For the fifth time since Spring 2011, the same fraternity on campus is facing disciplinary charges.
Pi Kappa Phi’s Zeta Zeta chapter had a closed Student Conduct meeting Nov. 21.
Spinnaker requested records regarding the Nov. 21 meeting. Marc Snow, UNF Associate General Counsel, provided documents largely about PKP’s involvement in the New Year’s party Dara Kusiv attended the night she died.
The hearing came after a Student Conduct review Oct. 15, where all parties involved reviewed the charges.
Under the Student Code of Conduct, PKP is charged with endangerment, prohibited use of alcohol (possession and dispensing,) participation and violations of rules established for fraternities and sororities. This is according to the charge letter issued by Student Conduct.
CEO of the national PKP organization Mark Timmes represented UNF’s chapter in the Oct. 15 review, according to an email he sent t0 Student Conduct Oct. 10
According to an investigation document from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL), updated Nov. 4, Student Conduct did not initially look into the New Year’s incident because there was no hard proof it was a PKP party.
Student Conduct’s accident timeline shows that on July 1, an anonymous person turned in printed screencaps of Facebook posts by attendees of the New Year’s party, showing the attendees considered it a PKP party.
The screencaps also showed a Facebook event, titled “New Year’s Party,” was created, posted and canceled by a PKP member. The event was canceled at 3:23 p.m. Jan. 1.
The screencaps were turned over to Student Conduct by OFSL Assistant Director Laura Worrell.
Worrell notified Student Conduct Sept. 30 that an anonymous student came forward and said he/she went to the PKP New Year’s party where alcohol was unmonitored and available for public consumption.
The student said all four students in the New Year’s crash were at the party.
According to OFSL’s investigation, further interviews were conducted with multiple students who said PKP’s president attended.
The students also said there were bottles of liquor on the counter in the kitchen and the fraternity did nothing to prevent underage drinking. At one point, people were jumping off the roof.
Further interviews with two of the sources revealed that 25 of the 30 possible male attendees belonged to PKP. According to these sources, whose names were withheld, ‘PKP’ was written on the beer pong table at the party. There were also PKP composites — official photos of all members — hanging on the wall inside the house where the party was held.
One source indicated the house was a “known” PKP house because brothers lived there and have “passed it down over the years.”
UPD Sergeant Dwayne Howard confirmed a PKP officer had paid the JEA bill for the New Year’s party address. According to Student Conduct’s report, the PKP officer took over payments on the house Oct. 2011.
These students also confirmed the four students in the New Year’s accident attended the party.
On June 16, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office charged Sean Franke, the driver in the New Year’s crash, with four DUIs — manslaughter, causing damage to a person or property and two counts of causing serious bodily injury.
According to the JSO report, Franke’s toxicology report showed his blood alcohol level was .178 and .175 the night of the accident.
Franke turned himself in the same day they issued the warrant. According to the Duval Clerk of Court’s records, the case is classified as open.
Timmes said PKP issued their own cease & desist order after OFSL issued one to PKP Sept. 17. He said he could not comment further on an ongoing investigation.
Email Lydia Moneir at news@unfspinnaker.com
