Ball State Delts Suspended by National Headquarters

Fraternity Activities Suspended

By Patrick W. Connelly
Co-Editor, The Frat Boy News

Ball State University's chapter of Delta Tau Delta was placed on immediate suspension by the fraternity's national headquarters after police recovered stolen items from Theta Chi in their house.

Two of the university's Delta Tau Delta brothers were charged by police with stealing paddles, trophies, composite photographs and a flag from the Theta Chi house.

Until further notice, Delta Tau Delta was suspended from participating in any social activities. Brothers are still permitted to hold chapter meeting, participate in intramural sports, the university's interfraternal council and honor board activities.

Charged for the thefts were Delta Tau Delta brothers Dustin Koch and James Finn. Both were released from county jail after posting bond.

The university is investigating if the fraternity should be held responsible for the actions of its members involved in the theft.

Over 100 Ball State Students Already Busted for Drinking

The Frat Boy News Daily Police Report

Ball State University (compiled by Chris Sutter, Newslink Indiana)

Over 100 students have been arrested on the Ball State University campus since the beginning of the school year. Gene Burton, Public Safety Director for Ball State said, "the past two weekends, from my point of view, they've been fairly typical first weekends of the academic year."

Zeta Beta Tau was a fraternity that felt the hardest impact of Ball State's crackdown. President Nathan Elsworth said his frat was nearly shut down due to the number of underage drinkers.

"There were some people that went back to the dorms and they were questioned and I guess drew all those questions and basically came back and mentioned us and from what I know the police were called right away and they were here I guess in a few minutes," Elsworth said.

Kaytee Bryns was one of those students partying on frat row. She said the tactics the BSU police Department used were unbelievable.

"Me and my roommate came home and just decided to go to bed because we had been drinking...obviously...and we were woken up about an hour later by the RA's [resident assistants] and then by the cops and they made us blow and then wrote us tickets and told us to go back to bed. So we woke up in the morning to tickets...thinking it was a bad nightmare," Bryns said.

The BSU sophomore says she has hired a lawyer, and plans to deal with the unorthodox policing used in issuing her a ticket for underage drinking. Until then, she plans on a lot of alcohol-free nights in her Ball State dorm room.

Ball State Suspends Zeta Beta Tau Chapter

Ball State Suspends Zeta Beta Tau's Activities

More than 70 students at Ball State University were arrested in alcohol related incident this past weekend and one fraternity was suspended after college police said it harbored underage drinking.

The university's chapter of Zeta Beta Tau was suspended following the bust of a party at their house around 2 a.m. Sunday.

"As of right now there is no drinking in the house even if you are over 21 and we've asked out brothers not to go to any house parties or anything until we can take care of this on our own hopefully," said Nathan Elsworth, the fraternity's president.

The university issued a letter to the fraternity on Monday suspending all brotherhood activities pending an investigation.

Ball State Girl Will Be Indy 500 Queen

Ball State Student Crowned Queen of Indy 500

A classic tradition in the American celebration of Memorial Day got a little hotter this week as a Ball State University female student was named the queen of the annual Indianapolis 500.

Ball State's Dannielle Sylvester was chosen from more than thirty girls to be the Indy 500 festival's queen.

"I remember sitting on the corner watching the parade and telling my dad I was going to be one of those girls one day," Dannielle told Ball State's student newspaper. "Here I am, so that's definitely going to be my favorite part - watching all those little girls' faces. Hopefully, they can do the same."

As queen, she will serve her kingdom by visiting elementary schools and nursing homes before the race.

*Photo courtesy of Greg Griffo/Indianapolis Star

Ball State Greeks to Experience Changes

BSU's Greek System Adopts Strategic Plan

Boys and girls in Ball State University sororities and fraternities will more than likely see some changes in the campus' Greek system, as the university hopes to increase its numbers by hundreds.

"I think a strategic plan like the one that's been created is essential for any organization that wants to move forward," said Jamie Manuel, a brother of Phi Gamma Delta.

