UWM fraternity date rape scandal

[rocket surgeon]

The kicker of the UWM story?  The president of the frat?  TWENTY FREAKING EIGHT YEARS OLD!

Quite a black eye for UWM on many levels. 

remember "long" johnny lechner? 

http://www.hatchmagazine.com/story.phtml?id=404

[warriorchick]

remember "long" johnny lechner? 

http://www.hatchmagazine.com/story.phtml?id=404

I don't remember his name, but there was a famous dude on campus when I went to MU that was in his 9th year as an undergrad...changed majors 6 times.  Word was he was a professor's kid, so he didn't have to worry about tuition.  Any time I saw him on campus, he was playing hackysack in front of Lalumiere in a hippie poncho.

[rocket surgeon]

he was the son of my bio I and II professor-last name was barrett.  don't remember his first name.  yeah, that was kind of weird because here is his dad-clean cut, appears to have his stuff together, pretty cool dude.  then, you have his son, looked like a stoner without a purpose, taking any and every class he could, well, cuz he could. 

[Skatastrophy]

What exactly do you mean by that?

The articles around this incident have a lot of people with high BAC, but without drugs in their systems. The "Date Rape drug" headlines are scare tactics by the newspapers to get people to read their articles. Nobody would read an article about a bunch of kids getting super drunk and blacking out. BAC over 0.20 is crazy. These kids aren't getting drugged, they're just getting incredibly drunk.

[GGGG]

The articles around this incident have a lot of people with high BAC, but without drugs in their systems. The "Date Rape drug" headlines are scare tactics by the newspapers to get people to read their articles. Nobody would read an article about a bunch of kids getting super drunk and blacking out. BAC over 0.20 is crazy. These kids aren't getting drugged, they're just getting incredibly drunk.

Well we don't know if they were getting drugged because the investigation is ongoing.

[warriorchick]

The articles around this incident have a lot of people with high BAC, but without drugs in their systems. The "Date Rape drug" headlines are scare tactics by the newspapers to get people to read their articles. Nobody would read an article about a bunch of kids getting super drunk and blacking out. BAC over 0.20 is crazy. These kids aren't getting drugged, they're just getting incredibly drunk.

We'll see.  Some of the preliminary evidence looks pretty serious:

http://www.newsweek.com/fraternity-suspended-alleged-date-rape-plot-272072

Also, we were told at Parents Orientation that in Wisconsin, alcohol is considered a date rape drug.  Even though we firmly believe our son isn't the type to do this, we had a serious talk with him about hooking up with drunk girls.

[mu03eng]

We'll see.  Some of the preliminary evidence looks pretty serious:

http://www.newsweek.com/fraternity-suspended-alleged-date-rape-plot-272072

Also, we were told at Parents Orientation that in Wisconsin, alcohol is considered a date rape drug.  Even though we firmly believe our son isn't the type to do this, we had a serious talk with him about hooking up with drunk girls.

I don't intend this to sound flippant but if I had a high school or college aged son I would make sure he knows the following "rules"

1. Engaging in any physical activity with anyone is dangerous, be sure you know what you are doing
2.  No absolutely always means no
3.  Yes doesn't always mean yes, and can in fact change at any time....please see rule 2
4.  If alcohol is involved at all please revisit rule 1 and really think about it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

lso, we were told at Parents Orientation that in Wisconsin, alcohol is considered a date rape drug.  Even though we firmly believe our son isn't the type to do this, we had a serious talk with him about hooking up with drunk girls.

This is correct. If you intentionally overserve someone with the intent of lowering their inhibitions so you can have sex with them, it is a sexual assault. Even if you weren't the one serving them (i.e. they served themselves), having sex with someone who is intoxicated can be considered a sexual assault. Of course these cases have a lot of legal gray areas and are extremely hard to try fairly.

The advice I tell my students is that if you are using a vulnerability (i.e. they are drunk) in order to have sex with someone than keep it in your pants. Not because it is necessarily illegal, but simply because it is the right thing to do.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I certainly could have misread my mistake.

My central point remains: I don't see frats being a positive influence on our University.

I was a Greek at MU and I loved it. There are definitely aspects of Greek culture that are negative and need to be changed. Stories like this are a black eye for all fraternities and I feel personally outraged and embarrassed. But I would challenge your assertion that fraternities do nothing positive for our university. I haven't seen the recent data, but when I graduated (2011) Greeks had higher GPAs, higher graduation rates, higher university satisfaction scores, higher job placement rates, held more leadership positions in student organizations, and did more community service than the average Marquette student. We focus on the worst aspects of Greek culture and don't see the rest of what they offer. As a Greek I had mandated community service and study hours which I resented at first but grew to appreciate and even look forward to. I had a network of support when I was struggling. I was given more opportunities for involvement and leadership on campus. Being a Greek made me a better man and student than I would have been on my own.

That being said, there is definitely a significant population of Greeks who are in it for the wrong reasons.

[Benny B]

Prior to my arrival at MU, I was a member of a social fraternity and actually got involved at the national level as an undergrad.  What I saw was a bridge between two different worlds...

My chapter was small, about 20-25 members.  We were a very close-knit group of friends... when a crisis arose back home for a member (death of a close relative, sick parents, etc.), there were always 3-4 guys jumping in a car to get him home.  On one occasion, the guys even stayed overnight at a hospital in Des Moines while he and his family were at his grandmother's side.  When one of our members came down with a life-threatening illness, we raised several thousand dollars in the community to help offset hospital bills.  Every member was required - and did - volunteer at least 10 hours/year of community service (not the court-imposed type).  Most of us have been in each others' wedding parties, are godparents to each others' children, or even bought homes in the same neighborhoods.

