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Newsletter > March 2021 > "Bowling Green State University and VCU Statements"
Bowling Green State University and VCU Statements
Tim Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@manleyburke.com
Within the last month the families of Adam Oakes, a student at Virginia Commonwealth and Stone Foltz, a student at Bowling Green, have been left to mourn their deaths. Both a deaths are being investigated as potentially hazing related. The Delta Chi chapter at VCU and the Pi Kappa Alpha Chapter at Bowling Green have been suspended by the Universities and their National organizations. If the facts ultimately establish the conduct which caused the deaths resulted from hazing there will undoubtedly be criminal charges brought against the wrong doers who will have also violated the rules of their fraternities and schools. In both cases the Universities have acted quickly to launch investigations of their entire Greek systems. Below is the text of the letter the President of Bowling Green sent to all Greek Chapters on March 6th and the statement the Senior Vice Provost issued at the direction of the of the President of VCU on March 2d.
March 6, 2021
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On behalf of all of VCU, we continue to mourn the death of Adam Oakes, a freshman who had a promising future ahead of him. Like our community, we fervently want to understand what happened. VCU is working closely with the Richmond Police Department, which is leading the investigation into Adam’s death.
Part of the police investigation will determine whether Adam’s death was related to a Delta Chi activity. VCU is fully supporting the investigation and asks anyone who believes they have information to contact Richmond Police Detective M. Gouldman at (804) 646-3915 or call the VCU Police at (804) 828-1196.
This past weekend, Delta Chi fraternity’s national office and VCU issued cease-and-desist orders, which suspends the chapter’s operations while the investigation continues.
Richmond Police has pledged a thorough investigation. While eager for answers, we must allow time for the investigation to proceed.
However, VCU is not waiting until an investigation is complete to take more action.
At the direction of VCU President Michael Rao, VCU is launching an independent, comprehensive review of Greek life at the university. In light of Adam’s death and our commitment to a safe and healthy campus, this review will make recommendations about how Greek organizations meet the high expectations we have for them.
Simply put, this cannot happen again. We will keep our community informed about the review, and its outcomes.
At their best, fraternities and sororities promote fellowship, leadership and service through sound ethical and moral judgement. This comprehensive review will propose new ways to ensure all organizations follow our values and how they will be held accountable when they do not.
VCU is dedicated to acting now, and will be ready to do more pending outcomes of the police investigation. The university continues to work with Adam’s family and will always keep Adam, his family and friends in our hearts.