The university official who triggered the investigation into a hazing violations by the Sigma Nu fraternity said he was tipped off by an anonymous source about the fraternity's hazing plans.
The investigation eventually led to a two-year suspension of one of the largest Greek houses on campus March 27.
Director of Greek Life Bob Francis said the informer was a parent of a Sigma Nu member who indicated the fraternity's plans to subject their pledge class to a pool side ritual on Nov. 27, 2001.
"It would be helpful to know that the same parent had been communicating with our office anonymously for almost a month prior to (the night of the hazing incident)," Francis said.
In his complaint office of Judicial Affairs, Francis said he witnessed 15 to 20 clothed men standing around the pool at the Sigma Nu house located at 601 Alpha Drive, some of them holding paddles and boating oars. Temperatures on the winter night were near freezing.
The clothed group barked orders to "approximately 35 men in their underwear sitting around the pool," according to the complaint.
Francis said he could only watch so much of the incident before he felt he needed to intervene.
"I had to stop it as soon as I believed bad things could happen," Francis said. "As soon as the clothes came off, as soon as they were told to sit around the pool, that's when I stepped in."
Chapter president Brian Kiolbasa said Sigma Nu will appeal the ruling. He also said he and his brothers "didn't care" who the informer was.
Though he admitted some wrongdoing occurred the night Francis staked out the fraternity house, Kiolbasa said he felt the lengthy Judicial Affairs investigation would prove they did not haze pledges.
"Everyone here was real shocked," Kiolbasa said. "We saw them taking (since late December) as a good thing."
The appeal is being handled by Sigma Nu chapter advisor Mike Kasulaitis and lawyers for the organization. Their deadline is April 23.
Kasulaitis, who is the Tempe chapter's liason to the Sigma Nu national office in Virginia, refused to comment.
David Glassman, Sigma Nu's national director of insurance and risk reduction at their national office, failed to respond to repeated phone calls.
