State police activity alters campus drinking
Student stories differ from police report; 2 campus leaders shift spots as result
Joy Pavelski
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: News
The state police's surprise visit to the Sigma Chi fraternity house on Aug. 25 reverberated through campus in following weeks, deposing leaders and shifting party rules.
Off-campus houses now curtain windows during parties and post signs reading, "No underage drinking!" Security often makes rounds near and quiets weekend parties.
Sigma Chi has a new house director. The Panhellenic Council has a new president, for the second time this year.
And several students have negotiated their minor in possession of alcohol charges into social probation, fines or community service.
Students and administrators expressed surprise that state police followed students down the street, charged 11 MIPs to students, gained a warrant to enter the Sigma Chi house and arrested the house director. But local officials were less so.
"[Police visiting parties] is somewhat typical," said Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney Neal Brady. "It's more often in the fall and spring. And it's generally associated with fraternities because they're the ones that have the parties that spill into yards with people walking on the street. So if you are discreet, then you're probably going to be in good shape. And I don't think you're going find police officers on the prowl looking to violate people's rights."
Conflicting stories
The state police report and warrant to enter the Sigma Chi house on Aug. 25 contains a different story than students circulated and reported to deans.
It tells of two troopers on Fayette Street, attempting to communicate with several people walking west, some carrying alcohol containers. The people fled, the report says, but the troopers caught and issued three MIPs.
"The subjects advised they were coming from 'Sigma Chi' house," the report reads.
Troopers then found a pink purse dropped by a fleeing student containing, among personal items, eight unopened cans of Natural Light and Coors Light beer. They came across two more people walking west down Fayette Street, and issued an MIP to one who, the report says, "stated he was coming from the 'Sigma Chi' house."
Troopers then approached the Sigma Chi house, attempted to enter, and encountered Toby Williamson, then-house director, according to the police report. He asked them to get a search warrant before entering. They complied, ticketing another student with an MIP on the way.
Hillsdale College security and Hillsdale City Police had by this time caught up with the troopers, both requesting to assist with arrests on their home turf, said Director of Security Mike Wertz. They accompanied the state policemen back to Sigma Chi, where the troopers served their warrant at about 2:15 a.m. There, they lined up students younger than 21, released those older than 21, cited five more students with MIPs and arrested Williamson for furnishing a place for minors to drink alcohol.
After reviewing the police report, Brady dropped the charges against Williamson because he "felt that there wasn't enough there to support a conviction at trial," he said. MIP charges were dropped against at least two students, and others await penalties pending pre-trials and negotiation.
Several students who received MIPs before the troopers visited Sigma Chi told their deans they had not mentioned anything about Sigma Chi house, said Dean of Men Aaron Petersen.
At an off-campus meeting shortly after the incident, Circuit Judge Michael Smith told students: "Two state troopers have it out for you. They're cowboys. They want to get you. They'll tell you they don't have quotas, but they do."
Leaders lose their posts
Because of his Aug. 25 arrest, the dean of men, in consultation with other administration members, replaced Williamson with Jeremiah Regan as Sigma Chi house director. Williamson remains on college payroll and will perform other duties while continuing his studies here, Peterson said.
Though Brady dismissed her MIP ticket for lack of evidence, the Pan-Hellenic Council president stepped down on Sept. 12.
Junior Mallory Root will serve as her replacement from Chi Omega sorority until the presidency transfers to Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, per usual, next semester.
The former president remains on the council as a delegate.
Shifting party protocol
Though campus security has not changed its approach to parties in light of the Sigma Chi incident, Wertz said, students that host parties have changed theirs.
Sigma Chi is now temporarily a dry house, and the deans placed all students who received MIPs on social probation, a sort of "another strike and you're out" status.
Off-campus houses that host parties have begun posting signs and monitors turning warning minors about underage drinking.
Smart students party in the backyard or with all the curtains drawn, Wertz said.
All college-owned residential units, including houses on Union and Park streets, were always technically supposed to follow dormitory rules, including no alcohol, Petersen said.
Fraternities are supposed to follow their national affiliate's rules about alcohol in houses.
Sigma Chi is the only Greek house on campus whose national affiliate allows alcohol in chapter houses.
But any student who parties knows that alcohol, for minors or not, has generally been easy to get - until lately.
State police buzzing around campus have a way of tightening mouths and keg spigots.
