December 11th 2024.
On Tuesday, the Boulder Police Department released an update on the incident that occurred over the weekend at the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Five college students had become violently ill after consuming what was described as an "extreme" amount of alcohol. Initially, the incident was thought to be a series of overdoses caused by possibly tainted drugs. However, the department now believes that fentanyl was not involved in the incident. It was revealed that the students had consumed both alcohol and drugs, which led to their severe illness.
During their investigation, detectives found and seized cocaine at the scene, which is currently being tested. The department reported that five men were treated at the scene or taken to the hospital, and one of them remains hospitalized. The fraternity, Kappa Sigma, did not respond to requests for comment from The Denver Post. Kappa Sigma is one of the three independent fraternities that do not belong to any Greek oversight organizations at the University of Colorado.
The Greek life at CU has been divided since 2005 when the fraternities broke away from the campus after the tragic death of a pledge due to hazing. They refused to sign an agreement that would delay rush until the spring and have live-in house supervisors. As a result, the independent Interfraternity Council on the Hill was formed. This council is made up of over 20 fraternity chapters and has nearly 2,500 members. However, the Kappa Sigma fraternity was a part of this council until about five years ago. They were removed due to multiple violations of the council's risk management rules.
In place of an oversight organization, the fraternity alumni are responsible for overseeing their "rogue" fraternity houses. However, this system may not be as effective, as the alumni are more concerned about the property than the safety of their members. This was evident in the recent incident where the fraternity hosted a party that violated the council's rules, resulting in their departure from the council.
The university, on the other hand, does not have the authority to stop unaffiliated organizations from existing. However, all CU Boulder students are subject to the Student Code of Conduct, including those involved with unaffiliated organizations. The university has procedures in place to address any violations of university policy. They are also working closely with the Boulder Police Department during their investigation.
The chief advocate of the Interfraternity Council on the Hill, Michael Smith, believes that being a part of an organization like theirs is crucial in preventing incidents like the one that occurred over the weekend. The council emphasizes the importance of calling 911 and seeking professional help if a fraternity brother is in distress. This approach has helped them go 20 years without any fatalities. The council also has a team that monitors social events and provides training to students on various topics, including drug and alcohol use, mental health, and sexual assault.
However, Smith believes that the drug and alcohol issues in Boulder are still significant and that the university may not be doing enough to address them. It is crucial to continue educating students and providing support for those directly impacted by the recent incident. The university will also determine if any disciplinary action will be taken against the students involved, depending on the outcome of the police investigation.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
