Penn State fraternity and 18 of its members are charged in student's death

This aspect goes back to the insidious subculture many of them came from where alcohol laden house parties were the norm as they were in many upper/upper-middle class suburban homes where many of these fraternity members came from. And this subculture isn’t a recent phenomenon as it was around and prevalent when my older cousins were teens growing up in some of those very same suburbs in the '70s and '80s*.

  • This was one key reason why most aunts/uncles strongly discouraged them from attending such parties/associating with such students. Especially after what transpired with the older cousin whose parents allowed him to associate with students from that subculture during his private school years.

“A preliminary hearing will continue in July for 16 members of a Penn State fraternity who have been charged in connection with the death of a New Jersey teen.”
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2017/06/penn_state_fraternity_hazing_death_hearing_continu.html

I know that I may upset some folks when I state that the Penn State culture must change…this is what I am refering to…as mentioned in this article, the audit was completed before the most recent Frat tragedy. Yes, PSU produces some amazing students but the management/admin has a lack of control. The fact that 8% of their camp staff does not has child care clearences is gross. They once again had a chance to be leaders but can not comply. Pennsylvania changes all of the Commonweath’s laws to make kids safe because of Sandusky/Paterno and the PSU abuses. PSU caused all of the changes(that cost alot of money for both organizations and employees) and yet 6 years later they are not following the rules…the fraternity tragedy would have made it worse if it had been included in the audit). Good luck to middle class families in PA…unbelievable(535% increase in tuition, non residents/foreign students have an easier time with acceptance into the university). As a resident, I have a right to demand more from my flagship.
http://triblive.com/news/education/12431474-74/audit-penn-state-most-expensive-public-university-in-big-ten-conference

Parents of Penn State teen who died after hazing reveal eerie coincidence…
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2017/06/piazzas_reveal_eerie_coincidence_in_death_of_son_a.html

^^ It’s just so tragic. And heartbreaking.

Penn State University President Eric Barron received a $224,000 bonus last fiscal year, bringing his total earnings to more than $1 million and placing him among the top 10 highest-paid public college presidents in the country.

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2017/06/28/eric-barron-penn-state-highest-paid-university-presidents-chronicle-higher-education/stories/201706270159

Some progress…
http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/article158546034.html

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/penn-state-forms-greek-advisory-group-pledge-death-48321958

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Penn-State-to-Address-Greek-Life-In-Response-to-Frat-Death-431313083.html

Agreed. This is certainly “some progress” as long as the input is valued and considered.

The culture at Penn State is self-perpetuating. The University has a reputation based on facts. Students who are not interested in a frat-party culture dominating campus social life will avoid Penn State. Those who already have a propensity for that type of behavior or are interested in being part of it (or whose parents want their kids to be “cool”) will gravitate toward Penn State.

Case in point: Comment upthread about a dad who wants his shy HS grad to “come out of his shell,” so he’s sending his son to Penn State and encouraging him to join a frat.

Two of the three jailed administrators at Penn State are allowed to work while in jail…
http://wnep.com/2017/07/06/judge-grants-work-release-to-former-penn-state-officials/

18 fmr. Penn State brothers back in court Monday…
http://6abc.com/news/18-fmr-penn-state-brothers-back-in-court-monday/2198764/

Preliminary hearing into N.J. teen’s death at Penn State frat resumes
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon/index.ssf/2017/07/preliminary_hearing_into_nj_teens_death_at_penn_st.html

Penn State fraternity brothers back in court in death of Tim Piazza…

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/crime/penn-state-fraternity-brothers-back-in-court-in-death-of-tim-piazza-20170710.html

Ex-Penn State frat member’s text: ‘I don’t want to go to jail for this’…ABC News report

http://abcnews.go.com/US/penn-state-fraternity-members-return-court-case-pledges/story?id=48509715

Penn State Hazing Death: Frat Brothers Texted That Pledge Looked ‘Dead’…
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/penn-state-hazing-death-frat-brothers-texted-pledge-looked-dead-n781316

Testimony: Panic, possible cover-up in Penn State death…
http://6abc.com/news/testimony-panic-possible-cover-up-in-psu-death/2198764/

This most recent Penn State tragedy gets more and more bizzare as the informaton comes out…this regarding the Athletic Depts Athletic Trainer and the two PSU “Social Checkers” that were in the house just mintes before the young man fell down the steps…the trainer tells the kids to delete texts and “Groupme chats”…
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/crime/penn-state-fraternity-brothers-back-in-court-in-death-of-tim-piazza-20170710.html

"During his cross-examination, Fina also appeared to point the finger at others who may have had a part in Piazza’s death. He questioned the role of two “social checkers” who were hired by the Interfraternity Council as part of routine monitoring and were in the Beta Theta Pi house within nine minutes of Piazza’s first fall.

He also raised new questions about Tim Bream, the 56-year-old head athletic trainer for Penn State’s football team, who lived in the house and served as an adviser to the fraternity.

Fina referred to a text message from fraternity member Ed Gilmartin III to member Lars Kenyon, which noted that it was “Tim’s idea” to delete GroupMe chat groups about the night of the deadly bid party to prevent them from being captured and leaked to the media.’

Defense looks for openings to reasonable doubt in Penn State fraternity death case…
http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/07/defense_looks_for_openings_in.html

"How is it, he asked at one point when Parks Miller was challenging the relevance of the cross-examination, that “an employee of Penn State is instructing these boys to delete things, and they get charged?”

If the testimony regarding Tim Bream is accurate that man should not be employed on a college campus. Not sure if suggesting that someone destroy evidence rises to the level of criminal activity though.

And isn’t it just common knowledge that messages from phones and computers are always recoverable?

Lawyers clash at hearing into Penn State frat hazing death…
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/crime/lawyers-clash-at-hearing-into-penn-state-frat-hazing-death-20170711.html

Tempers flare during 3rd day of hearing for Penn State frat brothers…
http://6abc.com/news/tempers-flare-during-3rd-day-of-hearing-for-psu-frat-brothers/2205214/