Travis Taylor | Lariat Photo Editor
Staff Writer and Reporter
The fraternity Phi Gamma Delta, also known as “Fiji,” has been banned from taking part in any university activities this year.
“Phi Gamma Delta is not participating in all university events this semester due to a violation of university policy,” said Lori Fogleman, assistant vice president of media communications.
Fogleman added that Phi Gamma Delta will not be a part of Interfraternity Council recruitment, also known as Rush, this year.
“They will not be able to participate in any university or chapter activities during the 2013-14 academic year,” Fogleman wrote in an email to The Lariat. “The Department of Student Activities and Baylor Activities Council will not be hosting Fright Nights in conjunction with Phi Gamma Delta for fall 2013. We anticipate reviving the event with Phi Gamma Delta in Fall 2014.”
Phi Gamma Delta has not been removed from Baylor affiliation, said Matt Burchett, director of student activities.
“We do anticipate upon completion of that time frame that they’ll have full active status again,” Burchett said.
Members of the Phi Gamma Delta international headquarters staff declined to comment on the issue, as did Tam Dunn, associate director of student activities for Greek life at Baylor.
“My staff does not comment on the status of organizations under any disciplinary sanctions by the university,” Dunn wrote in an email to the Lariat.
Chi Omega, the sorority originally planning to partner with Phi Gamma Delta in Pigskin, are still participating in Pigskin, Fogleman said, and are adjusting their routine for the show.
“We have a new crowd of boys coming in,” said San Antonio senior Katherine Crouch, executive Sing chair for Chi Omega. “So we’ve made a few changes just to kind of adapt, and we’re rolling with the punches.”
Chi Omega has invited 50 male students to partner with them for Pigskin in Phi Gamma Delta’s absence, Crouch said.
Chi Omega was not allowed to perform with any groups that had already performed in All-University Sing, she said, so they selected men out of the Baylor student body to join them.
Chi Omega was told in May that they would not be performing with Phi Gamma Delta, Crouch said.
“At that point, it was strictly confidential,” Crouch said. “We signed a contract saying we will not disclose any of the information about Fiji or anything,” Crouch said. “So we had to keep it secret, but we were allowed to start kind of looking, and for our sake, planning – look for people who could fill the spot.”
Crouch said not much about the Pigskin act has changed since the new group of guys came to work with Chi Omega.
She said Chi Omega has no plans to pair with Phi Gamma Delta again for All-University Sing in the future, but said it has nothing to do with their suspension, but rather that Chi Omega often performs without a male group.
“I feel like we still have a great relationship with Fiji, and I don’t think there are any conflicts at all,” Crouch said. “It was an unfortunate situation, but we would never hold that against them or anything. We love those boys dearly.”
Crouch said the members of Phi Gamma Delta who had worked and performed with the Chi Omegas for All-University Sing were just as much involved in the work as their Chi Omega counterparts. She said it was sad to see them go.
“It was their baby just as much as it was ours,” Crouch added.
Crouch said that Chi Omega continues to have a good relationship with Phi Gamma Delta.
“We love them – we would never hold anything against them,” she said.
