Pubdate: Tue, 23 Feb 1999
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, The (US)
Copyright: 1999 by The Chronicle of Higher Education
Contact:  http://chronicle.com/
Author: JASON HUGHES

AFTER PLEDGE DIES, CASE WESTERN U. FRATERNITIES DECLARE ALCOHOL MORATORIUM

Responding to the death of a freshman last week, all 17 fraternities at Case
Western Reserve University have banned alcohol at parties for the next six
weeks.

Fraternity leaders said the move was a gesture of respect to Stephen I.
Donnelly, the Zeta Psi fraternity pledge who died last Monday from what
Cuyahoga County Coroner's officials say were brain and skull injuries.

The 17 fraternity presidents, who voted Friday for the voluntary
restrictions, say they'll use the time to review alcohol regulations at the
university, said Glenn E. Nicholls, vice-president of student affairs at
Case Western.

"They thought it'd be appropriate to create a time of reflection to review
how our current policies get implemented," he said.

Mr. Donnelly, 18, had been drinking at a party at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon
fraternity house the evening prior to being injured. Mr. Nicholls said the
student had returned to his dormitory with friends around 2 a.m. Sunday. He
became ill, so he was taken to the bathroom, but was helped back to his room
a couple hours later.

The student, who had planned to study biology and medicine, was found
unconscious with head injuries on the floor of a dorm bathroom shortly
before 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon. It is believed that he was in the bathroom
only a few minutes before he was discovered, Mr. Nicholls said. Mr. Donnelly
died Monday in a Cleveland hospital.

The university and the Cleveland Police Department were investigating the
incident and would not speculate on how Mr. Donnelly had injured his head.

The university does not allow open parties or kegs at the fraternity houses,
which are on campus. Fraternities must also acquire a permit from the
student-activities office before a party can take place. Mr. Nicholls said
that the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter had a permit for its party Saturday.

He would not say whether any fraternities were being investigated in
connection with the incident.

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