A group of University fraternity men is under criminal investigation for the theft of a Hokie bird statue recently stolen from downtown Blacksburg, Va.
Blacksburg Police Lt. Bruce Bradbery said the Hokie Bird statue went missing the weekend of March 23 from the intersection of Main Street and Clay Street. Bradbery said the Blacksburg Partnership, which owns the statue, valued it at $7,500.
Aaron Laushway, University assistant dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, said allegations have been leveled against members of a University fraternity. Laushway declined to reveal the name of the fraternity involved, pending a criminal investigation of the felony offense.
The accused students have admitted their involvement and are working with University officials to rectify the situation, Laushway added.
The statue has since been returned to Blacksburg.
"I am very glad to report that I have found our students to be remarkably cooperative and forthright, and it is my ardent hope that the issues involved will be resolved quickly," Laushway said.
A representative of the fraternity involved, speaking on condition of anonymity, addressed the situation.
"When the fraternity learned what happened, we told them to do the right and honorable thing and they did," the representative said.
"When this whole situation came to light and the individuals in question were notified of the seriousness, they immediately accepted responsibility, admitted to what they did and that it was wrong."
The students wrote a letter of apology and made a phone call to apologize to the Blacksburg Partnership before police became involved, the representative added.
Inter-Fraternity Council President Charlie Morgan said the IFC will not take judicial action until police and University officials release the names of the fraternity men involved.
If charges are brought up within the Greek system, the IFC Judiciary Committee will determine what actions, if any, should be taken against the fraternity in question. Morgan said the IFCJC handles charges against fraternities as institutions, rather than individual members.
Finis St. John, IFC vice president for judiciary, addressed what he called a "misconception that the IFCJC is a group of self-protecting fraternity men," saying the IFC takes all charges seriously.
"Anything that is brought to the IFCJC will be adjudicated in an honorable way," St. John said.
Though the fraternity may face sanctions from the IFC, it remains unclear whether the accused fraternity members will be brought to trial through the University Judiciary Committee or Honor Committee.
UJC Chair Connor Sullivan said he is not familiar with the incident, but said the UJC does not actively seek out students for trial, rather charges must be filed by someone in the community.
Honor Committee Chair Ben Cooper said any act of lying, cheating or stealing, even outside the Charlottesville community, can be considered an honor offense if the students involved are acting as representatives of the University or of a student group.
Dean of Students Penny Rue said the Hokie bird's disappearance at the hands of University students was an act of "vandalism and theft, and absolutely not consistent with the expectations we have of our students"
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