monday, october 6,2003
the university daily kansar
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Hazing lands Sigma Nu on probation until late 2004
By Maggie Newcomer
mnewcomer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Sigma Nu fraternity was put on probation by the University of Kansas until December 2004 after a hazing activity sent a student to the hospital in mid-August.
The University hearing panel, composed of University staff and one student, decided the fraternity violated the University's code of student rights and responsibilities, which states that any type of hazing will be punished.
As conditions of the probation. Sigma Nu must complete a fivepoint program including a written report and educational meetings
The chapter also may not host or attend any social functions with alcohol until June 2004.
If the chapter successfully completes all terms of the probation, it will be reinstated to good standing with the University pending approval from Richard Johnson, associate vice provost and dean of students.
Johnson, who issued the sanctions last week, was out of town and could not be reached for comment.
Sigma Nu first came under scrutiny on Aug. 13 when Steven Weith suffered a head injury after being thrown in the air during an initiation ritual.
Weith, a 19-year-old Olathe freshman, was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and later
transferred to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan. Weith decided to stay in the fraternity.
The probation is effective immediately if Sigma Nu does not appeal the decision. The fraternity has until Nov. 1 to appeal.
Todd Cohen, assistant director of University Relations, said this was the first hazing incident at the University in more than five years.
"We have zero tolerance for hazing," Cohen said. "If it's hazing, we're going to come down hard on it."
Cohen said the punishment was designed to be a message to the chapter members about their actions.
Taking away alcohol may
Cohen said the no-hazing message was intended to stick, and a lighter sentence would not have been effective.
seem trivial to some." Cohen said.
"But it's a daily reminder."
"There has to be pain," Cohen said.
Angie Carr, coordinator of Greek Programs, said the punishment fit the offense.
"This is a usual punishment nationally as well as here," Carr said.
Zack McDermott, Sigma Nu's rush chairman, said chapter members could not comment on the probation or whether the chapter would appeal the decision.
SIGMA NU PROBATION TERMS:
The chapter cannot host or attend any social functions
Edited by Joey Berlin
involving alcohol until June 2004
Establish at least one new tradition in connection with the chapter's "work week" activities that promote safe and responsible activities Attend all fraternity and sorority community new-member and general educational programs
Review and reconsider in a written report to the KU Center for Campus Life all house traditions to determine whether they are appropriate and valuable.
Host at least two social
Host at least two social activities that do not include alcohol before May 1, 2004.
HAZING-RELATED SUSPENSIONS AT KU IN THE 1990S:
1998 Phi Kappa Theta
1996 Delta Tau Delta 2-year probation
Indefinite probation
1996 Delta Tau Delta
1995 Delta Chi
1-year probation
2-year probation
1995 Delta Chi
2003 Sigma Nu 1-year probation
Woodruff hosts reality TV comedian
By Alex Hoffman
ahoffman@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
- All fraternities other than Sigma Nu have been reinstated.
Source: University Relations
Humor has helped Dat Phan through the toughest of circumstances.
After serious financial troubles and spending a couple of months living out of his car, Phan is realizing a dream as a stand-up comedian.
He won the NBC reality series Last Comic Standing in August, and since then, he has taken his comedy to college campuses.
"They're my favorite gigs, actually," Phan said. "I like young people. They're the ones that are going to be the presidents and the doctors and lawyers and politicians of the future. I get a chance to be a part of that. I feel like I identify more with you guys."
About 250 people watched Phan perform Saturday night at Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union. The crowd particularly laughed during Phan's section about Asian stereotypes.
"I knew comedy was for me
when I was the only Asian in high school that failed math," he said.
He also talked about the Vietnamese taking control of the salon industry.
"How did we end up with this job?" he asked. "What was our final meeting before we left Vietnam?"
Jenny Hu, Wichita senior, wasn't offended by his brand of humor.
"I actually really enjoyed the Asian jokes," she said. "I was expecting the usual really stupid ones, but I can relate to it better."
Phan was born in Vietnam, the youngest of 10 children, before emigrating to the United States with his mother, settling in California.
Life in California wasn't easy. Phan and his mother would sleep on bus stop benches in San Diego.
"My mom and I have been through hell." he said.
Phan also lived in his car, where he would get by on bread, water and the oriental noodle snack Top Ramen. Eventually he found a small studio apartment
with a friend and fellow comic, Ron McGhee, and he would sleep under a desk.
Each morning, he would make a habit of checking e-mail messages, and one looking for comics for a reality show appealed to him. Phan said he felt like his life was interesting enough to share with America.
The producers of Last Comic Standing, who also produce the Tonight Show, saw Phan's taped performance and invited him on the show.
Phan then won the Last Comic Standing competition against a field of 3,000 other comics that was whittled down to 10. He and the nine other finalists lived in a five-story mansion while performing against each other in clubs.
"I didn't really have any friends in the house, and some of them were kind of bitter that I won, because they probably felt like they deserved it," Phan said.
Phan's success on the show has provided him opportunities to work beyond the comedy clubs. This week he will visit the set of
the CBS sitcom The King of Queens for an audition. He said he was pretty confident he would land the part because he would play a Chinese delivery guy.
He will also play a drug addict alongside Kim Basinger and William H. Macy in a movie called Cellular, which he described as Phone Booth with cell phones. It is due out next year.
"Honestly, I love stand-up, but I really want to pursue acting hard," he said. "I mentioned that on the show, and it pissed off a lot of the comics. I want to expand my horizons and move on to acting. I want to be able to touch people's emotions."
Nick Lush, Sacramento, Calif., freshman, was impressed with Phan's rise in the business.
"That's like the thing America prides itself on right there: coming from a totally different country, living in his car and all of sudden he's playing packed houses," he said.
Edited by Joey Berlin
Sean Smith/Kansa
Dat Phan, winner of the NBC reality show Last Comic Standing, performed in Woodruff Auditorium Saturday night. In addition to his stand-up work, Phan is also pursuing a career in television and films.
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