Few details surface in Phi Sig incident

Three days after the IU Police Department responded to a call for medical assistance for a non-member at Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity’s house, the Interfraternity Council maintained it had no comment about the incident and its details.

The decision was made out of respect for the family of the man found Friday, IFC Vice President of Communications Josh Vollmer said.

IFC executive officers met with Phi Sig president Andrew Silk on Monday, but Vollmer said he didn’t have more information after the meeting and was unable to confirm the man’s name or if he was an IU student.

“I want to make something official as soon as possible,” Vollmer said, adding that he needs facts from the family and a few other parties.

On Friday, the man was transported from Phi Sig to Bloomington Hospital, IUPD Chief of Police Keith Cash said in an e-mail.

Later that evening, a decision to postpone all greek social events because of the incident was made by Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association officers, Vollmer said.

Three days after that decision, Vollmer said the details of the incident and the man’s condition were still unknown to IFC members.

IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said he was unaware of the incident until Sunday morning and maintained that the University had no comment beyond what IUPD had released.

Because the case is still under investigation, Cash said in an e-mail that he couldn’t comment on the man’s identity.

However, he did say there appeared to be no signs of foul play.

Cash added that he believed the man was still in the hospital’s care Sunday.
On Monday, Bloomington Hospital said there was no information for the man brought in Friday.

As rumors swirled, the only thing the greek community could confirm was that bid week events had been postponed.

The week began with bid day, followed by sisterhood events. Delta Gamma members watched “Country Strong.” Alpha Delta Pi had a spa night.

On Thursday, the pair events began, such as Kappa Kappa Gamma’s bowling party with Delta Tau Delta.

But then, everything stopped.

Women in these and the other 16 sororities on campus gathered Friday and Saturday to hear that the weekend’s pair parties had been postponed.

They were given vague information about the incident at Phi Sigma Kappa — no names, no details.

In each house, the meetings had the same results.

“It would be more respectful to him and his family,” said freshman Liz Zubrenic, who received a bid to Kappa Delta last week.

Women in other houses agreed and said the chapters were focusing on bonding as sisters instead of attending pair events.

Zubrenic said the sisterhood events would continue through the week, and she’d heard pair events might start up again by Saturday.

Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith said in an e-mail that although he wasn’t involved in the decision to postpone social events, he thought the executives of PHA and IFC showed great leadership.

“I think the decision demonstrates concern and respect, and I applaud it,” Goldsmith said.

He added he had no details to release.

“What we had was a medical transport,” Goldsmith said. “I don’t know what else could have been shared.”

— Victoria Summers contributed to this report.