By Cari Griggs, Senior Staff Writer
Kate Ray, vocal music education sophomore, holds a sign while waiting for new Kappa Sigma pledges to arrive during fall recruitment at the Kappa Sigma house. The Interfraternal Council ruled Jan. 24 that the fraternity was prohibited from hosting Casino Royale. Photo: Marianne Pickens
Casnio Royale has been canceled. The Interfraternal Council’s disciplinary committee ruled Jan. 24 that Kappa Sigma would not be permitted to host their informal rush event Jan. 27.
A formal complaint was filed against the fraternity and the disciplinary committee investigated, said Josh Attaway, president of IFC.
Kappa Sigma members hosted a party Jan. 22 off campus at 21st Street and Villa Avenue that violated IFC Rush rules, said Danny Phan, Kappa Sigma president.
Phan refused to comment on which specific rules were broken.
“The decision to cancel Casino Royale was made using IFC’s standards and we agreed with it,” Phan said. “As a house it was our mistake, so we are owning up to it as a house.”
The organization now is required to submit all of their activities in advance to IFC, Phan said.
Ali Rosenstein, dance pedagogy senior, attended the party.
“I didn’t hear it was a rush party,” she said. “To me it was a normal party, I was surprised to hear the Kappa Sigs were in trouble because nothing seemed out of the ordinary.”
IFC Adviser Corey Hill said IFC’s actions were appropriate for the circumstances.
“I applaud IFC for being self-policing,” he said. “Nowhere else on campus will you find such self-governing principles.
“Kappa Sigma understands not everything they did was above board, and they will continue to excel and do better. Everyone makes mistakes. They are still viable members of the Greek community and will be a participant in IFC recruitment.”
Kappa Sigma is developing new policies to avoid situations like these in the future, he said. Members are “using these events of late as an opportunity for growth,” officials said in a press release.
“We are developing a risk management policy and we this will set a new standard for Greek life that will hold everyone equally accountable,” Phan said.
Phan said he is unsure of how the cancellation will affect their Spring Rush. He said members will not do anything differently in spite of the circumstances.
“This gives us an opportunity to make ourselves better,” he said.
Funds for Casino Royale were supposed to be donated to Relay For Life. The fraternity plans to reschedule the event but has not determined the date yet, Phan said.
“We hope that by not focusing the event around Rush it will make it a better fundraiser,” he said.
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