UPDATE 7/10: Chi Omega issues statement regarding status of legal action possibility
Following UCF’s denial of Chi Omega’s 31-page appeal, the women’s fraternity has not yet taken a clear stance on whether or not they will be pursuing legal action against UCF.
Chi Omega has within 30 days of the final university decision to seek judicial review, pursuant to the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. Since UCF denied the appeal on June 16, Chi Omega has until July 16 to make a decision.
KnightNews.com e-mailed Chi Omega’s Director of Public Relations Whitney Heckathorne and lawyer Daniel McCarthy, but neither returned multiple e-mails sent over the last seven days asking whether they would sue.
However, UCF did confirm to us that Chi Omega and UCF have had meetings with individual chapter leaders since the denied appeal, but there haven’t been any large group meetings. UCF also stated they offered to meet with the whole chapter. Chi Omega did not respond to our question about whether they accepted that offer or not.
While both sides are being tight lipped, records reveal tension has been mounting for a while.
“I recall that even in casual conversation with us, they (especially their GC) were trying to push us for definite and specific responses on topics where we preferred to remain general,” UCF Deputy General Counsel Youndy Cook said in an April 25 e-mail, referring to a prior meeting she had with Chi Omega General Counsel Beth Stathos.
The sanctions Chi Omega faces are being unable to participate in fall 2014 recruitment and disciplinary probation through spring 2015 and summer 2015. According to the e-mail sent by Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Clay Coleman, the chapter will be responsible for $195,041 while the on-campus house is vacated during the fall 2014 semester.
The last time a Greek organization sued UCF over a student conduct issue was in 2009, when Beta Theta Pi sued UCF after they found the fraternity “in-violation” of sexual misconduct, after the original accusation of rape was dropped by the girl.
UCF settled the lawsuit out of court.
