By: Melissa Boyd & Danielle Reid (Whetstone staff writers)

 

Three Wesley students who wanted to pledge Phi Kappa Sigma, a fraternity, grabbed a woman, a Theta Phi Alpha pledge, from the sidewalk in front of the Grocery Basket a couple of blocks north of campus Nov. 2, put her in a silver car, took her to the basement of an off-campus home, blindfolded her, and threw an unidentified liquid on top of her after asking her to either “eat it or wear it.”

The hazing incident was the last straw in a series of events that provoked school officials to suspend all Greek organizations Nov. 12.

“There had been different incidents that had been occurring during the course of this semester that some we didn’t know about,” said Colleen DiRaddo, dean of students. “Our neighbors in the community were making inquiries.”

Sharonda Sutton, an employee at the Grocery Basket, said her customers were upset about the abduction.

“We didn’t actually see it,” she said. “It was outside and a customer filled us in on what happened, but it seemed like an actual crime so someone called the police.”

Detectives from Dover Police Criminal Investigations called for assistance after the customer reported a girl was “snatched” off the street, said Walt Beaupre, head of safety and security.

“We identified the female and she stated she was picked up along the road by the male students and that it was a ‘fraternity/sorority prank,’” he said.

Beaupre said she was taken back to campus unharmed.

Dr. Angela D’Antonio, adviser of Theta Phi Alpha, said she was unimpressed with the behavior of some of the sorority’s members.

“It’s disappointing to hear of choices being made by members of the organization,” she said. “They are clearly in opposition to those values that the organization stands for.”

She said members who join a Greek organization should be aware of the life-long choice they’re making to uphold those values.

“I am disturbed,” she said. “As the adviser, I’m aware of the goals, standards and values that Theta Phi Alpha stands for. The students should be growing and maturing around those values.”

Many Greek members refused to talk to The Whetstone.

D’Antonio also teaches social psychology, which discusses what people are willing to do to fit into the social group, including conformity.

Conformity – people changing their behavior and beliefs to match what is expected in a group – usually, it occurs because of group pressure, which can be real or imagined, she said.

“Do people have a strong sense of self and the ability to not conform?” D’Antonio said. “Young people in general have a problem with conformity. Pranks can easily turn into something that puts people at risk and is dangerous. Students have to be true to themselves and have the courage to align their behaviors with their values.”

Dr. Colleen DiRaddo, dean of students, said there needs to be more education about hazing to counter the idea that an “abduction” might be considered a “prank.”

“Education occurs as people are becoming members,” she said.

D’Antonio said kidnapping is a specific example of hazing in the book she uses for her social psychology class, along with other examples including: drinking excessive amounts of alcohol; verbal, physical or sexual abuse; humiliation and degradation; sleep deprivation; exclusion; and running errands.

“It’s really upsetting and disgraceful,” she said. “We don’t want that kind of behavior associated with our organization. And if it is, then it needs to be exposed and handled appropriately, take responsibility and correct the behavior.”

She also said it didn’t affect the sales.

“They kept coming in and getting food anyway,” she said.