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Fraternity hit with conduct violations after Ohio college student dies in alleged hazing incident

Bowling Green State University notified Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity of the six violations on Friday.

A fraternity was hit with multiple conduct violations on Friday, nearly a month after an Ohio college student died in an alleged hazing incident.

Bowling Green State University notified Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity of the six violations in a letter to the president of the chapter at the school.

Jeremy Zilmer, the associate dean of students, said there was "sufficient justification to charge the organization with violating" sections of the university's code of conduct that cover hazing, harm to others and organization alcohol, according to the letter.

The fraternity has two business days to respond to the violations and "decide how to resolve the above charges," he said in the letter.

Image: Stone Foltz
Stone Foltz.Courtesy Foltz family

The university's decision comes after the death of Stone Foltz, a sophomore at Bowling Green State University and a new member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He died on March 7 after he was allegedly hazed during an initiation event where he was made to drink alcohol, school officials said.

In a press release Friday, Bowling Green State University said the school met with local and national leaders of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity after conducting an investigation with special counsel David DeVillers, a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.

“Hazing is absolutely intolerable. BGSU continues to work with local law enforcement, who are actively leading their own investigation into this serious situation," the university said in the release. "While these University charges don’t bring back student Stone Foltz, our goal is to hold those accountable who are responsible for this tragedy."

Pi Kappa Alpha did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

Foltz was taken to the hospital after the March 4 incident, where he was kept alive for a time so his organs could be donated, Sean Alto, the family’s attorney, said in a statement.

In the wake of the incident, Pi Kappa Alpha was placed on interim suspension last month as the school investigated. The university also temporarily suspended "all new member intake processes and on- and off-campus social events” for Greek fraternity and sorority organizations.

Pi Kappa Alpha said in a statement at the time that they advised the Bowling Green frat's leaders to cooperate with law enforcement, and would itself cooperate with authorities during the investigation.

"The International Fraternity is heartbroken about the death of Stone Foltz," the statement said. "No family should have to endure such a devastating loss."

"The Fraternity has a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal activity, substance abuse, bullying, and hazing of any kind," the fraternity's statement said, reminding members to "immediately and confidentially report any hazing or potential hazing or other harmful activity."

Foltz graduated from Buckeye Valley High School in Delaware, Ohio, north of Columbus, in 2019.

Andrew Miller, the superintendent of the Buckeye Valley Local School District, said in a statement last month that "Stone was a friend to everyone who was blessed to know him."

"The Buckeye Valley community mourns the loss of this amazing young person," the statement said.

"He was a beloved son, brother, and grandson," Alto, the family's lawyer, said in a statement. "No family is ever prepared to say goodbye, especially under these circumstances."

The news of Foltz's death came shortly after a 19-year-old college student, Adam Oakes, was found dead on the morning of Feb. 27 after a fraternity hazing incident at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.