The Judicial Committee met yesterday for five hours to hear a level two case against Phi Delta Alpha fraternity, which could result in the house's derecognition by the College.
The facts of the case are currently not public to the community because of confidentiality policies, but according to Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman, students at the College do have the right to know the details, which will be released following the final decision -- probably by next Monday after another session sometime later this week.
With rumors swirling around campus, Redman would only acknowledge, "the issues here are significant issues."
He said the committee is considering "several issues" in the hearing, but would not say whether the late January arrest of Phi Delt brother Damien Williams '01 for attempting to burn down Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity was playing into the JC discussions.
Redman sits on the JC -- the Coed Fraternity Sorority Council's judiciary body -- with various students and administrators. He said he only hears tier two cases, of which there have been two others since he arrived at Dartmouth last July.
He explained that while the maximum penalty for a tier two case is loss of recognition by the College, it is possible that the JC could find the house not guilty, or it could receive a less severe penalty such as suspension.
He pointed out that Gamma Delta Chi fraternity, which had a tier two trial this past Fall term for a "panty raid" did not lose College recognition.
Phi Delt President Matt K. Nelson '00 declined to comment last night.
CFSC Vice President Benita Perch '01 also said she did not want to comment.
CFSC President Eric Etu '01, who does not sit on the JC, explained that while the JC is hearing cases, the issues on trial as well as the committee's deliberations are kept private. But he said once the hearing has finished, the College is free to report who was involved, what they were brought to judgement for, the penalty they received and why the particular judgement was reached.
Redman said he gets to decide what information to open up to the public and what material to keep private after the hearing.
"It seems to me that anytime we have a level two, it's in the interest of the community to know the outcome at this level," Redman said.
He said the committee concluded hearing testimony yesterday from the various people involved, but said the issues involved in the case are very complex, and the committee will meet again sometime this week to discuss the information and reach a final decision.
