Allegations against fraternity under investigation
Campus Times
October 10, 1997
The University of La Verne and Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) national headquarters
are investigating a former member's allegations of improper conduct by the
ULV chapter.
Dale Schroeder, a former ULV SAE active, stated that members of SAE
had knowledge of member Jose Barba's embezzlement of Associated Student
Federation (ASF) funds, hazed its pledges and used illegal drugs in their
off-campus house.
Schroeder said he sent letters to Melissa Jaunal, coordinator of student
programs, President Stephen Morgan and the national headquarters for SAE.
Jaunal could not comment on the University's investigation. Frank Ginocchio,
assistant executive for the national headquarters, said they are looking
into the allegations.
"It is too early to know all the facts of the situation at this
time but the investigation is under works right now," he said.
"Jose took the fall for everyone. There was actives who knew about
the whole thing," said Schroeder.
Schroeder is charging that other members of SAE were also involved or
had knowledge of the alleged stealing of money from ASF. Former ASF treasurer,
Barba was convicted of grand theft by embezzlement in August in Pomona Valley
Superior Court. He allegedly stole $9,500 from ASF.
SAE members deny the allegations. Senior Brian Richenberger, vice president
of SAE, describes Schroeder as "bitter" and "lacking maturity."
Jason Wallace, SAE president, said Schroeder was expelled from the fraternity
on Sept. 28 "for conduct unbecoming of a gentleman.
"Toward the end of the year he started burning some bridges,"
said Wallace. "He was lying to brothers [and] threatening brothers."
Schroeder says he was not expelled. "I told them I quit."
According to chapter adviser Robert Rivera, "the allegations are
not true. I was shocked when I found out about what he was saying."
Rivera said that to his knowledge hazing does not happen. "I haven't
come to any reasoning that the SAEs are hazing or stealing money, with the
exception of Jose Barba."
However, Rivera stated he knew that one of Barba's fraternity brothers
knew of the embezzlement, and that the SAE member advised Barba to give
back the money to ASF.
According to Schroeder, there was only about $500 in the SAE account
for the entire spring semester of 1997, though a lot more money was spent.
Furthermore, Schroeder said that members of SAE were told that alumni
had donated two televisions for the fraternity's house located on Garey
Avenue in Pomona. Schroeder said that after Barba's arrest on May 22, the
La Verne Police Department had confiscated both televisions.
"Jose bought those TVs with the money he stole," said Schroeder.
"We also threw parties off the money that was stolen, and rush t-shirts
were bought with the money."
Wallace, though, stated that SAE held an emergency executive board meeting
the day that Barba was arrested, and that they were "totally surprised"
by Barba's arrest. According to Wallace, one of the television sets was
stolen downstairs even before Barba was arrested.
Detective Nick Paz, who worked on the Barba case, said he remembers
the police taking only one television, not two.
Schroeder also said members of SAE hazed their pledges. Schroeder provided
the Campus Times with copies of the minutes from last semester's SAE meetings.
In them, a column entitled "Bro Fun" named junior Jesse Moreno
"for allowing us to haze him at the retreat."
Wallace, who was recorder last semester and wrote the minutes, stated
that the minutes were not fabricated though it was intended as a joke.
"I'm supposed to switch the wording around a little bit to make
it funny when the guys read it," said Wallace.
Moreno agreed that section of the minutes were not to be taken seriously.
"Not at any time, whatsoever, was I hazed as an active or a pledge,"
said Moreno.
Another allegation that Schroeder has come forward with is that SAE
members have used illegal drugs in their house.
Wallace said this is not true. "I've never witnessed any kind of
drug use in the house at all other than smoking of cigarettes or drinking
of alcohol," he said. "Those are not illegal."
"We are going to wait to see what transforms from all this,"
said Ginocchio. "We don't allow for poor behavior and the right precautions
will take place if needed; the chapter at La Verne has always been a good
chapter, and they have always had a really good reputation.
