Fight Night at Frat
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g* 16 award-winnin Back in swing *Society of Professional Journalists’ Best All-Around Non-Daily ‘06 Volume 78, Issue IV - Friday, October 5, 2007 Alcohol FIGHT NIGHT AT FRAT policies Admin. working? claims By Jeff Frankel All university-wide alcohol recommendations are currently no party in effect for this semester, but it is unclear if they are working By Paul Szaniawski in the “short period of time” and Olivia Tattory since their implementation in September, University adminis- An alleged fight at the Zeta trators say. Beta Tau (ZBT) fraternity house Dean of Students Anthony on Sept. 29 resulted in mul- Campbell and Debbie Stasolla, tiple charges for ZBT brother vice chair of the Presidential John Goodleaf and “bleeding Task Force on Alcohol, Personal on the brain” for campus visitor Responsibility and Student Andrew Endicott, police report- Life, were the guest speakers at ed. Both men were charged the Lawrenceville SGA meeting with underage drinking. on Tuesday, where they gave The incident occurred in updates and dispelled miscon- the first semester since the alco- ceptions regarding the new hol-related death of freshman policies. Gary DeVercelly last spring and Photo by Stephanie Nardi “I have seen progress,” said in the midst of a University A student wonders what happened early Saturday morning at the Zeta Beta Tau house. Stasolla in a separate inter- crackdown on alcohol abuse, Safety Vickie Weaver. Once LTPD was at the Higgins was later quoted as say- view. “I am also aware there are including a ban on alcohol- Near the front entrance scene, the investigation was ing that it was not a party. concerns.” related events in Greek houses. of Hill Residence Hall, Public turned over to them, said The word is significant She said the new policies The Lawrence Township Safety officers found 19-year- Weaver. Since that point, the because new University policies are not “static” and can be mod- Police Department (LTPD) old Endicott “injured and bleed- case and any further investiga- prohibit “social events or par- ified to reflect the community received a call around 4 a.m. ing from the head,” and he was tion has been in the hands of ties in residence halls or Greek better. Saturday reporting a head inju- taken to Capital Health System LTPD. houses where alcoholic bever- However, the initial draft ry on campus. Public Safety - Fuld Campus in Trenton. “We’re letting the police ages are served.” for Greek recommendations is was also dispatched to the scene According to reports, he conduct their investigation,” “[The University] had never still on the drawing board and at 4:15 a.m. after LTPD noti- was able to answer basic ques- said Weaver. “Rider Public said it was a party,” said Higgins, the University is looking to fied them an ambulance was tions but could not provide Safety has not conducted any in response to media reports ear- implement them in the spring en route to a reported medical information about who assault- investigation.” lier in the week. “It was an inci- semester. emergency. ed him or why, just that it had Although the first newspa- dent between two individuals. Whether or not the policies “We were notified of a happened at ZBT. Endicott was per reports of the incident said There was no fraternity party.” are effective is another issue. It physical assault involving a visi- released from the hospital on the scuffle occurred at a “party,” Recently implemented has been a month since fresh- tor,” said Director of Public Monday. University spokesperson Dan See ZBT, p. 2 man move-in day and admin- istrators do not know what Legal woes for Torney, ‘We understand New Jersey polices will work and what laws allows for first-time, non- won’t. 2 others get probation “We plan on assessing this violent offenders to seek Pre- regularly,” Stasolla said. “We By Paul Szaniawski accepted into PTI in front of Trial Intervention. However, their would like to assess this at the Judge Mitchell Ostrer. to avoid end of the fall semester. It’s Two students who were actions, although non-violent, a trial and a possible prison been a short period of time.” indicted for aggravated hazing caused the death of a fine young term. Some students also appear in the case of Gary DeVercelly’s “Pre-Trial Intervention is man.’ to be confused about some death were granted probation- designed to rehabilitate defen- of the policies, according to ary Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) dants and return them back to - Statement from the DeVercelly family, administrators. The students the same day a third chose to the community,” Ostrer said. do not seem to fully under- move forward with his case. read by Mercer County Assistant