Monday, June 8, 2015

STATEMENT FROM JOSEPH ROSENBERG, NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KAPPA

DELTA RHO

After receiving official notice from Penn State University of its decision to suspend recognition of our

chapter at the University for three years, the National Leadership of Kappa Delta Rho has completed its

Membership Review and Reorganization. Our review was guided by a deep commitment to our values,

among which is respect for all persons at all times. It is clear that the conduct of some members of our

Penn State chapter did not meet this standard. After a thorough and fair review of the facts, including

those discovered by university investigators, on Thursday, June 4 the National Fraternity has expelled 38

Brothers of the Penn State chapter. It also has revoked the charter and recognition of the Zeta Chapter for

a period of three years. All of the remaining Brothers were move to Alumni status.

We are grateful to the young men of the Penn State chapter who assumed responsibility after the

regrettable events of the last few months had occurred. They are of course not among those students

expelled. We particularly thank the new President of the chapter, Tom Friel, who has exhibited

outstanding traits that accord fully with our principles of leadership based on respect for all persons. Tom

and the new leaders have given us a foundation on which to build. We look forward to our efforts to

rejoin the Penn State community after this three year period has expired.

This foundation reflects our national commitment to proper conduct, which includes our ongoing efforts

to support all chapters at all campuses across the country. These programs support our undergraduates and

host institutions in educating our undergraduate Brothers on issues of sexual assault, sexual harassment

and the abuse of alcohol and drugs. In order to strengthen this program, we recently entered into an

agreement with Campus Clarity to provide training for our membership that will facilitate a broad

educational program that is not solely a prevention effort, offers skills based training for our members, is

intentional in its language, and engages our student leaders to evaluate the larger issues associated with

these topics. The Think About It program will be fully implemented in this upcoming academic year as

part of our Legion Program, which is a total member education program designed to provide leadership

skills and knowledge to our Brothers that will allow them to lead successfully in their communities. Our

national leadership will continue its commitment to the cessation of inappropriate hazing. In order to

provide an effective vehicle to report possible incidents of hazing, we have joined a consortium of

national organizations that maintain a hazing hotline, which any Brother, Parent or member of the

community may use at any time around the clock. This hotline was instituted on March 27, 2015.

Going forward with these and other initiatives, we will continue to strengthen our commitment to

honorable conduct with regard to our neighbors and guests, communities and each of our brothers.