Bowling Green State University has announced that it has permanently expelled the fraternity involved in an alleged hazing incident that led to the death of a student.
In a news release issued late Friday afternoon, Alex Solis, deputy chief of staff and BGSU spokesperson, said that the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity has been permanently expelled and it will never be recognized by the university in the future.
He said the expulsion is “because of hazing” and he called it “intolerable.”
Stone Foltz, a Delaware County native, died last month days after an alleged hazing incident off-campus at a Pi Kappa Alpha event that involved alcohol.
Foltz was a sophomore at the university.
This week, the full findings of his autopsy were released by the Lucas County Coroner, Diane Scala-Barnett.
In the verdict, she noted, “it is my opinion that Stone Foltz died of fatal ethanol intoxication during hazing incident.” The manner of death was said to be “accident – college fraternity induction ritual.”
According to Solis, an ongoing investigation has revealed a “deep culture of deception rooted in the organization.”
He said local law enforcement is continuing to investigate.
Read the full statement from Solis below:
“Today, Bowling Green State University announces its resolution regarding the conduct case involving Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.
From a thorough and fair investigation to seek the truth and facts, and hold those accountable who are responsible for this tragedy, the findings against the organization are clear.
The University has decided to immediately expel Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. This is permanent loss of recognition – the fraternity will never again be recognized at BGSU in the future.
The University found the organization responsible for all six previously charged policy violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
This expulsion is because of hazing, which is absolutely intolerable. The University's investigation found the fraternity to be reckless with a disregard for the health and safety of our community.
This investigation also revealed a deep culture of deception rooted in the organization, filled with dishonesty and disrespect for our community.
The University's current investigation created a new window into a previous conduct incident involving alcohol and the fraternity in 2018. While BGSU took swift action then to investigate, it is now clear that in a coordinated effort, members of this organization repeatedly lied.
BGSU reported that suspicious incident to Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity headquarters. They placed the chapter on probation at that time, issued a fine and required educational programming and anti-hazing trainings, in addition to the robust programming BGSU already has in place.
Despite hazing accountability measures, the chapter still knowingly and intentionally engaged in activities that were found to be unsafe, high-risk and strictly prohibited by the University and the law.
Today’s expulsion is a step forward in eradicating hazing at BGSU. Local law enforcement and individual student conduct investigations are ongoing.”
The attorneys for the Foltz family, Rex Elliot and Sean Alto, released the following statement:
"The decisions made by Bowling Green State University President Rodney Rogers to expel and permanently ban Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity from the campus and to improve their anti-hazing efforts are good first steps, but they are expected. We have a long way to go to reach our goal of eliminating even the most minimal act of hazing on college campuses everywhere. Stone’s death at the hands of fraternity members hazing him and other pledges was reckless and inhumane. On behalf of Stone and his family, we will not stop until there is a zero-tolerance anti-hazing policy on every college campus in this country."
