Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 3, 1993 TAG: 9303030256
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
ALCOHOL INCIDENT BRINGS HAZING CHARGE
A Virginia Tech senior was charged with hazing after one of his fraternity's pledges was rushed to Montgomery Regional Hospital's intensive care unit last month to be treated for alcohol poisoning.The pledge recovered and was released from the hospital a few days later, but Tech police charged Scott Allen Burk, who was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, with one count of hazing and five counts of providing alcohol to persons under 21 years of age. Burk is 22.
Five pledges were involved in the incident, which involved a drinking game, said Tech spokesman Larry Hincker. He would not elaborate.
"As far as the university is concerned, hazing is a very serious charge," Hincker said.
Names of the pledges are not being released and none has been charged by police.
In Virginia and 37 other states, hazing can be considered a misdemeanor or a felony. In this case, the hazing and alcohol charges were misdemeanors and each charge, which will be heard in General District Court, carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine or both.
Burk also will be tried through the university's judicial system where he could be cleared or face a range of charges and penalties - from probation to expulsion - regardless of what happens in the courts.
Tom Goodale, vice president for student affairs, said Tech will investigate to see if the fraternity was involved in the incident, or if it was just one individual.
"Our first concern is for the welfare of the victim," Goodale said.
But he added that he did not want the case to turn into a "Greek-bashing incident. Fraternities always get most of the publicity, when hazing can actually occur anywhere."
Dan Barrett, president of Pi Kappa Alpha, said Tuesday that the incident occurred without the knowledge of the fraternity.
"This was not something organized by the fraternity," he said. "That's the truth. We're just upset about the whole thing. Luckily, everything is fine now and everyone's OK. That's the most important thing."
Tech's handbook defines hazing as "any mental or physical requirement, request or obligation placed upon any person which could cause discomfort, pain, fright, disgrace, injury, or which is personally degrading."
Hazing could violate federal, state, or local statutes or university policy, even if all of the participants are willing.
Barrett said fraternity members have talked with all of the people involved and that the participants seemed to have been willing in this situation.
"I guess that will be decided in court," he said.
Brian O'Neil, president of Tech's Interfraternity Council, said he didn't have all of the details on the case yet, but "this action is not condoned by the individual fraternities and is not tolerated by the university or the Interfraternity Council."
The council has its own judicial board, but O'Neil said the incident will be handled by the university's board for now.
Tech's last case of physical hazing was reported in 1989 when eight cadets were charged with abducting another cadet against his will, shaving his head, and injuring him.
In 1990, a Tech fraternity was charged with five violations of psychological hazing after Tech came up with a stricter hazing policy that summer.
Goodale said this latest incident was "another example of student inhumanity to students, which has got to stop."
All of the students involved in the incident were still in school as of Tuesday.
Burk has resigned from the fraternity. "If his resignation had not been tendered, we would have pursued his expulsion," Barrett said.
Burk's address still is listed as the Pi Kappa Alpha house, though he moved out more than a week ago. He could not be reached for comment on Tuesday at his new number.
The fraternity house is on Tech's campus, and alcohol is permitted for those students of legal age, Hincker said.