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The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at West Virginia University has been suspended after a student was knocked unconscious due to a fall down the fraternity house’s stairs. In addition to the fall, reports indicate that it took over two hours for fraternity members to call emergency services.
According to April Kaull, a spokeswoman for West Virginia University, the injured student has been identified as 22-year-old senior finance major David Rusko. Rusko, from Uniontown, West Virginia, was taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown and was placed in the intensive care unit.
Additionally, Kaull said that WVU police officers found that more than two hours passed between Rusko’s fall and a call made by fraternity members to 911.
WVU’s statement said an initial university police investigation centered “on what happened in the time between Rusko’s fall [about 9 p.m.] and a call made by fraternity members to 911.”
“Based on the evidence found concerning that two-hour period, the University felt compelled to issue the individual interim suspensions, as well as place the SAE chapter on interim suspension,” the WVU statement said.
It said SAE’s national office was notified and imposed its own cease-and-desist order and said additional members could face disciplinary action. The fraternity can appeal the suspension, officials said.
Corey Farris, the Dean Of Students at West Virginia University, released the following statement abut Rusko’s condition:
“We are a family here at West Virginia University. I am deeply disappointed in the apparent actions and inactions of these students, and the decisions that were made. As our investigation moves ahead, we remain very concerned about David’s condition. He will continue to be in our prayers.”
The suspension of Sigma Alpha Epsilon comes just two months after five fraternities — Alpha Sigma Phi, Kappa Alpha Order, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Chi, and Theta Chi — were banned from campus for at least a decade. Similarly, in February, the university placed a freeze on all fraternity activities while school officials debated the possible future of Greek life WVU.
West Virginia University is just the latest major American college to bring a massive overhaul to their Greek life system.
Schools and universities all across the country have installed sweeping and systematic changes to their Greek life organizations in an effort to thwart the alcohol and hazing-related incidents that have been occurring at fraternities over the decades.
