The closer The opens up Rider News 15 www.theridernews.com The student newspaper of the Rider community since 1930 Volume 82, Issue XVI1I - Friday, March 30, 2012 FROM SADNESS TO PROGRESS Tragic incident leads to change for the better By Katie Zeck In December of that year,
[email protected] the DeVercelly family filed a Gary DeVercelly was an wrongful death lawsuit against the University and also charged Rider’s Alcohol Policy 18-year-old student from Long Beach, Calif., who died as a Phi Kappa Tau president Mike What it was then: What it is now: result of excessive drinking on Torney with aggravated hazing. •Consequences ranged from levels 1-5 •A two-tiered system March 30, 2007. Today marks Torney pled guilty and received the five-year anniversary of his three years of probation, 100 •Within any two-year period, the •Tier 1: Possession and/or non-abusive death. hours of community service first alcohol violation would result consumption of alcoholic beverages Following the tragic death and alcohol counseling. The in parental notification, the second •Tier 2: Abusive or high risk University eventually reached a of DeVercelly, Rider’s alcohol would minimally result in parental consumption of alcoholic beverages policy went from a “three-strike settlement with the DeVercelly •Each tier contains 4 levels, all of which family in which Rider was notification and the third would policy” to the current two- minimally result in removal from include parental notification, $100- tiered system that includes the cleared of any wrongdoing and $300 fine, alcohol education, and was not deemed liable for the residency.