The Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Delta Tau Delta fraternity worked together to officially sanction the fraternity in response to an alleged fake kidnapping that occurred March 25.
In addition to criminal charges filed by the State College Police Department against three members of Delta Tau Delta, 429 E. Hamilton Ave., the fraternity put itself on probation for the rest of the semester.
IFC President Brian Bertges said the fraternity can go to IFC meetings, participate in Greek Week and plan for Homecoming but cannot hold social functions at its house while on probation.
The fraternity will also require 90 percent of its members to attend Training for Intervention ProcedureS (TIPS) alcohol training and 10 hours of community service for all members.
"We didn't want to go easy on ourselves," fraternity President Steve Reiter said. "We wanted a punishment we could learn our lesson from."
Bertges said the IFC allowed Delta Tau Delta to sanction itself as a privilege because the fraternity was "so proactive" when it happened.
Reiter said that immediately after the incident, the fraternity contacted "all the necessary people," including national chapter officials and the fraternity adviser.
The fraternity presented the sanctions to the executive council and after evaluation, the IFC decided to add mandatory new member and TIPS training, community service and a $500 fine. "If they are taking from the community, they wanted to give back," Bertges said.
In addition, Bertges said the fraternity will have weekly or bi-weekly meetings with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life to make sure the program is "progressing in the right direction."
"Basically we are going to be honest with them and tell them what we are doing and how we are doing it," Reiter said. He added that although the IFC added to Delta Tau Delta's original sanctions, the IFC's additions are sufficient. "It is adequate, and we will learn from it."
Reiter said the mandatory community service can begin right away but has to be completed by the end of the fall 2005 semester. He also said fraternity members felt probation was necessary to ensure no future incidents. "As far as probation goes, our executive board felt it was necessary to show we will not engage in other risky ventures," he said.
The fine imposed by the IFC will go toward funding TIPS training and other endeavors, Bertges said.
The March 25 incident involved three pledges -- Timothy Antoian, 18, Lee Hugar, 19, and Chad Norris, 18 -- who allegedly duct taped two other fraternity members and put them in the back of a U-Haul truck, in what police described as a "fraternity prank."
The fraternity is still waiting to hear on any sanctions from the national chapter. Reiter said he feels the national chapter will "be accepting" of the punishment given by the house and IFC.
The national chapter could not be reached for comment last night.
