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Penn State fraternity closed over nude Facebook photos, other 'troubling activities'

By Amy R. Connolly

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., May 27 (UPI) -- Pennsylvania State University suspended a fraternity chapter for what the school called "a persistent series of deeply troubling activities" that included a secret Facebook page used to post photos of nude women who appeared to be sleeping or unconscious.

Penn State administrators announced that the Kappa Delta Rho chapter at the school's main campus, University Park, will be closed for three years. The decision overrides the school's interfraternity council, which recommended a lesser punishment.

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"We base this decision on the sum of misbehaviors exhibited by various members of Kappa Delta Rho. Not every member of the chapter was equally culpable for violation of the university's expectations for recognized student organizations; indeed, many of its members were only passive observers in these activities," Vice President of Student Affairs Damon Sims wrote in a letter to the interfraternity council. "Even so, the sum of the organizational misbehaviors is far more than the university can tolerate from a student organization that seeks its imprimatur."

Officials learned about the invitation-only Facebook page in January after a former fraternity member reported possible misconduct. The university found the chapter hazed pledges by forcing them to run errands, clean the fraternity house, participate in boxing matches and plank -- hold their bodies in a rigid position using only their arms -- with bottle caps placed underneath.

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The Facebook page contained photos of nude women, "some who appeared to be unconscious, and other highly inappropriate images of activities undertaken by members," the university said. Penn State investigators said they also uncovered drug use and sales.

"Pledges also were made to create stories containing pornographic images and a 'sex position of the day;' members regularly posted embarrassing photos of women; used demeaning language to describe females; and cultivated a persistent climate of humiliation for several females," the university said.

Earlier, the interfraternity council recommended the chapter be allowed to remain open on campus as long as it agreed to "change the culture" of the fraternity, including sensitivity training. The university decided to make a stronger case against the chapter.

Kappa Delta Rho's national executive director, Joseph Rosenberg, said the fraternity has made several changes, including increased education regarding sexual assault, sexual harassment, and alcohol and drug abuse.

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