Although Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman projected the final verdict in the hearing against Phi Delta Alpha fraternity would be reached by early this week, the College's decision is still pending.
Redman said the issue will be resolved "soon," although he has not made a decision yet and could release no further details because of the case's confidentiality.
Redman sits on the Judicial Committee -- the Coed Fraternity Sorority Council's judiciary body -- and as the hearing officer, he said he can make the ultimate decision and determine any potential sanctions if the fraternity is found to be in violation of College policy.
"This is not a hearing about derecognition, but a hearing about if in fact the allegations are true and in violation of College policy," Redman said. "I certainly wouldn't want to imply or suggest any direction or thought process until the decision has been reached."
Redman explained several sanctions exist in the realm of judicial issues that surround CFS organizations, each with a different degree of severity.
Redman compared derecognition -- the worst-case scenario for a Greek house -- to the expelling of a student by the Committee on Standards.
According to Redman, derecognition means a group no longer exists as an organized entity, and must break off ties with the College.
"The statement is simple, but the reality is very complex," Redman said of derecognition. He said when Beta Theta Pi fraternity was derecognized in 1996, it received a short decision letter, but he pointed out that the case documentation was large.
The derecognized status bears many intricate ramifications for College when dealing with a Greek organization because of issues with alumni of the house, ownership of the facility and property within the building.
According to Redman, derecognition is not the only punishment. Other options exist for level two hearings, including finding the party innocent. If the party is found guilty, however, they can still receive a lesser citation equivalent to a warning or more serious ones like prohibition or exemplary standard conduct.
When penalties are assessed, they can be done so in different ways.
"There is a lot of latitude for creativity in sanctioning. This is an educational institution," Redman said, noting a goal is to help instill corrective behavior to show to avert a similar future situation.
Redman gave the example of last term's Gamma Delta Chi fraternity "panty raid" where the sanctions imposed were a "combination of punishment, discipline and education directed at trying to change behavior," he said.
Yet Redman said not every circumstance can be approached in such a manner.
"There reaches a point when suspension or expulsion of a student is the best educational avenue is to give people a time away," he said. In such cases, the issue can be so egregious or it can be the culminating straw in a string of lesser circumstances. The latter was the case for Beta.
While no cookie-cutter mold is officially instituted, Redman explained level one and level two CFS and JC verdicts are often determined by precedent, but different circumstances may affect the outcome.
If Phi Delt is found guilty of violations of College policy, it will have seven days to appeal the decision. The house can protest the on the grounds of a procedural violation, new evidence not available at the hearing, or a plea for clemency.
As for the first two, Redman said those grounds for appeal do not always lead to the reversal of the sanction or findings. Rather, he said the decision would be put on hold until the new evidence was weighed.
"I find the plea of clemency ironic because I'm the person they plead to, but I'm also the decision maker," Redman said. "It should seem they should do it to someone else, like an appeals officer. Why would I change my own decision as hearing officer?"
Assistant Dean of Residential Life Deborah Carney declined to comment. Phi Delt President Matt K. Nelson '00 could not be reached last night.
