Fright Night buried after frat turmoil

The brothers of Phi Gamma Delta and sisters of Delta Delta Delta team up for this year's Fright Night on Saturday, October 27, 2012 at Fountain Mall. Lariat File Photo
The brothers of Phi Gamma Delta and sisters of Delta Delta Delta team up for this year’s Fright Night on Saturday, October 27, 2012 at Fountain Mall.
Lariat File Photo
By Kristin Burns
Reporter

Fright Night is canceled this year because of Phi Gamma Delta’s suspension from campus activities and a decision by Delta Delta Delta’s executive council.

Fiji started the tradition of Fright Night in 1996 and included the sorority in the event eight years ago. Fiji was suspended earlier in the semester and is unable to participate in campus activities.

Originally, Delta Delta Delta was planning on continuing the event this year until Fiji is reinstated in the future Spring senior Adaeze Amaefule said. However, because of a recent decision by the executive council and advisers of the sorority, the event will not occur.

“This event will remain Fiji’s in the future,” wrote Groves senior Kyler Cross, the president of Fiji, in an email to The Lariat. “It will just take a year off. It will most likely be back on campus in Fountain Mall once we re-establish back on campus.”

The event was planned to take place Thursday with the help of two other fraternities, Alpha Tau Omega and Kappa Omega Tau, in place of Fiji, said Amaefule, a Fright Night chair for Delta Delta Delta. Student Activities and the Baylor Activities Council were also contributing to the event.

“Our exec board met with our advisers, and there were little problems here and there,” Amaefule said.

Proceeds from the event this year were planned to benefit Delta Delta Delta’s philanthropy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“It’s a big undertaking to have it all on us this year,” Amaefule said. “There were more cons than pros with the event for us.”

The event was planned to be a haunted maze constructed out of hay bales instead of an actual standing structure. Members of Delta Delta Delta and two fraternities would function as the actors in the haunted maze to give attendees a scare.

“We just didn’t get the logistics together this year,” said Lamar Bryant, associate director of Campus Programs. “It was a collaborative decision between our office and Tri Delt.”

Fright Night will continue to be on the program for all-university events, Bryant said.

“It is our desire to continue that program,” he said. “The hope would be to provide the experience that we have provided last year.”

Fiji will bring Fright Night back to campus next year with the help of Delta Delta Delta, Cross write in the email.

“Tri-Delt has been our long time partner so we have no plans of changing that part of Fright Night,” he wrote. “They are a huge help and we really enjoy working with them.”