Who Killed Jane Doe?

Sep 14, 2017 – Next week is National Hazing Prevention Week. The scenario below and activity reminds chapters about the dangers of hazing and the consequences it can have.

Jane Doe, age 20, was dead on arrival. Several fraternity members, concerned by her unconscious vomiting, drove her to the emergency room at 2:30 a.m. But even before they pulled into the emergency drive, her breathing had stopped. Successive attempts by the hospital staff to revive her failed. 

The sisters of Mu Epsilon were sorry. She had lived in the chapter house for two years. All her sisters knew about her drinking problem and more than a few had escorted/carried her home from past parties and held her hand as she threw-up all night. 

Karen, her best friend and pledge mom was sorry. Jane and Karen had decided to get primed for the Alpha Lambda mixer later that evening. Each had done several shots at their favorite campus bar. 

The brothers of Alpha Lambda were sorry. The chapter had successfully dodged their National Fraternity's risk management policy all year. No one else on campus was following it, so why should they? Besides, if they didn't provide alcohol and serve minors, no women would come to their parties. 

Joe, an Alpha Lambda pledge and designated bartender, was sorry. Nobody ever told him not to serve people that were already drunk. Jane didn't look any drunker than anyone else at the party. Besides, Jane was hanging all over Mike, and a little more beer might have helped him get lucky. 

The IFC was sorry. Twelve of the 15 chapters on campus have national risk management policies specifically prohibiting the purchase and serving of alcoholic beverages. The IFC rep from Beta Rho had brought up the idea of a unified IFC Risk Management Policy earlier in the year, but the idea had been voted down. 

The Panhellenic Council was sorry. They voted to send flowers to Mu Epsilon to show their support. Men's fraternities are the source of the campus alcohol problem, so the Panhellenic didn't feel like there was much more they could have done. 

The local bar staff members Jane and Karen had visited were sorry. They had stamped Jane's hand "underage" but hadn't bothered to monitor bar patrons beyond the front door. Underage dollars made up the largest percentage of their profit and they simply couldn't afford to enforce the drinking age when other bars didn't. 

Jane's parents were sorry. She started drinking during her sophomore year of high school. But what could they do? All kids are going to drink with or without their parent's permission. 

Who was to blame for the death of Jane Doe? 

Rank the nine in order from most responsible (1) to least responsible (9). 

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________

6. ______________________________________________________

7. ______________________________________________________

8. ______________________________________________________

9. ______________________________________________________



What rules of FIPG did Alpha Lambda violate in this scenario? 





What could Alpha Lambda have done to reduce their risk in this situation? 

Tags:
  • Fraternity Operations