I am writing to inform you of my intent to de-pledge Beta Alpha Omega fraternity. I can no longer be part of an institution that has contributed to so much physical and emotional harm, including death. I do not take this decision lightly and it was a difficult one for me to make, but I know that it is the correct decision.
I made my decision in the days immediately following the death of our beloved brother, Won Jang ’26, who passed away after attending a social event with Beta. Won’s body was found in the Connecticut River on July 7. I have withheld my intent to de-pledge until now because I believed the time immediately following Won’s death was best spent healing as a community. De-pledging in the immediate wake of Won’s death would have only deepened the alienation, sadness and confusion we all felt. While Beta was suspended in July — and the Hanover Police Department has launched an investigation into potential hazing — I do not yet know what the future holds disciplinarily. I thus would like to emphasize that my decision to de-pledge is not based on any legal, administrative or other form of disciplinary action that may yet arise. Instead, I find myself a member of an institution that I believe bears at least partial responsibility for sending three people to the hospital and one person to the grave since I joined just 10 short months ago. I can no longer reconcile my involvement in this institution.
When a pledge was sent to the hospital in the fall of 2023, the fraternity huddled together and promised to do better. The incident led to our suspension last fall. We agreed that certain aspects of Beta’s culture had to change to protect the well-being of our brothers and the larger Dartmouth community. Just weeks later, Beta faced another incident of senseless violence after a member threw a brick through a window of Gamma Delta Chi fraternity — sending two completely innocent bystanders to the hospital. Although the incident was framed as the action of an individual, I have strong reason to believe — based on conversations with Betas — that his actions were encouraged by others in the house. We again made promises to change, yet within weeks, those commitments crumbled. I am appalled at the decision by some brothers to save face instead of pursuing justice following the incident at Gamma Delta Chi fraternity. The way Beta executives handled this case — obfuscating elements of the incident — eroded my trust in the moral conviction of the fraternity’s leadership. Further, I am confident the perpetrator was enabled by his newly gained status as a member of a Greek organization, pointing to a much larger institutional problem.
While I almost de-pledged after the GDX incident, I remained a brother. The house had the same conversations that we had following the pledge’s injuries. We once again all promised to do better. These were two unfortunate accidents, but we tried to reassure each other that they were flukes. Beta isn’t a bad place with bad people, we told ourselves. We promised ourselves. I was convinced for the time being. And yes, we did make some minor changes as a house — such as adding a second risk chair to oversee and mitigate risk. But we did not do enough. Clearly, we fell well short of the necessary steps, and now the world is deprived of one of the most beautiful souls I have ever met.
Greek Life at Dartmouth is an institution that has historically perpetuated damaging relationships with alcohol and substances, dangerous groupthink mentality, discrimination, elitism, gender-based violence, harmful power dynamics, homophobia, misogyny and non-inclusive spaces. None of the problems Beta has are specific to just Beta. However, I justified my initial involvement by convincing myself that the most effective way to inspire change is from the inside. In that respect, I have failed in my original intent. As such, I believe I, by participating in Dartmouth Greek Life, bear partial responsibility for Won’s death, and the pain his loss has inflicted upon so many people.
When Won died, I knew that it was the correct decision for me to de-pledge. While I felt uncomfortable with my involvement in Beta, I also did not feel correct in walking out the door without trying to improve the status quo. It would have been meaningless and hypocritical for me to chastise Beta without at least trying to effect the change I believed needed — and still needs — to take place.
I was incredibly disappointed by Beta’s lack of initiative in the weeks following Won’s death. The house was quick to return to old habits, drinking, going out and operating like a normal fraternity, without sufficient pause for reflection or conversations on change and accountability. I felt compelled to speak up, despite my minimal involvement in the house. I tried my best to be thoughtful in my discussions and recommendations. I tried to proceed with grace and civility to accommodate diverse perspectives. I could have done better, but I truly gave change significant thought and attention at a time when I did not have much to give. I was immensely excited to see wide acceptance for some of the 22 ideas I came up with, ranging from implementing a sober monitoring system to changing our approach to risk management. However, when it came time to act upon the objectives we laid out, it seemed to me that many of my brothers lacked the impetus for real change. The brotherhood seemed more interested in the Masters pong tournament, meetings and going out than reform. Although many may not agree with this statement, the actions of the house — and, more crucially, the failure to act when and where necessary — paint for me a clear picture of a brotherhood that is hesitant to take responsibility and resistant to actionable transformation.
Change takes time, and perhaps some of what I have advocated for, especially cultural shifts and accountability measures, will eventually come to fruition. However, I am disappointed in the response from the fraternity over the past month. I’ve noticed a shift in people’s perceptions of me within the house, and I now often feel alienated from Beta — including from several brothers with whom I once thought I would always be close. Perhaps I did not carry myself with the grace I had hoped for. I may have been overbearing in advocating for reform with members of Beta when people were not ready to have those conversations. I apologize if this is the case. After presenting my initial ideas, some members of the house made it clear that my attempts at leadership were not welcome. I was perfectly happy with stepping back. I want to see change regardless of how it is achieved, so I turned over my ideas to the Executive Board for further review and consideration. However, subsequent actions — or rather the lack thereof — have made it clear that Beta, while full of well-intentioned individuals, appears incapable of meaningful development or the rapid cultural shifts necessary to ensure the safety of the Dartmouth community. With a third incident in less than a year, this time involving a loss of life, it is clear to me that Beta’s culture is one of negligence that leads to repeated harm.
