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On Oct. 19, the Office of Student Conduct officially suspended the entire Virginia Tech Men’s Club Rugby team until May 15, 2010, because of a hazing incident at an Aug. 28 party held by a member of the club.
According to a document obtained by the Collegiate Times, the team received a “loss of recognition” sanction from the Office of Student Conduct, which “means that the organization must cease all operations and activities in the organization’s name including but not limited to, any competitive play on or away from campus, any recruitment of members, any social activities, correspondence or communication, and any financial transactions.”
The club currently consists of approximately 90 members.
Now dismissed from the club, the host of the party invited younger members of the Division III team to an informal gathering after a Friday practice at the beginning of the semester.
The Division III team competes against Virginia colleges and does not practice with the Division I team, which competes nationally.
At the party, alcohol was served, and six new members to the club, or “rookies,” were told to enter a closet and finish a 1.75 liter bottle of bourbon before being let out.
After being let out of the closet, the six “rookies” continued in various types of beer “chug racing.” Once the party concluded, three of the freshmen “rookies” received a ride home from a designated driver.
Upon arrival to campus, the three freshmen received possession of alcohol tickets from a police officer and were required to attend a hearing at the Office of Student Conduct.
Byron Hughes, the assistant director of student conduct, held a hearing with the three freshmen on Sept. 18 and subsequently recommended that the entire Men’s Rugby Club be charged with student code of conduct violations.
On Sept. 21, Alan Glick, the assistant director of sport clubs, suspended the entire club until more information could be gathered prior to a meeting on Sept. 23 to hear the official charges.
The club conducted its own internal investigation and determined that only one member of the Division I team, a roommate of the host and not an officer of the club, was present during the party. Fourteen out of 40 Division III members attended
Once the club heard the charges at the conduct referral meeting and concluded the investigation, it reinstated the Division I team and left the Division III team suspended.
At the hearing, the club was given the opportunity to wait several weeks for a student panel hearing or one week for a hearing by a single individual — the team chose the individual in an effort to speed up the process.
The Men’s Rugby Club president Grant Furnary said the Division III team was initially suspended by the club, and not the university, after the conduct referral meeting. He felt the team as a whole was innocent.
“At the time, we didn’t think the entire club would be held responsible,” Furnary said. “We thought individuals would be charged as individuals, but we didn’t think the entire club would be suspended for the entire year because nobody knew that the party was going on as far as leadership.
“We thought maybe we may get a sanction,” Furnary said, “maybe an alcohol charge or something, and maybe a deferred suspension at the worst, but we didn’t think an actual suspension would be given to us.”
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This story is total crap.
Anyone who knows anything about the rugby team knows that they don't actually haze. Everyone makes the team, if you suck you just don't play. If the rookies are asked or told to drink and they refuse, nothing happens...they don't get kicked off the team, it won't affect their playing time etc.
The rookies were drinking underage, true, but none of them were forced to do anything. People need to man up and be responsible for themselves. Don't blame the team because some dumb kid got drunk and got caught.
This school's Judicial Affairs system is draconian and an embarrassment to Virginia Tech.
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What a great solution...Instead of having students participate in athletics and do positive things in their spare time, they can now sit around for the next year and drink. I don't know what Virginia Tech thinks will be accomplished or learned from throwing out harsh penalties to student organizations. How about we put the the school on trial...what information does the school give to student organizations about outside activities (i.e. parties, socials)? What risk management advice does it give? Is there ever a meeting that gathers the heads of student organizations and educates them on their responsibilities and how to conduct those responsibilities?
I think its a very irresponsible position to wait for student organizations to make a mistake and throw the book at them. Rather than be reactive, they should be proactive. Why not give students the tools to succeed rather than fail?
Alumni who never played rugby.
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So let me get this right, a "student" organization gets punished because it had a failed organizational structure. I didn't know the school placed such high expectations on students. I guess I am too assume that university governance runs with complete efficiency and open communication throughout departments and divisions. Otherwise, using the logic of the rugby punishment, they should all be held responsible for anything that goes wrong since its under the same umbrella.
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The only reason they passed this over-the-top and completely unwarranted punishment is to send a big, loud message to all VT organizations that ALCOHOL IS BAD. IT IS SO BAD. If you drink a single drop your club will be BANNED. BANNED FOREVER BECAUSE ALCOHOL IS BAD. What a load of crap.
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I'd be very interested to see what the student conduct folks and the university's line is in response to this story, because if the details of the story are correct, it is absolutely asinine to implement a two-semester suspension. However, if the part about making the rookies drink a "1.75 liter" bottle of bourbon is true, then I think criminal charges should be brought against whoever told them to do that. That's a handle of bourbon...I don't care if you're an experienced drinker, that COULD kill a person.
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Its not a handle per person, they're splitting it.
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I personally know of one VT freshman who was on teh D 1 team, heard about the party from one of teh D III freshmen, but refused to go. Now he is being punished for the actions of a few. An engineering student and former high school football player, he was in the best shape of his life and getting straight A's in sophomore-level classes. So what message has VT sent to him. You and 81 % of the club can do everything right and still get screwed. I think the school conduct rep was looking for an excuse to send a message. I am not sure, however, if she realizes the message she sent those who did not fail.
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OK...if it was a handle between 6 people - no problem there. For some reason I got the impression that it might be a handle per person.
When I was an undergrad at another college, I wouldn't have put it past some guys to actually attempt that. One fraternity got booted because an alum brought a handgun to some hazing events and employed it to threaten pledges to take part in the activities - one of which involved pledges masturbating in the chapel on campus.
Still, I agree with all posters who are saying that, based on the details outlined in the story, this is completely ludicrous and the D-I team should suffer no punishment as a result.
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I heard Sean Glennon was there. That's why everyone got in trouble.
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Honestly, if this was the football team (of which everyone knows players who drink and party), nothing would have been done.
Great job Virginia Tech on screwing up again.
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The sad part of this story is some idiot somewhere actually thinks not letting kids play rugby will make college students drink less. There are a lot of things you could do to accomplish that, and shutting down a recreational sport is not one of them. Now these kids will not only be drunks, but they will probably be fat drunks.
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Hope the judge determining liability for admin and mental health regarding preventable massacre comes to the same conclusion. But that would include Tim Kaine, guess that ain't gonna happen.
And Alcohol is the most dangerous over the counter drug so go to the doc and get the good prescription stuff if you want to get high.
The lesson from this is "Life ain't FAIR" the only "FAIR" is the one with the pigs and cows, rides and cotton candy. You came to college for an education right? Now file a class action as a team and "play the game" with them. Plenty attorneys wanting a piece of that Billion dollar VT budget. Let's see who wins in VT Rugby vs VT Admin scrum in court! Wouldn't that be a nice victory for the seniors and a little justice. But you'll never get your senior year of collegiate rugby experience back. It's been destroyed. Massacred.
Good luck to all the seniors on the Team. Your freshman year made history with the shooting and the admin just screwed you in your senior year with this travesty of justice. Welcome to the real world and Obamanation!
Work and save all your life and watch the banks and gov't steal it all.
Beware next will be the rest of your freedoms.
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another one bites the dust
Maryland season suspended
http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/college/Another_college_suspension.shtml
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