Olsen and DiDonato will stand the Good Samaritan pol- Former president of Phi Prosecutor Skylar Weissman go through 36 months of pro- icy, Campbell said at the SGA Kappa Tau Michael Torney, bation, perform 100 hours meeting. of Randolph, and his lawyer, of community service, attend One part of the program discovery. The lawyer would like “Considering that there Michael Rodgers, decided to alcohol counseling and also pay demands that if their former to see more evidence, including are some students who didn’t pass on PTI and asked for time fines of $125. If either student fraternity brother were to go to tapes seen by the grand jury understand the policies, we to find more evidence. Just min- commits a crime during the trial they would have to cooper- that indicted his client. The have to do some more market- utes earlier, Dominic Olsen, probation the PTI is dissolved ate and give statements. judge set a new court date for ing,” he said. of Kenilworth, and Adriano and he could be prosecuted Rodgers asked Judge Ostrer Nov. 27. Stasolla pointed out that DiDonato, of Princeton, were again. for a period of time to perform See Court, p. 3 See Policy, p. 2 Visit the Rider News Online at www.theridernews.com 2 Friday, October 5, 2007 SECURITY BRIEF S POLICY Continued from p. 1 Harassment not all of the students in her A threatening message Freshman Seminar class fully ‘Pullquote etc. etc.’ understood the Good Samaritan - Source Name on an answering machine was received last week. It was policy, where they can report reported on Monday, Oct. sick underage students without 1, at 8 a.m., that on the campus repercussions. previous Friday, an office in “[It’s] an eye-opening expe- the BLC received a voicemail rience with students,” she said. from someone who spewed “It really hit home for me [that] profanity and threatened to we have to [answer] these ques- punch a male staff member. tions.” The investigation is continu- The Good Samaritan pol- ing and anyone with infor- icy was designed so that the mation should contact Public caller or the victim will not be Safety at x. 5029. penalized by the University for calling for medical help if he or she is underage. Bust It was formulated so stu- dents “won’t make medical A small baggie contain- Photo by Karly Hamburg decisions” for others whose lives Administrators say it is too early to judge new policies governing student alcohol consumption. ing what appeared to be may be in danger, Stasolla said. cocaine was found by a male Last spring semester, fresh- Campbell also said that stu- Campbell went on to say important for freshmen,” staff member. On Sunday, man Gary DeVercelly died after dents with off-campus hous- that unlike the law, which is Stasolla said. Sept. 30, at 12:40 p.m., the allegedly drinking three-fourths ing can still face University clear and is only seen as right In addition to the new pol- bag was found in the main of a bottle of vodka in less than penalties if they get in trouble and wrong, Rider’s new policies icy-related recommendations lobby of Hill Hall. Lawrence 30 minutes. Others at the party with local police, but this is allow for discussion. already in effect for this semes- Township Police responded reportedly placed DeVercelly not a new tactic. Towns and “You wouldn’t want every- ter, five additional Public Safety and took the substance for in a room after he passed Communities Together (TAC) thing black and white,” he officers have been added, for a classification. There are cur- out instead of calling for an is a partnership between neigh- said. total of seven hired since the rently no suspects. ambulance. boring towns, universities and The mandatory online start of the semester. Lawrence Township officers bar owners that report incidents program for freshmen, Theft are required to cite underage to one another, he said. AlcoholEDU, designed to track drinking as a local ordinance Several Lawrenceville SGA drinking patterns around the A purse was stolen from violation, including under- members said the new alcohol school and country, was com- an unlocked car in the com- age students transported to the policy is too vague and does not pleted on Wednesday. muter lot. It was reported on hospital for intoxication. The give definite answers. But that Freshmen who did not Friday, Sept. 28, at 3:45 p.m., violation requires appearance in is exactly what the University complete the program are not by the female complainant court and payment of a fine. wants. eligible for course selection for that someone took her purse Local ordinance violations do “To define it so specifi- the spring semester or for hous- *OINTHE2IDER.EWS containig identification and not typically appear on criminal cally makes it hard to enforce,” ing selection.