I think the biggest difference was that we followed the rules much more often than we broke them.  We self-enforced our own zero-tolerance policy on hazing.  We never bought alcohol with chapter funds and parties were generally BYOB.  We didn't keep an "archive."  We paid all of our bills on time.  And several of us participated in student government and often worked with the admin and other student groups on campus committees, fundraisers, events, etc. 

Not to sound arrogant, but we were a model organization... the reason we knew this is because when we went to national events, we were on a very small island.  We saw everything from simple disorganization, to criminal activity, to deadly hazing, to chapters that were literally drinking their members to death.  This kid at UWM was dealing pot?  Big deal, I know guys from another chapter that were dealing cocaine and pimping women.  I know another chapter where they locked their pledges in a room and told them they couldn't leave until they finished a handle of Jack (there were four guys in there).  I knew of a chapter treasurer who thought it was a good idea to take the chapter's checkbook to Mohegan Sun and drained a year's worth of members' dues in less than two weeks.

Most of us from our chapter keep in touch to this day.  But I can't think of anyone who has had any association with the national organization or another chapter since graduation.

[Pakuni]

Old frat bro stands up for young frat bros, says evil, drunk females are going to tear down the entire frat system.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/24/forbes-drunk-women-fraternities_n_5875682.html

[4everwarriors]

We'll see.  Some of the preliminary evidence looks pretty serious:

http://www.newsweek.com/fraternity-suspended-alleged-date-rape-plot-272072

Also, we were told at Parents Orientation that in Wisconsin, alcohol is considered a date rape drug.  Even though we firmly believe our son isn't the type to do this, we had a serious talk with him about hooking up with drunk girls.

Like wearin' his raincoat, hey?

[ChuckyChip]

Frat issues at MU as well -

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/hazing-incident-puts-marquette-university-fraternity-on-probation-b99358508z1-276992171.html

[Skatastrophy]

Frat issues at MU as well -

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/hazing-incident-puts-marquette-university-fraternity-on-probation-b99358508z1-276992171.html

Unspecified hazing? Hardly a story.

[rocket surgeon]

Prior to my arrival at MU, I was a member of a social fraternity and actually got involved at the national level as an undergrad.  What I saw was a bridge between two different worlds...

My chapter was small, about 20-25 members.  We were a very close-knit group of friends... when a crisis arose back home for a member (death of a close relative, sick parents, etc.), there were always 3-4 guys jumping in a car to get him home.  On one occasion, the guys even stayed overnight at a hospital in Des Moines while he and his family were at his grandmother's side.  When one of our members came down with a life-threatening illness, we raised several thousand dollars in the community to help offset hospital bills.  Every member was required - and did - volunteer at least 10 hours/year of community service (not the court-imposed type).  Most of us have been in each others' wedding parties, are godparents to each others' children, or even bought homes in the same neighborhoods.

I think the biggest difference was that we followed the rules much more often than we broke them.  We self-enforced our own zero-tolerance policy on hazing.  We never bought alcohol with chapter funds and parties were generally BYOB.  We didn't keep an "archive."  We paid all of our bills on time.  And several of us participated in student government and often worked with the admin and other student groups on campus committees, fundraisers, events, etc. 

Not to sound arrogant, but we were a model organization... the reason we knew this is because when we went to national events, we were on a very small island.  We saw everything from simple disorganization, to criminal activity, to deadly hazing, to chapters that were literally drinking their members to death.  This kid at UWM was dealing pot?  Big deal, I know guys from another chapter that were dealing cocaine and pimping women.  I know another chapter where they locked their pledges in a room and told them they couldn't leave until they finished a handle of Jack (there were four guys in there).  I knew of a chapter treasurer who thought it was a good idea to take the chapter's checkbook to Mohegan Sun and drained a year's worth of members' dues in less than two weeks.

Most of us from our chapter keep in touch to this day.  But I can't think of anyone who has had any association with the national organization or another chapter since graduation.

nice story-thanks for sharing.  which frat was this?  i am one of those who didn't think frats were the way to go.  i didn't think i personally could handle the distractions, but this is good to hear!

[4everwarriors]

Back in the day, I belonged to both I Felta Thigh and Tappa Kegga.

[brandx]

We'll see.  Some of the preliminary evidence looks pretty serious:

http://www.newsweek.com/fraternity-suspended-alleged-date-rape-plot-272072

Also, we were told at Parents Orientation that in Wisconsin, alcohol is considered a date rape drug.  Even though we firmly believe our son isn't the type to do this, we had a serious talk with him about hooking up with drunk girls.

Once it gets late, you are supposed to hook up with drunk girls. I mean isn't this still America?

[4everwarriors]

Any port in a storm, hey?

[keefe]

Any port in a storm, hey?

Go ugly early

[Sir Lawrence]

Go ugly early

Welcome back.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Back in the day, I belonged to both I Felta Thigh and Tappa Kegga.

No I Eta Pi?

[chapman]

What are people doing on the MU and UWM campuses on weekends?  They should just go back to giving out fake IDs at orientation and lining cabs up outside the dorms on weekends.

[mu_hilltopper]

History of the building ..

http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2014/09/29/frat-house-confidential-tau-kappa-epsilon-house

[GGGG]

History of the building ..

http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2014/09/29/frat-house-confidential-tau-kappa-epsilon-house

" In 1996 TKE bought the place for $116,500, and promptly tore down the garage....Today the home is valued at $52,800 for the 3,600 square foot lot."

Great investment.