poltr1 | Undergrads do the stupidest things......

Found out through the grapevine that a chapter of an international college fraternity -- my college fraternity -- in Colorado may be closed because they did something really stupid. I'm not mad about the chapter closure; I think they deserve it. I'm mad at what was allowed to happen there: Pledges (or to use the more correct term, "associate members") were left alone in a hotel room with a keg of beer, and were told to "get to know each other". $10,000 worth of damage was done to the hotel room. Someone peed in the in-room coffeemaker. And other things that I can't remember from the story.

For years, the fraternity's leadership has been trying to teach their members that hazing and alcohol abuse is bad. Most of the brothers over the years have listened. And a chosen few have not.

The story is making the rounds in the press. It's unfortunate that the press like to reinforce the "Animal House" stereotype. And despite all the good things that have been done by greek-letter societies over the years, an incident like this will be remembered for years, if not decades.

As for the perpetrators, they are my brothers, but they will be held accountable by the court of law, the fraternity's leadership, the university's leadership, and their parents.