Though state police haven't charged students since Aug. 25, Wertz said, student precautions show they're leery that night may repeat.
"I think we'll see [state troopers] again," Petersen said. "We always do."
Off-campus houses now curtain windows during parties and post signs reading, "No underage drinking!" Security often makes rounds near and quiets weekend parties.
Sigma Chi has a new house director. The Panhellenic Council has a new president, for the second time this year.
And several students have negotiated their minor in possession of alcohol charges into social probation, fines or community service.
Students and administrators expressed surprise that state police followed students down the street, charged 11 MIPs to students, gained a warrant to enter the Sigma Chi house and arrested the house director. But local officials were less so.
"[Police visiting parties] is somewhat typical," said Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney Neal Brady. "It's more often in the fall and spring. And it's generally associated with fraternities because they're the ones that have the parties that spill into yards with people walking on the street. So if you are discreet, then you're probably going to be in good shape. And I don't think you're going find police officers on the prowl looking to violate people's rights."
Conflicting stories
The state police report and warrant to enter the Sigma Chi house on Aug. 25 contains a different story than students circulated and reported to deans.
It tells of two troopers on Fayette Street, attempting to communicate with several people walking west, some carrying alcohol containers. The people fled, the report says, but the troopers caught and issued three MIPs.
"The subjects advised they were coming from 'Sigma Chi' house," the report reads.
Troopers then found a pink purse dropped by a fleeing student containing, among personal items, eight unopened cans of Natural Light and Coors Light beer. They came across two more people walking west down Fayette Street, and issued an MIP to one who, the report says, "stated he was coming from the 'Sigma Chi' house."
Troopers then approached the Sigma Chi house, attempted to enter, and encountered Toby Williamson, then-house director, according to the police report. He asked them to get a search warrant before entering. They complied, ticketing another student with an MIP on the way.
Hillsdale College security and Hillsdale City Police had by this time caught up with the troopers, both requesting to assist with arrests on their home turf, said Director of Security Mike Wertz. They accompanied the state policemen back to Sigma Chi, where the troopers served their warrant at about 2:15 a.m. There, they lined up students younger than 21, released those older than 21, cited five more students with MIPs and arrested Williamson for furnishing a place for minors to drink alcohol.
After reviewing the police report, Brady dropped the charges against Williamson because he "felt that there wasn't enough there to support a conviction at trial," he said. MIP charges were dropped against at least two students, and others await penalties pending pre-trials and negotiation.
Several students who received MIPs before the troopers visited Sigma Chi told their deans they had not mentioned anything about Sigma Chi house, said Dean of Men Aaron Petersen.
At an off-campus meeting shortly after the incident, Circuit Judge Michael Smith told students: "Two state troopers have it out for you. They're cowboys. They want to get you. They'll tell you they don't have quotas, but they do."
Leaders lose their posts
Because of his Aug. 25 arrest, the dean of men, in consultation with other administration members, replaced Williamson with Jeremiah Regan as Sigma Chi house director. Williamson remains on college payroll and will perform other duties while continuing his studies here, Peterson said.
Though Brady dismissed her MIP ticket for lack of evidence, the Pan-Hellenic Council president stepped down on Sept. 12.
Junior Mallory Root will serve as her replacement from Chi Omega sorority until the presidency transfers to Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, per usual, next semester.
The former president remains on the council as a delegate.
Shifting party protocol
Though campus security has not changed its approach to parties in light of the Sigma Chi incident, Wertz said, students that host parties have changed theirs.
Sigma Chi is now temporarily a dry house, and the deans placed all students who received MIPs on social probation, a sort of "another strike and you're out" status.
Off-campus houses that host parties have begun posting signs and monitors turning warning minors about underage drinking.
Smart students party in the backyard or with all the curtains drawn, Wertz said.
All college-owned residential units, including houses on Union and Park streets, were always technically supposed to follow dormitory rules, including no alcohol, Petersen said.
Fraternities are supposed to follow their national affiliate's rules about alcohol in houses.
Sigma Chi is the only Greek house on campus whose national affiliate allows alcohol in chapter houses.
But any student who parties knows that alcohol, for minors or not, has generally been easy to get - until lately.
State police buzzing around campus have a way of tightening mouths and keg spigots.
Though state police haven't charged students since Aug. 25, Wertz said, student precautions show they're leery that night may repeat.
"I think we'll see [state troopers] again," Petersen said. "We always do."
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