One year and a grand jury indictment after Massachusetts Institute of Technology freshman Scott Krueger died during a fraternity pledge activity last fall, most Dartmouth Greek leaders are still saying changes are not needed within the Dartmouth fraternity system.
Krueger's death incited MIT administrators to change the university's housing policy and prompted MIT fraternities to temporarily ban parties with alcohol. No changes were made at Dartmouth, Greek leaders say, because the policies already in place are sufficient for preventing a similar incident from occurring.
Krueger died on September 27, 1997 at the MIT chapter of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
After an 11-month grand jury investigation, the chapter was indicted in September on one count of manslaughter and one count of hazing.
The indictment was only against the fraternity chapter and not against any individuals, meaning the only possible punishment that could result from a conviction would be a monetary fine.
The death and ensuing controversy served as the catalyst for MIT to finalize a change in its freshman residence policy. Until this year, MIT students could join and live at a fraternity beginning their freshman year.
MIT announced this summer that policy would change, requiring all first-year students to live in college dormitories their freshman year.
"[The incident] certainly accelerated the process but it wasn't the determining factor," Director of the MIT News Office Kenneth Campbell told The Dartmouth.
MIT President Charles Vest said at a faculty meeting in August that these outside factors contributed to the housing decision.
MIT has been criticized for its housing policies which do not guarantee freshman campus housing -- many say encouraging premature fraternity pledging.
Many of the College's fraternity leaders who spoke to The Dartmouth said an event similar to Krueger's could not occur at Dartmouth.
"Looking at the incident I feel comfortable that the way we act ... we're definitely running the sort of operation where no member of our house is ever going to be in danger," Sigma Nu Fraternity President Evan Koch '99 said.
Some said these events have led to increased awareness during pledge procedures they already considered safe.
"I think Dartmouth frats have always been very cautious in [their] pledge period activity and this just heightened our awareness," said Interfraternity Council President Jonah Sonnenborn '99, who is a member of Alpha Delta fraternity.
"I think this incident just brings into focus an issue that was already very important and has to be addressed," Chi Gamma Epsilon Fraternity President Andrew Cohen '99 said.
All the leaders who spoke to The Dartmouth said they were following the events related to the tragic death.
Dartmouth Greek leaders are also taking a reserved attitude to the possible legal precedents set by the MIT case.
"It will be interesting judiciously to see what happens -- it could be a change in precedent," Sonnenborn said.
"I don't think we're concerned any more than previously that the fraternity will be liable for what its individual brothers do," Koch said, "but we watch out what happens in the house ... to make sure brothers do act on their own to do anything unsafe."
While Suffolk County District Attorney Ralph C. Martin decided to pursue indictments of the fraternity, he stopped short of seeking the indictment of any individual members or MIT itself.
"He did say he gave [indicting MIT] a lot of thought but said he didn't feel it would hold up in court," Campbell said.
Martin said although his office had determined which fraternity brother had actually purchased the alcohol which contributed to Kreuger's death, he decided that did not constitute reckless and wanton conduct.
A conviction on the manslaughter charge would further facilitate potential civil suits brought by Kreuger's family.