The loss of Won has been devastating to the brothers of Beta, the Dartmouth community, his friends and, most importantly, his family. Yet grief and sadness are not excuses to deflect blame for the events of July 6, when Won went missing after an event with Beta. I know the past month has been incredibly difficult in inexpressible ways. However, I have been disappointed in how Beta has chosen to respond to this tragedy. Instead of pausing for a moment of reflection on how Beta might have played a role in the events that led to Won’s death, I feel that the overwhelming sentiment has been deflection and denial. Members of the house were quick to pin blame on the College for not having adequate water safety. While this is a valid concern, it should absolutely not be the main takeaway from Won’s death. It is an unavoidable fact that Won’s death was connected to the Greek Life events scheduled for that night. The culture surrounding Greek Life and drinking at Dartmouth only increased the chances that a tragedy might occur. It is not fair to say that Greek Life caused Won’s death. However, it is inaccurate to claim that Greek Life did not have a hand to play in the death of Won.
Beta acts as an insulating force, creating a false sense of security among its members. The house allows brothers to feel like a part of something while enabling them to hide from the consequences of their actions. Such thinking fosters an environment where harmful behaviors can continue unchecked. It is easy for the brothers to view the current predicament as Beta’s problem rather than their own, hiding behind the fraternity to avoid personal guilt or responsibility. Over the past weeks, I have seen how individuals are quick to hide their anger, fear, pain, guilt, anxiety and personal accountability beneath the convenient veil that is Beta, absolving individuals of responsibility. This separation between the actions of an individual and the actions of the house further enables problematic behavior. Without addressing these foundational issues, Beta will remain incapable of fostering a safe and responsible community.
After July 6, we had the opportunity to proceed with grace and thoughtful reflection. Many of us cast that opportunity aside in favor of hiding our emotions in half cups and smoke clouds. It is hard to come to terms with Won’s death and the harsh reality that each member of the house, in some way, is responsible for contributing to a culture that did not stop the tragedy. It sucks. It tears me up. I’m disappointed in myself and my brothers. I believe Won would have wanted us to continue to have fun and party and love one another, but it is a disservice to his memory to dodge accountability and return to normalcy without considering how we can make Beta a safer space.
It is fair to criticize my decision to de-pledge. In fact, I encourage you all to poke holes in my argument, as it may help us all understand the flaws in our institutions and culture. Some people may argue that my decision to de-pledge is counterproductive to my idealized conviction that Greek Life institutions must change. As I highlighted above, it is a commonly held belief that it is easier to effect institutional change as an insider rather than as an outsider. This is a fair criticism. However, I have found that change of any sort is difficult to effect in storied institutions held in the grips of tradition and monolithic establishments. My internal advocacy seems to have reached its limits. It is my hope that this letter and my public rejection of Beta’s culture — and Greek life more broadly — can force Beta to change through external pressure. No matter how well-intentioned I or others are, our house consists of 60 to 100 young men. The actions of one reflect on all. My perception of Beta is forever stained by our failure to protect the life of one of our brothers. I will never be able to completely clear my conscience from the pain we have caused, and I will never be able to view or appreciate Beta in the same light ever again.
I want to make it clear that my decision to de-pledge is not a reflection of my sentiments toward the character of my former brothers. I have met some of my closest friends in Beta and made some incredible memories. I firmly believe Beta is full of some of the most incredible, talented, kind and intelligent people I have ever met. I am profoundly thankful for the time I have spent at Beta, and I hope that my decision to de-pledge does not weaken those bonds of friendship. We are still friends and brothers in a different sense, even if not by title.
No amount of good times can ever justify a moment of the pain we contributed to. Thus, I see no other option than to de-pledge. I’m happy to discuss my decision with anyone, but I am steadfast in my conviction. While I’m not suggesting that other Betas de-pledge, I would encourage you all to take some time to reflect on your involvement, whether in Beta or Dartmouth Greek Life at large. I hope this reflection can bring about genuine and lasting change. Though Greek Life has existed for centuries, each of us has a voice and an opportunity to reform our culture.
I do not want to de-pledge — I wish I could bury my moral convictions and stay in Beta. For the past eight months, I’ve looked forward to my full-fledged return to the brotherhood after my bike trip this fall. I’ve spent countless hours on the bike thinking about the good times to come and the promise of a renewed social life at Beta come 25W. These thoughts allowed me to justify many of the social sacrifices I have made for my training. I want to burn this letter and ignore any future thoughts of de-pledging. But I can’t. I know this is the right decision for me. Beta has been inextricably incorporated into my life and my identity for the past 10 months, and I’ll miss being a brother. But leaving the brotherhood does not change who I am, and I hope it will not change how you view me.
I hope with all my heart that this is not seen as a betrayal to the house. I don’t know how to express it through words, but I value my former brothers so incredibly much, and I don’t want to lose the relationships and deep bonds I have forged. It is not out of hate, but out of love and care for Beta that I am making this decision. I cannot sit back and watch another person I care for get injured or die. I hope my former Beta brothers try to understand my convictions and respect my decision. If nothing else, I hope they reflect on my words. Beta has a spot in my heart no matter if they care for it or not, and Greek affiliation status will never change that. This is not the end of our story together, but the beginning of a new era. I hope this serves not to divide us but to unite us in sparking an opportunity for positive change in the Dartmouth community.
With Respect and Love,
Bond Almand IV
Bond Almand IV is a member of the Class of 2026 and a former member of Beta Alpha Omega fraternity. Guest columns represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
