Security Administration Information
INCIDENT CLASSIFICATION Hazing (2903.13)
Potential Group Involvement? Kappa Sigma (KS)
Time and Location of Incident:
Date/Time of Incident February 25, 2013 9:00am
Location of Incident Other campus location
Partied Involved
Unknown Offender Report? No
Descriptive Information
Sensitive No
Housing Contract Violation? (ResEd No staff only)
Incident Short A composite book containing activity suspected of hazing found during another investigation.
I received a notebook containing information which would indicate that Kappa Sigma fraternity is involved in hazing activity. The first page with writing had pledge broken down with into several components. The notebook lists the current pledges and indicates in great detail what the men would or did do on 012513, the first day of their pledge process. The book states that the pledges have to collect certain items such as a red/green bandana, a green army man, a green apple and a pocket-sized notebook by Wednesday. They are to have the bandana showing at all times. They were to be in Sawyer by 1030 pm that night and they should have a pillow and no one should see them arrive.
The next page appears to have a list of things expected for the pledges to do. The pages of the book are attached. I will try to confirm the existence of a pledge party and whether the pledges met at Sawyer Hall on 012513.
Interview Summary of KS Pledge
On 021613 all 9 pledges were interviewed at the Security Office. All were asked the same questions related to the information in the notes recovered. Below is a summary of what was told by the nine pledges.
There was great variation in what the pledges said they did or were involved in as pledges. Four of the men said they had a Pledge Educator and identified him as Ryan Reynolds. The other five men said the education is shared by all actives. Five of the men said they have a manual to help them learn about the fraternity. Four others said they learned from interacting with the acties and the Pledge Educator. Two of the men indicated that Charles Pritchard was their point pledge. When asked what was the first time the pledges met as a group, six men remembered this occurred, four of them said it occurred in or outside of Swasey Chapel, and one said it occurred in Smith Lounge and one said it occurred at the Lodge. Six of the pledges indicated they have dinner together most of the time.
None of the pledges would confirm alcohol usage by the pledges at any event. Three pledges indicated that alcohol was present at the parties the actives hosted and it was available for consumption.
Six of the pledges said they all went on a hike during the day at the Bio Reserve this past weekend.
One pledge confirmed that all pledges slept overnight in an active’s room or rooms in Sawyer or Crawford. One pledge confirmed that a pledge party occurred on East Quad the first week of the process. He was not sure where this occurred and did not provide any further info about it. He did indicate there were other pledge parties at other times. Two pledges said after they met as pleadges they went to Sawyer and hung out in the six person room.
One pledge confirmed the pledges went to Columbus to Ohio State at one point during the process. He did not indicate what they specifically did there.
Two pledges confirmed that they needed a red bandana with them as pledges one of which confirmed they also needed to have a matchbook, a notebook, a green apple, and a green army man. He explained that each of these items signified pillars of the fraternity such as service. The other pledge said the only other item they needed as pledges was a matchbook.
Four pledges said during the interview process that they were “not required to do anything” during the pledge process.
One plege said that they had to learned how the fraternity got “kicked off” and how they returned.
While conducting interviews I noticed some men were receiving audible multiple text messages on their cell phones that they did not view. These men provided the most information. As the interviews progressed less and less information was shared. This leads me to believe that the pledges were receiving information from the actives to limit what they shared with me during the interviews.
Update 022813
I spoke with the author of the notes in the notebook. He readily admitted to writing what was in the notebook. He stated that the notebook had things related to hazing but he said they were “dumb ideas” he had heard from other students. He said that as a sophomore he has no control over the pledge process. I asked him when he wrote the notes and he said the day the pledges got their bids, 012513. I asked him what his involvement in the pledge process was and he said he has no involvement. I asked him who the pledge educator is and he said he is not sure if they have someone like that. I asked him who the leadership of the fraternity was and he said Kevin Naud. He said that upperclass members are the only ones that are involved in the pledge process. I asked him if he has been present for any pledge activities and he said no. He said that the only thing that National requires is that the pledges learn about the fraternity history. I asked him when he was a pledge if the pledges attended “pledge parties” and he said they did have parties for the pledges. They were not required to go to the parties nor were they required to clean or do any tasks at the parties. I asked him if he had attended parties this year with the pledges and he said no he has been too busy. He said that pledges are not forced to consume alcohol at the parties. I asked him where the pledges met when they first started the pledge process and he said they met at the house and it was their first official activity. I asked him whether he had a pledge educator when he was pledging and he said he did not recall. I asked him if the actives requested that you pledges do anything and he said no, just told them they need to learn the rituals of the fraternity. I asked him if he knew the Kappa Sigs in Sawyer and if they had a party for hte pledges. He said he did know the actives but he did not recall if they had a party there for them. I asked him if he knew if the actives had the pledges stay overnight at any of the East Quad rooms and he said he does not know.
While in Kappa Sigma Lodge I observed a small 10×4′ room whose walls are painted black as well as the door. I believe this is the “black room” written about in the book.