The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929.
QUCHRONICLE.COM
JANUARY 21, 2015
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 15
Tau Kappa Epsilon ordered to cease and desist Currently unclear if fraternity will return to campus By STAFF REPORTS
By STAFF REPORTS
also does not have a car on campus and said she would consider using the Enterprise cars. “Since I don’t have my car on campus, it’d be nice,” she said. “Probably just to run to the store or something to get some stuff that I might need.” Cassidy Fitzgerald, a class of 2017 representative, was recently a brand ambassador intern with Enterprise. As an intern, her job was to increase sign up with the Car Share program. With her position, Fitzgerald will implement social media posts and campus events to spread the word about the program to interested students. In order to use one of the rental cars, students must complete a signup process to ensure safe drivers are getting behind the wheel. Desilets said the process is similar to the one already implemented at Quinnipiac and works quickly. “Once a student signs up, Enterprise will mail them a membership card, like a Q-Card,” he said. “The reservation process is very similar
The university has recently settled a lawsuit involving a student who was removed from Quinnipiac due to her mental health, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release. The university agreed to pay the student $17,000 for emotional distress and $15,126.42 to pay off a loan she received in order to attend Quinnipiac. The university has also created a policy “stating that it will not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of disability,” the press release said. The student was put on mandatory medical leave from the university after seeking mental health counseling for depression at the Health Center. The university denied her request to refund her tuition after she was removed. The student spoke to the Hartford Courant anonymously. She told the Courant she visited the Health Center in the fall of 2011 as a freshman, when she struggled with the transition to college. “I think every freshman has days when they are just like shell-shocked,” the student told the Courant. “I thought it was better to see someone than to be stressed by myself. My mother told me people were here and I could go there and I could talk to them.” The university sent the student to St. Raphael’s Hospital in New Haven, with an envelope containing a letter saying she could not return to campus until she was assessed by a universitydesignated psychiatrist, according to the Courant. “I was really shocked and hurt,” the student told the Courant. “I didn’t understand why I couldn’t go back to my room to get my stuff. Why was I considered such a danger when the hospital was letting me out? I felt kind of stupid and kind of like a failure. I felt like I had just ruined my entire life in one day.” The student has since enrolled in another university, according to the Hartford Courant. Junior Megan Megill said she thinks it’s crazy the university removed the student due to her struggles with depression. “She was coming to them for help and they just said ‘go see someone else, you’re not allowed here’” Megill said. “I just think that would make her even more depressed.” Senior Connor Rice said he would have sued the school as well if he were in a similar situation.
See ENTERPRISE Page 4
See ADA CASE Page 3
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Tau Kappa Epsilon letters carved into a rock near the recreation center, next to another carving of a fraternity that no longer exists at Quinnipiac University. tails, including the allegations. Ben Preller, president of the Interfraternity Council, said the IFC was disappointed to hear news about TKE.
“The Quinnipiac University Interfraternity Council has been informed of the ordered cease and desist of Tau Kappa Epsilon and is disheartened by the hazing allega-
tions against the Kappa Psi chapter,” Preller said in a statement. “While the IFC exists to support See TKE ALLEGATIONS Page 3
Enterprise on the rise
Car Share program implemented this semester By TARA O’NEILL
Associate News Editor
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Students will now be able to rent cars from Enterprise to travel around the surrounding area. The cars were used on their first and the $20 application fee will be waived. After March 15, the hourly day. Freshman Lindsay Paixao and rate will go back to the standard rate her friends rented the cars Tuesday night to go to the store. Paixao said of $9 per hour. Sophomore class president this was much better than waiting in Christopher Desilets was one of the cold for the shuttles. “Especially as a freshman not the first Student Government Association (SGA) members informed being able to have a car it’s defiabout the Enterprise Car Share pro- nitely awesome to have that freegram. He said students had access dom instead of having to wait for the to the two Enterprise cars starting shuttles,” she said. “Just the accessiJan. 20, 2015. If there is a strong de- bility of being able to get off campus mand, Desilets said SGA and Enter- basically whenever you want rather prise have already agreed to increase than having to wait for the shuttle.” Sophomore Gabriella Padilla the number of rental cars to four.
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Students can begin using the new Enterprise rental cars during the spring 2015 semester. Enterprise has been working closely with several branches at Quinnipiac to get its Car Share program approved. According to an Enterprise Car Share spokesperson, the program is primarily targeting students who are unable to have cars on campus, such as freshmen. “We collaborated with Quinnipiac University to launch Enterprise Car Share, providing students who do not have a vehicle on campus with a low-cost, convenient transportation solution,” the spokesperson said. “With the addition to Enterprise Car Share, students now have the freedom to rent a vehicle 24 hours a days, seven days a week at a low hourly rate.” New members will receive $35 in driving credits and $5 rates until March 15, according to the Enterprise Car Share spokesperson. New members will also get a discounted annual membership fee of $25
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The university has shut down its Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity chapter following hazing allegations, according to administration. “One student, who is a member of TKE, has been expelled and two other fraternity members have been suspended from the university, as a result of a university student conduct investigation into allegations of hazing,” Vice President for Public Affairs Lynn Bushnell said in a statement. Bushnell added that additional members of the fraternity will face consequences. “Other TKE members have also been sanctioned as part of the investigation, and several more will face the student conduct process. In addition, the university has issued the fraternity a cease and desist order prohibiting it from operating at the university until the student conduct process is completed,” Bushnell said. It is unknown at this time if TKE will be allowed to return to campus after the conduct process is completed. The university did not comment further on any de-
University settles disability case
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