The campus administration introduced a strategic plan for its Greek system last week, outlining big goals they hope to accomplish over the next several years. One of those goals is having sorority houses on campus for the first time in its history.

Currently, only about 8 percent of Ball State students are Greek, but the university hopes to see those numbers rise to about include over 2,000 students by the year 2016.

Student Beat at Ball State Delt House Sues Frat

Student Files Suit Against Fraternity, Alleged Attacker

A student who was said to have the living snot beat out of him last year at a party held by Ball State University's chapter of Delta Tau Delta has sued the attacker and the fraternity.

Zachary Holsinger says he was minding his own business at the party when three men picked an unprovoked fight with him. Holsinger says he was beaten to the point where he was unconscious.

The lawsuit alleges that his unconscious body was carried outside from the Delt party, where he was left to suffer alone. The suit also says the Delts didn't provide sufficient security at a party where alcohol was served.

Chad Howard Stickley, 22, has been charged in connection with the attack. If convicted, he could face eight years in prison.

Ball State Police Move Into Old ATO House

Police Department Moves To Former Frat House

Ball State University's campus police department has moved into the vacant Alpha Tau Omega house, making the empty frat the new headquarters.

Since 2002, the former frat house has sat empty follwoing the closure of the ATO chapter after defaulting on a load agreement. The Ball State ATO's were one of the largest frats on campus, with more than 100 brothers in the 1990s. In 2002, the chapter only had about 40 brothers, half of which lived in the house.

Ball State Delt Gets Suspended

Chapter Suspends Brother

As reported by Amanda Getchel of the Ball State Daily News:

Ball State University senior Chad Stickley has been suspended from Delta Tau Delta fraternity for striking sophomore Zach Holsinger on Nov. 11 outside the chapter's house, Interfraternity Council officials said.

Delta Tau Delta President Joel Sheets said the chapter's honor board recommended removing Stickley for conduct unbecoming of a member of the fraternity. After its own investigation, Delta Tau Delta members voted 35-2 in favor of the suspension, he said.

Stickley refused to comment.

"The Ball State chapter worked closely with the university, police and our national headquarters during the investigation," Sheets said. "This unfortunate event has strengthened the chapter's working relationship with both the university and our national headquarters. We are on the road to improving our relations with the university and the Muncie community."

Ball State Gets First New Frat in 8 Years

Fraternity Joins BSU Greek Community

There's a new frat at Ball State, and its the university's first in 8 years. In an effort to increase interest in Greek life, the campus added Delta Sigma Phi to its group of fraternites.

"This also challenges current fraternities in a healthy way and can breathe new life into the community," said Cara Luyster, the school's director of student life.

The university said Delta Sigma Phi will be looking for students who have a dream of someday starting their own business to become young leaders in the frat.

"Unlike other chapters that do events at their houses, we recruit on a more personal basis," he said. "We take them out to dinner and get to know them. We are just trying to add a fresh face to the Greek community, said Ben Breunig, the fraternity's national expansion director."

Ball State FIJI Brother Missing

Student Missing Since Saturday

Ball State FIJI senior Derek Brewington dissappeared Saturday morning from the university, but police now have new evidence in his whereabouts.

Brewington was last seen at the Phi Gamma Delta house where he lives last weekend. His friends and family have not heard from him since Saturday, and are becoming increasingly concerned.

New leads in the case were discovered this week when police said they found that Brewington sold his car to an Indianapolis dealership and then bought a train ticket to New York.

Reports say the FIJI mentioned last week of possibly taking a train trip to New York during spring break, but didnt say anything else. Friends say he did take his laptop, razor, and some clothes with his, but neglected to bring his cell phone charger. All calls to his cell phone have gone directly to his voicemail.

"We were at a friend's house drinking," said a close friend of Brewington, "and we didn't come together and we didn't leave together. I just saw him there." His roommate said he did not sleep in his room the night prior to his dissappearance.

"Pretty much our biggest theory is that he just left," his roommate said, mentioning that he was very eccentric and left to possibly do his own thing for a few days to clear his mind.