Delta House suspended for academic year Sexual assault investigation handed to State's Attorney

Author: Derek Schlickeisen and Ben Salkowe

President Ronald D. Liebowitz placed Delta social house on an immediate one-year suspension and denied the organization residential status for the 2006-2007 academic year, members were informed earlier this month.

The President's decision came in the wake of an investigation into a March 31 Delta party at which multiple violations of College policy occurred.

"I have decided to suspend the house, effective immediately," Liebowitz wrote in an e-mail to Delta (formerly ADP) house members on June 2. "As part of this suspension, Delta House will lose its residential status. The house will also be prohibited from holding any parties, on or off campus."

A separate investigation by the Middlebury Police Department (MPD) into two reports of sexual assault that allegedly took place in Delta's Prescott House in the early morning hours of April 1 was turned over to the Addison County State's Attorney last week. On April 24, The Burlington Free Press reported that the student accused of raping two Middlebury women had withdrawn from the College.

Students and administrators continued to decline comment on the specific nature of the college policy violations that occurred at the party - an MPD Patrol Officer had earlier suggested that drugs played a role in the sexual assault allegations - but in his e-mail to Delta house members, Liebowitz made general reference to violations of party hosting and alcohol use policies, as well as inappropriate behavior at the event.

"[The March 31] party led to numerous violations of the College's guidelines for party hosting and alcohol use," Liebowitz wrote. "It also resulted in behavior that is at odds with our expectations for appropriate conduct on this campus."

An official statement released by the College on June 12 further cited "the underage use of alcohol" among "repeated violations of school policies."

"I am very disappointed by the lack of responsibility demonstrated by members of the house and, more importantly, deeply concerned that the multiple violations that occurred at [the March 31] event seriously jeopardized the health and safety of our students," Liebowitz wrote.

For housing purposes this fall, Delta's Prescott house will be considered a regular residential space within Wonnacott Commons, according to Dean of the College Tim Spears. Liebowitz described the affiliation with a commons as temporary.

"We're not assuming that Delta House is going away," Liebowitz said in an interview Tuesday. "There is certainly a procedure that they can follow to be reinstated."

But one of Delta's senior members, speaking on the condition of anonymity, speculated that the house was unlikely to rebound.

"My guess is that the Delta [house is] finished," the member said. "Personally, I don't care anymore. The administration wants to abolish social houses anyways, so it's not worth the hassle, and most of my friends feel that way."

The student likened Delta to its former next-door neighbor, Zeta Theta Phi (ZOO) social house, that resided in Palmer house before disbanding in 2004.

"I see it becoming like ZOO, and Prescott will turn into a pretty sweet dorm," the student said.

News of the suspension was formally disclosed to Delta's members just one week before the MPD turned over its own investigation into the two sexual assault allegations to the Addison County State's Attorney. Middlebury Patrol Officer Vegar Boe declined to comment on his findings, but said in April that his investigation included "allegations of different prescription drugs - ADHD-type drugs." Boe noted that it was likely drugs played "very much a role in the case, like in most sexual assaults."

Addison County State's Attorney John T. Quinn confirmed on June 9 that he had received the MPD investigation report but did not provide additional details or say whether charges would be pressed against the accused.

"We have just received the report," Quinn said. "We will review the matter and advise the police as to the next step, if any."

The chain of events that led to Delta's suspension began with student complaints after the March 31 party. In response to those complaints, the Office of Public Safety launched a lengthy investigation interviewing more than thirty people who, according to Liebowitz's e-mail, "provided a great deal of information about the framework and structure of the party and the experiences of several individuals who attended the party."

Public Safety's investigation identified multiple College policy violations by Delta at the March 31 event. Dean of Student Affairs and Co-Chair of Community Council Ann Hanson forwarded the violations to the Inter-House Council (IHC) - the organization responsible for enforcing IHC rules and imposing sanctions on social houses that violate those rules - which recommended a yearlong probation for Delta house.

Hanson also, according to Liebowitz's e-mail, "was concerned enough about the party" to recommend to the Community Council that Delta lose its residential status for the 2006-2007 academic year, be placed on probation, and be allowed to hold rush in spring 2007.

"The Community Council had a special meeting at the end of the semester to consider the current status of Delta House," said Hanson.

The four-hour meeting was held in executive session during finals week, on May 17, and considered Hanson's recommendation for suspension.

"We heard from members of the house and several administrators associated with the IHC," said Elizabeth Schaumberg '06, a member of the Community Council's Subcommittee on Social Houses.

In April, Schaumberg's subcommittee originally recommended that all five houses be approved for 2006-2007 operations, but reversed course following the College's investigation into the March 31 party.

The Community Council voted 12-3 to recommend that the President suspend Delta but permit the house to hold rush in spring 2007, according to Liebowitz.

President Liebowitz informed Delta members on June 2 of his intention to accept the Community Council recommendation, but pushed back the time at which the house could apply for reinstatement and hold rush until Fall 2007.

Without the option of a spring rush, however, the extended probationary period means next year's senior members will be unable to recruit sophomore pledges before they graduate. With many junior members abroad, the same Delta member said it might be difficult to sustain the organization.

"We cannot have pledge next year or do any sanctioned activities so no new members will be recruited," said the Delta member. "Basically, the ball is in the court of the class of 2008."

"Delta house will have to work hard as an organization to remain cohesive despite the sanctions on the house," said Schaumberg. "The social house system as a whole is facing many challenges in the coming year - continuing to work with the new [alcohol] policies, finding new ways to promote interest in the houses, and maintaining membership levels."

Liebowitz and other administrators described Delta's problems as isolated and were quick to affirm their support for the social house system at Middlebury.

"What happened at this party was not a typical social house event," Liebowitz said. "I think social houses have an important place on campus."

"The College wants to support the interest of students," said Hanson. "If students want social houses as part of the social scene on campus, then of course we support those choices."

Caroline S. Stauffer and Thomas C. Drescher contributed reporting for this article.