An investigation into the organization of Sigma Tau Gamma moved from the institutional compliance office to the Student Affairs office for further investigation.
Lauri Millot, Title IX coordinator and institutional compliance officer, said she could not speak about any open investigation, or confirm or deny one was taking place, until it has been concluded and finalized.
Millot said when there is a case of reported sexual misconduct and she believes the institution is at risk, she will initiate an investigation. She said a student organization can be considered a respondent according to the nondiscriminatory policy, particularly if they are responsible for discriminatory conduct or created an environment conducive to that behavior.
“I have responsibility to identify the areas, and the concerns, and the behaviors that are concerning or that violated policy,” Millot said. “I have a responsibility to identify it, but I don’t have the authority to make it happen.”
Millot said after her office is finished with an investigation of a student organization, her role is to provide services to the complainant and assess how to prevent future instances. She can recommend action to administrators, which might result in change in policy or training in some cases.
Janna Stoskopf, vice president for Student Affairs, said she is still in the process of investigating code violations. Potential violations in policy related to alcohol, social host, risk management policy, and potential violations of national headquarters policy are currently being investigated.
Stoskopf said at this point in the process no specifics can be given into the investigations.
“There was an incident that occurred at the chapter house that we are looking into whether or not they had the appropriate risk management functions, whether they met their social host obligations, whether they followed national policies and whether or not they may have violated any public policies associated with those types of things,” Stoskopf said.
There was a social function and there might have been a possible violation of those types of policies, Stoskopf said.
Stoskopf said that both Truman State University and nationals look into national policy violations. Nationals has the ability to enforce their policies, Stoskopf said, but specifically within Truman’s code, part of the expectations of the organization is that they abide by the rules established for them by their national association.
Stoskopf said her office looks at organizational conduct, and there are a number of things that can happen and it can be very wide ranging. The conclusion of the investigation could be from a level of a warning or maybe certain privileges are taken away, Stoskopf said. In the most severe of cases, a university can say the chapter is no longer invited to be a chapter affiliated with this institution, Stoskopf said.
She said her office is the final stop for the investigation but part of the process also includes an appeal process, and that would be the final phase.
Stoskopf said she would really like to see their chapter flourish, but it might require some major changes. She also said headquarters offices don’t put cease and desist orders in place lightly, so there is a possibility that it could look like a real game changer in terms of what the fraternity is focused on.
Stoskopf said she is hopeful that the process will be done within the next two weeks.