Spring Break
PIKE caught recruiting in dorms
Aaron Hedge
Issue date: 8/30/07 Section: News
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Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) members Alex Mann, 19; Matthew Martinez, 19; Justin Leuenburger, 22; and Michael Bender, 19, were stopped by the CSU Police Department on Thursday, Aug. 16, while handing out recruitment calendars that featured "The PIKE Dream Girls" models, according to a police report.
"It is reported that they used the Greek move-in program to invite freshmen to recruitment parties and distribute the "Rush PIKE Dream Girls' calendar," said Blanche Hughes, vice president of Student Affairs, in a letter to the campus community Wednesday.
"Recruitment of new members through alcohol dominated parties and a sexualized image of the fraternity are not in keeping with the values of their Greek peers …" the letter said.
No charges have been filed against the fraternity members, who according to the letter, were seen wearing CSU Greek T-shirts given only to recognized fraternities and sororities.
PIKE was stripped of its recognition at the university after hosting a series of "Rise and Ralph" incidents two years ago, during which pledges were put on lockdown until 5 a.m. and then pressured to drink until they vomited.
Since the reports of hazing and other misconduct, the fraternity has been banned from all university-sanctioned events, such as freshmen move-in and RamWelcome.
The Interfraternity Council, the group that governs the Greeks, banned PIKE from its events and meetings, but the fraternity still exists outside the university.
"Since they are an unrecognized chapter, they have lost a lot of privileges," Quintana said.
There is concern that members of PIKE are representing themselves as an organization affiliated with CSU, said Brad Bohlander, a university spokesman.
"They are definitely not a CSU-recognized organization," Bohlander said.
The fraternity has not had a charter with CSU since 2005, but is still chartered through the Pi Kappa Alpha national organization.
"They keep coming up with things that make bad headlines that reaffirm the reason they lost their affiliation," Quintana said.
Martinez and Leuenburger declined to comment. And Bender, Mann and TJ Sheahen, president of PIKE, could not be reached for comment.
Staff writer Aaron Hedge can be reached at news@collegian.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 14
Jason
posted 8/30/07 @ 9:28 AM MST
I am sick of hearing the Collegian press stories to their benefit. If only the current journalism prospects coming out of CSU could guide themselves on the correct path to gather correct information many situations would have a different spin. (Continued…)
Bored
posted 8/30/07 @ 10:55 AM MST
Wait, Pi Kappa Alpha is not affiliated with CSU? Oh that's right, thanks for the weekly reminder Collegian.
Zoolander
posted 8/30/07 @ 11:08 AM MST
No kidding. I think maybe The Collegian needs to broaden their investigatory horizons a bit. Could you try reporting on something important that we would actually care about?!! Must be a slow news day. (Continued…)
HawsDogg
posted 8/30/07 @ 11:23 AM MST
Wow Collegian...you never cease to amaze me!? I wonder if you'd ever have anything to write about at all if it WEREN'T for the PIKES? (Headline story. (Continued…)
Brody
posted 8/30/07 @ 2:46 PM MST
They have put letters up on the house since I left, awesome.
Doug Ideker
posted 8/30/07 @ 3:41 PM MST
Aaron, next time do some research. In your haste to once again bash the Pikes you have displayed your ignorance of the facts and discredited yourself and your newspaper. (Continued…)
BaDooby
posted 8/30/07 @ 3:56 PM MST
Good to see that the PIKES still make the front page after all these years! The Collegian should just have a whole section dedicated to PIKES in every issue. (Continued…)
Wendy
posted 8/30/07 @ 5:59 PM MST
First off, ANY group wanting to advertise involvment in their group in ANY way need premission from an H&D offical at that residence hall - PIKE is no exception, regardless of what they were promoting. (Continued…)
C. Johnson
posted 8/30/07 @ 6:35 PM MST
Wow, isn't libel fun?
It is widely known that the Collegian is financially funded by profits from selling illegal arms to terrorist organizations. See what I did there? I took a totally baseless accusation, and passed it off as a factual claim! Now where would that seem familiar from?
I hope the Journalism curriculum includes a class on tort law. (Continued…)
Buckskin
posted 8/31/07 @ 9:38 AM MST
Mr. Hedge:
Great piece of investigative journalism. I hope you have a wonderful post-collegiate career making up crap for The National Enquirer.
I have one question: How do you sleep at night?
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