Tensions at Stanford University
January 18, 2020 By Hank Nuwer Leave a Comment
Excerpt from ABC-TV
FRATERNITY STANFORD FRATERNITY DAYS AWAY FROM LOSING HOUSE By by Anser Hassan Monday, January 21, 2019 PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) — The fraternity brothers at Theta Delta Chi may have to look for a new place to live. Stanford University has ordered them to leave their house by the start of the next school year. "We are the first Greek community subject to this bureaucratic take down," says Nicolai Garcia, the chapter president. Garcia admits they've had problems related to alcohol consumption and storage, and financial mismanagement. However, he says they've clean up their act. He thinks they are being pushed out.
RELATED: At least 7 students reportedly drugged at Stanford fraternity party "Here are action items to complete, the financial management, certain things with the house, and then the next year, we get an entirely new subset of things that we didn't know about before," says Garcia. The university didn't answer requests for comment, but they did issue a letter to the fraternity last week, in which they state that they warned the fraternity of losing their house back in March. They also point out that the fraternity got low scores in the university's "Standards of Excellence" program. Erik Ubel, the past fraternity president, insists that the penalties for the "Standards of Excellence" program are more harsh than the ones they received with their initial problems with alcohol and their finances. He says that shouldn't be the reason to kick them out.
RELATED: UC Irvine student's death under investigation as fraternity is suspended "I think we are first organization that's really being penalized primarily for the performance in the 'Standards of Excellence' program," says Ubel. Some Stanford alumni, like Bob Burlinson, who lives in Menlo Park, is siding with his frat brothers.
RELATED: Alcohol level in air at fraternity party registers on Breathalyzer "Fraternities have demonstrated some poor choices particularly in terms of alcohol," says Burlinson. "But at the same time, I think Stanford takes those opportunities to effectively reclaim parts of its campus for general housing." TDX house, which has been on the Stanford campus for decades, launched a petition on Sunday to try to save their place. They say the national chapter is also working to help them. They have now been given until February 4 to appeal. If they lose, they lose the house, but the fraternity can still operate on campus. A final decision should be issued five days after. https://abc7news.com/amp/5100262/