The University's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life is investigating St. Anthony's Hall following the inadvertent circulation of an e-mail which detailed purported plans involving drug usage for the initiation of a pledge.
The Hall's president, Caylor Mark, said the e-mail was intended as "a joke" and demonstrated a "lapse of judgment" by the author, pledge educator Alexander "Zander" Strange.
The e-mail includes reference to offering pledge Christian Parker a "pill [or] line" as part of an initiation process which would have taken place Wednesday.
Parker called the e-mail "absurd" and said he had "no reason at all" from his pledging experience to believe the content was credible.
Parker added that being a brother in the Hall requires that brothers not use drugs.
"Zander knew that I would never use drugs, and Zander would never let me do that," Parker said.
Mark added that he would never allow "such activity" to take place.
Aaron Laushway, dean of fraternity and sorority life, said he does not consider the e-mail to be a joke and noted that the University will "investigate it fully, as it does all allegations of hazing."
Laushway said the investigation will consist of interviewing the brothers and pledges of the fraternity. If deemed necessary, the issue will be referred to the Inter-Fraternity Council Judiciary Committee or to the fraternity's national headquarters.
Mark explained that Strange's role as pledge educator entails overseeing "the development and recognition of brotherhood in the fraternity" but does not include planning initiation ceremonies.
Mark said Strange intended to send the e-mail to the fraternity's mailing list but accidentally replied to an e-mail from the water sports club's mailing list, thus spreading the message beyond the original intended recipients.
The message was forwarded to others by a member of another fraternity under the heading "Intercepted Enemy Communication."
Mark said the only true information in the message were references that Parker would be initiated and that he was supposed to wear a dark suit to his initiation.
"Everything else did not happen and is not going to happen," Mark said.
Mark said his fraternity imposed sanctions on Strange after finding him guilty of violating Section 6 of the IFC Standards of Conduct, which consists of "conduct that is incompatible with the good character and personal responsibility expected of all members of the fraternity community and that dishonors the fraternity system at the University of Virginia."
Strange's sanctions include being placed on probation for five months, writing letters of apology, completing community service work and doing maintenance on the fraternity house, Mark said.
Mark added that the fraternity contacted both Laushway and its alumni representative in Richmond after becoming aware of the e-mail. Mark also addressed the Presidents' Council of the IFC last night.
"We're taking this very seriously and dealing with this in a very proactive manner," Mark said.
Mark noted that the fraternity is cooperating fully with the investigation by Laushway's office.
Seven brothers in The Hall are either counselors or investigators for the IFCJC, and one serves on the executive committee.
Andrew Paradis, IFC president and St. Anthony's Hall brother, said he is never involved with IFCJC or University investigations of any fraternity. Mark said other members of The Hall who participate in IFCJC will not be involved in this case.
"The system is set up so that I would never have the ability to influence the outcome of any investigation," Paradis said.
One anonymous fraternity president said he is confident The Hall will receive a "very thorough" and "impartial" hearing.
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