KU expels fraternity

Phi Kappa Theta banned from campus for keg party

A Kansas University fraternity has been expelled from campus for organizing a party last month in which police cited nine people for alcohol violations and seized 16 kegs of beer.

The decision against Phi Kappa Theta, announced Monday by KU’s Interfraternity Council’s judicial board, marks the first time a fraternity has been kicked off KU’s campus, university officials said.

“We feel it was a fair and appropriate punishment given the apparent disregard for any semblance of a responsible social function,” said Scott Shorten, IFC president. “Hopefully this will show this is something we take very seriously and we’re not going to tolerate.”

The fraternity plans to appeal the decision to the full IFC board, chapter President Matt Moreno said. The appeal must be made by the end of the week.

“We have really taken a proactive stance against this incident,” said Moreno, a Wichita junior. “We’ve implemented a lot to get enforcement in place, and we’re planning community service events to really give back to the community that we know that we hurt.”

The expulsion stems from a Feb. 19 party at the Phi Kappa Theta house, 1111 W. 11th St. Police responded to the house after receiving a noise complaint. Officers said men sitting at a table outside the home were charging $5 per cup for all the beer patrons wanted to drink.

Men at the party told police they had been checking identification at the start but eventually it became too crowded to check everyone’s age. Nine people were ordered to appear in municipal court.

Lawrence Police Lt. David Cobb, looks over some of the 16 kegs of beer, some still full, after the police raided a Feb. 19 party at the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house, 111 W. 11th. Kansas University's Interfraternity Council's judiciary board voted Monday to expel the fraternity from the university's campus. The fraternity plans to appeal the decision chapter president Matt Moreno said.

KU officials said the party violated several policies, including those that require all parties to be registered with the Interfraternity Council, prohibit the use of kegs and prohibit the sale of an unlimited quantity of alcohol.

The expulsion means Phi Kappa Theta must cease operations as a fraternity at KU and lose all membership privileges for an unspecified length of time. The fraternity’s 35 members will not be allowed to join another fraternity.

“They’re being held accountable for their actions,” said Reuben Perez, assistant dean of students. “This conveys a message: The policies are in place for a reason, and students will take them seriously.”

In addition to the expulsion, the IFC is recommending that the Phi Kappa Theta national office, in Carmel, Ind., revoke the local charter until at least fall 2009. Kevin Lampe, national secretary from Chicago, said a hearing would be held the first week of April to decide the chapter’s fate.

“The national fraternity respects the decision of the IFC,” Lampe said. “We were very disappointed in the actions of the chapter.”

Moreno, the chapter president, said the party didn’t reflect the values of the house. He said members had learned their lesson.

“The morale of the house is pretty positive right now and we’re looking into the appeals process,” he said. “This situation, it happened once and it was an isolated incident. But we know it was a mistake and we want to fix it.”


Staff writer Alicia Henrikson and 6News reporter Kevin MacDonald contributed information to this report.