SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - An anonymous hazing complaint is crippling a Utah fraternity. Pi Kappa Alpha at the University of Utah is not allowed to operate until its national headquarters investigates the claim.
The fraternity's statement reads, "We greatly respect the rules and processes that our national fraternity and the University of Utah have in place to handle these types of situations. We're hopeful for a quick resolution to this matter."
Jordan Ganung, president of the University of Utah chapter, says he is confident his chapter will be reinstated after both the University of Utah and his national fraternity investigates the complaints.
Complaints like these are taken very seriously because of what happened to Michael Starks. Hazing killed him two years ago November 19. His father sat down with ABC 4 on the two year anniversary.
"It has been a tough day, but I constantly remind myself that my wife and I have a lot to be grateful for," said George Starks. "He was given a bottle of vodka basically and told to polish it off."
Michael wanted into a Utah State University fraternity so badly he drank three-fourths of the bottle before passing out.
"They took him back to the fraternity gave him a shower and put him to bed and they left him," said George.
When his friends called 911 after he would not wake, but lied about his symptoms. They said the 18-year-old was 21 and he only had a little to drink. "Had they told the full information. They would have sent a paramedic," said George.
Michael's father is making it his mission to save college freshmen from harmful hazings. He was the driving force behind two Utah laws.
One raises the penalty for a hazing-related death involving drugs and alcohol from a class B to a class A misdemeanor. The other protects anyone from prosecution if they call 911 to help a hazing victim.
"I think the good that can come from it is to encourage schools to change their policies and look more seriously at this as an issue and a concern," said Starks.
George is asking Utah State University to ban Greek initiations until the spring or summer semesters. The idea is to give incoming freshman a chance to adjust to college life so they don't fall victim to abusive hazing.
