Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 29, 1994 TAG: 9409290055
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROANOKE LENGTH: Medium
The national fraternity filed suit against the Radford group and its officers in U.S. District Court in Roanoke in May.
Radford University withdrew its recognition of the local chapter in the spring of 1990, citing repeated individual incidents such as destruction of university property, hazing and fighting that the university believed were fraternity-related.
The national fraternity, based in Richmond, canceled the local fraternity's charter in December 1991.
"Certain persons identifiable as members of Sig Ep have engaged in activities in the Radford, Virginia, community which have caused negative publicity to the fraternity," the suit said. Several members of the Radford group also were charged with felonies after fights involving other students, frequently from rival fraternities at the university.
Despite the revocations, the fraternity continued to use the Sig Ep name and trademarks, the suit said.
Individual defendants listed in the were the group's officers: Mike Thompson, president; Travis Ward, former president; James Barrett Bogle, vice president; Charles Winstead, secretary; and Patrick Kannan, treasurer.
According to the settlement filed in federal court Wednesday, all members of the Radford group will "permanently cease" from wearing any hats, shirts or other apparel bearing trademarks of Sigma Phi Epsilon. The group also is prohibited from listing "Sig Ep" in "any local telephone directories, campus directories, maps, advertisements or other publications."
by CNB