Reveille
BASEBALL Tigers blow late lead to Wildcats, lose in extras page 5
The Daily
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2015
lsureveille.com/daily
OPINION Hazing should be treated similarly to sexual assault page 8
thedailyreveille
@lsureveille
Volume 119 · No. 119
thedailyreveille
Records shed light on Acacia fraternity’s removal Misconduct investigation began in February
BY ROSE VELAZQUEZ rvelazquez@lsureveille.com While the University did not announce an investigation into the Acacia fraternity for allegations of behavioral misconduct until March 24, scrutiny by the University and Acacia Fraternity officials went on for more than a month before. Public records obtained by The Daily Reveille suggest inquiries extended to Feb. 9, when Acacia Fraternity House Corp. President Dominick Impastato sent Associate Dean of Students and Director of Greek Life Angela Guillory the Acacia Incident Report. After notification of allegations against the chapter from the Office of Greek Life, alumni representatives met with active and
Feb. 9 Acacia Fraternity investigation report delivered to Greek Life director Angela Guillory
new members, both individually and collectively, and findings were compiled in the Acacia Incident Report. The Acacia Incident Report described chapter’s violations against University policy as hazing and mistreating of new members. Impastato and Acacia Fraternity chapter adviser Sean O’Brien also issued a Supplemental Report, dated Feb. 11, after interviewing active and new chapter members to address questions raised during a Feb. 10 meeting with the Office of Greek Life and a representative of the Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability. After presenting the Supplemental Report, Impastato returned to the Acacia house Feb. 11 “to do more digging,” according to an email Guillory sent. While Guillory’s email records suggest she and Associate Dean of Students and Director of
Feb. 10
Feb. 11
Meeting with Office of Greek Life and Office of Student Advocacy and Accountability
Supplemental report
Sean O’Brien and Dominick Impastato begin conducting further interviews to address questions raised during the meeting
Student Advocacy and Accountability Matthew Gregory planned to meet with Acacia, the documents do not elaborate on a University-led inquiry.
CHARGES According to the March 20 charge letter, a investigation by the Office of the Dean of Students confirmed activities during new member education violated Policy Statements 78 and 108. Activities were forced alcohol consumption, personal servitude, physical violence, forced physical activity, thefts during a trip to Auburn University, meal restrictions during initiation week, expected new member residency at the Acacia fraternity house and participation in activities during the week prior to initiation interfering with academic and psychological wellbeing, physical stress caused by situations in which new members were forced to be in a room filled
required to answer the house phone, clean, provide transportation and designated-driving in the evening. New members determined their schedules based on availability. The incident report cites roughly five to six times throughout fall 2014 when new members were ordered to the fraternity house around 8 p.m., excluding those who had tests or homework the following day. According to the incident report, new members were called to the house for failing the pledge test. Pledges were lined up and forced to perform push-ups, situps, run in place, squat-thrusts and other exercises while they were drilled questions from the Chapter Manual, or Pythagoras. One to two seniors ran the sessions while 10 to 20 active members observed. Each session lasted approximately
see ACACIA, page 4
March 20
Impastato returns to Acacia house “to do more digging” Office of Greek Life receives sanction letter from Acacia Fraternity International Headquarters
with hot steam for a long period of time, and hazing, as defined by Policy Statement 108. The Acacia Incident Report states information in Impastato’s preliminary investigation did not support allegations against the chapter for forced alcohol consumption. While new members’ alcohol consumption likely occurred in fall 2014, those interviewed maintained it was not coerced by active members. According to the Supplemental Report, participants in the Feb. 10 meeting suggested there were incidents in which active members told new members they could not leave until they finished a specified bottle of alcohol. However, active and new members remained adamant no alcohol consumption coercion occurred in fall 2014. For personal servitude allegations, the Acacia Incident Report revealed roughly 10 new members served as “pledge on duty” and
March 17 March 12 Interim suspension of activities
Chapter officers, O’Brien and Impastato meet with Greek Accountability Team to discuss charges, violations and allegations
Acacia Fraternity receives charge letter and administrative action outcome letter O’Brien informed that fraternity must decide whether it will accept administrative action outcome or go to hearing panel by March 24 at 4:30 p.m.
March 24 Acacia Fraternity executive director Patrick McGovern accepts administrative action outcome
March 26 Acacia Fraternity issues statement closing chapter
graphic by RYAN LACHNEY / The Daily Reveille
FOOD
Late-night eatery Insomnia Cookies opens shop in Northgate Insomnia Cookies opens for business Friday at its new location on West Chimes Street, in the space formerly occupied by Bacio di Roma. The shop offers several desserts, including cookies, brownies and ice cream, and is open daily until 3 a.m. EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille
Store delivers to limited area around campus BY ASHLYN ROLLINS arollins@lsureveille.com Baton Rouge residents now have a new location to cater to their sweet tooth and inability to sleep. Insomnia Cookies, a chain of privately owned dessert shops, opened a Baton Rouge location Friday afternoon at 128 W. Chimes St, in the area formerly occupied by gelato dispensary
Bacio di Roma. The idea for selling late-night sweets came from the mind of founder Seth Berkowitz in 2003 while he was a student at the University of Pennsylvania. From there, the store has grown to 65 locations. “Since opening, we’ve felt really welcomed by the community,” said marketing director Giana Marinelli. “People seem to love it.” Entering the shop, customers are greeted by a smiling team of workers and a wide variety of cookies and brownies. The shop’s
seating is limited, but as it settles in, more options will be brought in to suit customers who wish to dine in. The menu features cookies, brownies, cookie cakes, ice cream, frozen desserts, toppings and cold milk. Customers can enjoy these in store from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. or choose to have them delivered around campus from noon to 3 a.m. Cookie flavors and offerings range from traditional flavors like sugar, peanut butter and
see INSOMNIA COOKIES, page 11