Rowan, frat in fight lawsuit

By Denise Jewell

djewell@sjnewsco.com

GLASSBORO -- Despite efforts to shape up a suspended Rowan University fraternity on North Main Street, an altercation that occurred more than two years ago during an off-campus party may come back to haunt the organization.

A former Rowan student and member of Delta Kappa Epsilon is suing the Glassboro fraternity and the university for an incident in which he claims he was "maliciously attacked and struck" by two underage drinkers who had left the party.

The personal injury suit, filed in Superior Court last month, claims the fraternity's national organization, as well as Rowan University, failed to properly supervise the fraternity and permitted the organization to hold parties where alcohol was served to minors.

The suit alleges Vincent Gatto, 21, and Matt Flumenbaum, 19, attacked the student, David Conner III, of South Bound Brook, outside a Delta Kappa Epsilon party on Oct. 27, 2002.

More than two years later, the altercation has continued to plague the organization.

The university suspended the organization from campus events for more than two years after the incident.

"It's certainly not something that happens on a regular basis," Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona said of the altercation. "Whenever you have students involved with a party where there is alcohol, whether it is served by the people of the house or whether it's brought in, that's a recipe for problems."

However, fraternity members and alumni, who own the house, contend they have spent the last two years polishing the fraternity's image.

"We have become a better organization, I believe," said Dennis Gerber, a chapter consultant for the national arm of Delta Kappa Epsilon. "Our ideas and values have changed from the parties to more of a brotherhood."

After pouring more than $40,000 into renovating the building --which borough officials had contended did not meet housing codes -- eight members of the fraternity were allowed to move back into the house last week.

Gerber said the fraternity has also made efforts to work with the borough and plans to become involved in local volunteer organizations.

"To any Glassboro resident, if you look at what our house has been for the past two years, they'll notice that the house has been very quiet," said Gerber, who is also a former house chair for the Rowan fraternity. "We have done as much as we can nationally and locally to prevent anything from happening again."

The fraternity also follows strict guidelines set down by its national organization, Gerber said.

However, Conner's lawsuit claims the fraternity's national organization, as well as the Rampant Lion Foundation, an educational foundation connected to the fraternity, failed to properly instruct and supervise the local chapter to provide a safe place for the party back in October 2002.

David Easlick Jr., president of the Rampant Lion Foundation and executive director of Delta Kappa Epsilon, said Friday he had not yet seen the suit and could not comment on the allegations.

Gatto and Flumenbaum could not be reached for comment Friday.

Cardona said the university has taken steps to make sure that the 24 fraternities and sororities at the school follow guidelines set by their national organizations.

"Whenever there is a group of students living together off campus, it's very difficult for the university to know what's happening," Cardona said.

Cardona said local police officers work with students to make sure violations are addressed and people are safe.

The Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter can apply to have its suspension lifted and participate in campus events in the fall of 2005, Cardona said.

"These students are private citizens living off campus and we have little recourse, other than to do what we did, other than they can no longer participate in activities on campus," Cardona said.