epsilon. Hazing is a criminal act in most states. Hazing activities are defined as:
Any action taken or situation created, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce
mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities may include, but are not limited to, the following: use of alcohol; paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; late work sessions which interfere with scholastic activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with fraternal law or ritual, the regulations and policies of the educational institution or applicable local, state, or federal law.”
Seems like a “voluntary” 5:30am group run is right on the line, if not over it. Maybe the Clemson administration and Sheriff don’t wake up before 7am. If they did they see plenty of male students doing “voluntary” physical training, if they spoke to any of those students, they’d find out most are not in ROTC or sports, but pledging a fraternity and everyone doing the exercises is a pledge who has been told they must be there.
Go to Downtown Greenville at 5:30 AM on any morning, and you will see lots of runners of all ages. Not a single one is pledging a fraternity.
How many people do you see jumping off a bridge at 7AM?
Did hopsandbarley saying anything about jumping form a bridge? No, he said there was something suspicious about running at 5:30 am.
We don’t know if he jumped, was pushed or forced off at gunpoint. Where you there?
Again, idiots! Please stop drinking the Fits kool aid and wake up to the facts.
Fits is not a law enforcement agency and is not a real news organization. It is nothing more than misfits who either make things up or stretch the truth. The owner and writers have some serious reality issues.
No one cares about your blind faith in South Carolina authority. Clemson distorts facts as a way of existence, and people have every right to be suspicious of “official” information. Go back to the MSM and read about the upcoming football game.
Seriously? Someone dies and you immediately jump to the often repeated Gamecock “they cheated!!1!”
Nice.
Sorry if you misunderstood a very basic assertion: The Clemson administration lies regularly in an attempt to preserve the image of the university, and it therefore would come as little surprise if it distorted events that occurred here.
Or perhaps Clemson has a better image as a University than USC because it’s better.
My comment had nothing to do with the University of South Carolina, but with STATE of South Carolina and the propensity of its public officials (authority figures) to distort facts. And for the record, the term “Clemsoning” has never been more popular. Its use is even expanding.
If this kid didn’t show up for the “group run” was there a penalty from the fraternity, if so what was it?
Why was the run scheduled for 5:30am?
Who was on the run with him? brothers or pledges?
What did they do before the run?
What time did he go to bed?
Did “voluntary” pledge functions prevent him from going to bed early enough for a early am run?
Why did Clemson suspend all fraternities only after he died?
Fits may be writing click bait, but you can’t ignore some very basic questions that have not been answered.
Yup.
“but you can’t ignore some very basic questions that have not been answered.”
Yes, so let’s wait for the authorities to get the answers, and not jump to conclusions. Didn’t the Duke Lacrosse case teach us anything?
There is NOTHING unusual about running at 5:30 am. Hundreds of thousands of people do that or something similar every day. Given he was 19 years old, unless he was TOTALLY sleep deprived, it probably isn’t relevant. How many college students pull an all-nighter studying?
Clemson suspended the fraternities when there was a REASON to do so. Since hazing is a possibility, it makes sense to do so, better to err on the side of caution. What reason existed prior to this to justify a suspension? Anyone can Monday morning quarterback a tragedy.
You are the one with the reality issues
Fits doesn’t claim to be a law enforcement agency. Fits is as real as they come for news organization. WIS, for example, gives descriptions of burglars without mentioning race, because it’s not “politically correct.”
Or maybe WIS doesn’t mention race because it isn’t relevant.
No one with any understanding for journalist standards would call FITS a news organization.
@Vicupstate – Race is a very important detail in identifying a criminal, as is gender, height, weight and clothing. You are an idiot!.
Did WIS provide the height, weight, and clothing and only leave out the race? Then you might have a point. If they only reported that a crime occurred, it is not relevant.
I blame CU banning kegs and on-campus parties in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Back then, you could have your drinking and debauchery but you didn’t have to go driving around town and making up stupid stuff like morning runs to get your jollies. Drink where you live man, drink where you live.
What started that was when Shannon Gill got hammered and did a nosedive from the third story ledge from a frat dorm…on a ledge that was 6″ wide..in the rain, at night. She impaled herself on some holly bushes below.
University paid dearly for that one, and stopped all the fun by pushing it all off campus.
Campus Life: Clemson; Student’s Death Raises Questions About Drinking
Published: January 7, 1990
The death of a 20-year-old sophomore at Clemson University has raised questions about drinking by under-age students on campus.
The student, Shannon Gill, died of a ruptured aorta about two hours after falling from a 27-foot-high ledge at the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity house in the early-morning hours of Dec. 8. Tests showed Miss Gill’s blood-alcohol content was 0.17 – almost double the state’s legal level for being under the influence.
A final ruling in the death is expected in the second week in January, at the earliest.
”We have no clear indication that there was foul play, but we haven’t ruled that out, and we won’t rule it out until we have talked to everyone,” said John McKenzie, a spokesman for Clemson’s campus police, which is investigating the incident. Even a sober person would have had great difficulty navigating the two-inch-wide ledge she was trying to walk on, Mr. McKenzie said.
Much of the investigation into her death is focusing on how Miss Gill obtained alcohol in the hours before her death, Mr. McKenzie said. The drinking age in South Carolina is 21.
A Rare Death on Campus
The police are also investigating a driver’s license belonging to another person that was found in Miss Gill’s belongings. The license, which had the birth date of someone over 21, had a picture on it that resembled Miss Gill.
About six or seven of Clemson’s 15,000 students die each year, said Manning N. Lomax, student affairs vice president. Most of those deaths occur away from the 1,400-acre campus of the public
university, in automobile accidents or other mishaps. Consequently, the 28-officer Clemson campus police force rarely investigates a death.
But Mr. McKenzie said the campus department can handle this case. The police have talked to about 40 people, and plan to see 15 to 20 more, he said.Second semester classes begin Jan. 10.
The campus police are receiving assistance from the South Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission in tracking the owner of the license that Miss Gill had.
With a Friend
University officials say Miss Gill attended an Alpha Tau Omega party on campus the night she died. The police said a friend of Miss Gill, Brian Leslie, a 19-year-old freshman from Irmo, S.C., was locked out of his room, and he and Miss Gill considered trying to enter his room by walking along the narrow ledge.
Mr. Leslie crawled out of a nearby window onto the ledge, thought better of it, and came back in, the police said. Then Miss Gill went out the window and fell.
The police version of events is based on statements by Mr. Leslie and another Alpha Tau Omega member. Mr. Leslie has declined to comment publicly.
No charges have been filed. University officials say the fraternity may face sanctions. Under Clemson rules, fraternity chapters on the campus cannot hold functions at which alcohol is consumed within seven days of exams. Exams were just three days away when the party was held.
I remember it well. I was there.
Yep, I recall that….she was trying to get from one room into a locked room. That ended the kegs on campus, but still, for a few years after that, you could use your tiger stripe card to buy beer in the student union at Edgars. It was good times for sure.
He could have jumped off the bridge as a requirement for hazing – right into water too shallow for such a jump. Based on body weight and depth of water, height the jump was taken from, if he jumped feet first or head first or spun in the air. Its quiet possible it was hazing. I find it bizarre as to how quick Clemson authorities are to get this case behind them when so many students are saying it was hazing.
Hazing is a Southern Tradition… South Carolina is all about tradition – except when it comes to voting fore Republicans.
The most likely culprit is the perennially crappy water levels at Hartwell. There is no excuse for leaving a man behind to cover your ass though. Makes you wonder if he could have survived if someone had pulled him out and called EMS. The tox screen will tell us a lot.
Way too much to read, but click on this: http://archive.org/stream/SigmaPhiEpsilonJournal_771/sigmaphiepsilonj1054sigm_djvu.txt
This was particularly interesting:
”
Chapters that do not live up to the ideals of Sigma Phi Epsilon bring dishonor and disgrace to our name. The Journal reports these stories to inform its readers and to show that actions have consequences. Texas Beta, University of North Texas Reason: Hazing Action: Alumni Advisory Council After reports of alleged hazing activity within the chapter. The National Board of Directors authorized the formation of an Alumni Advisory Council in an effort to select undergraduate members who possess the qualities and commitment essential to build a strong chapter on the University of North Texas campus. On November 26, 2007, all members were suspended pending a review by the Alumni Advisory Council. Eighteen members were removed from the chapter after the interview process. They were removed for various reasons such as their involvement in hazing new members, poor academics and not living up to the ideals of the Fraternity. The chapter is working with local volunteers, the University of North Texas and Sigma Phi Epsilon to build a successful chapter. M;)rvl;)nrl 7pta. <i;)llr<:ltu Reason: Risk Management and declining academic performance Action: Alumni Advisory Council On December 1, 2007, the Maryland Zeta chapter held its Winter Formal at an area hotel. The hotel reported to the university that the members and their guests behaved badly during their stay and were seen drinking, shouting and littering. The hotel also stated that there were reports of other "inappropriate acts" such as vomiting, profanity and rudeness to the hotel guests. In addition to the risk management problems, the chapter was not holding its membership accountable, and they were suffering from poor academics. A group of alumni volunteered to aid the chapter in addressing these issues. As a result, the National Board of Directors authorized the formation of an Alumni Advisory Council to sort out which members were committed to creating a good SigEp chapter at Salisbury. Those members not performing up to the appropriate academic level were removed from the chapter. The chapter is working closely with local alumni, the university and SigEp improve and rebuild a strong chapter."
I heard the rumor the pledges all had to do a “Jameis”. They had to climb up on the rail and yell “f*** her right in the p****”. Also had to do shots if they didn’t yell it right or not loud enough.