Amazed that payouts in the multi-million dollar "settlements" keep rolling along. Bowling Green University pays $3,000,000 to parents whose 20 year old son drank himself to death. As if a 20 year old is unaware that too much booze will send you off planet. Guess those seven figure payouts to criminals who fight the police and end up dead have set a trend. Responsibility of the individual must be an old fashion concept.

Link???

I know the kids family.

He was hazed and several of his "friends" were convicted.

Their motivation was not money, but they plan to do good things with it for others.

Hazing Victim’s Family, University Agree on $3 Million Lawsuit Settlement
by KC Wildmoon
January 24, 2023

The family of an Ohio college student who died from alcohol poisoning in a fraternity Stone hazing incident in 2021 has settled a lawsuit with the school.

Bowling Green State University will pay Stone Foltz’s family nearly $3 million in what the family attorney called “the largest payout by a public university in a hazing case in Ohio history,” WBNS reported.

Part of the settlement includes an agreement for the university and the family to work toward eliminating hazing on college campuses.

Foltz, 20, died on March 7, 2021, three days after he told his mother he was participating in an off-campus “drinking ritual” at the fraternity he was pledging — Pi Kappa Alpha — as CrimeOnline previously reported. Fraternity members dropped him off at his apartment at about 11:30 p.m. that night, and his roommate later called 911 when he saw Foltz was unresponsive.

The settlement announced this week is on top more than $7 million from the fraternity and eight members who had a role in the hazing incident. The eight former members of the fraternity either pleaded guilty or were found guilty of multiple charges, although two of them were acquitted last year on the more serious charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless homicide. Their attorneys argued that Foltz voluntarily participated the hazing, which required him to drink an entire bottle of alcohol.

The Lucas County Coroner ruled that Foltz’s death was accidental.

“It is my opinion that Stone Foltz died of fatal ethanol intoxication during a hazing incident,” Dr. Diane Scala-Barnett wrote. “Manner of death: Accident – College fraternity induction ritual.”

Pi Kappa Alpha was permanently expelled from the Bowling Green campus after the incident.

https://www.crimeonline.com/20...-lawsuit-settlement/

On or off campus activities such as these action need to be prosecuted at the greek chapter level as well as individuals to loose and any and all qualified immunity and made to pay up in monies and or jail time. ................. drill sgt.

I am in the individual responsibility department. I don't want to see more rules and regulations controlling the population. There needs to be a law! Prosecute! NO THANKS.

I think this could have ended with the fraternity. However, if there was a history of this and the university did not take action against the frat, or if this was well known and no action was taken, the university would share responsibility.

I never understood the attraction of frats and sororities.

Never understood the desire to drink and to get drunk.

Never understood why these deaths occur year after year - it should be no surprise to anyone that over drinking can lead to death.

If there was force involved in the amount imbibed, then criminal charges for some sort of homicide should be filed. If it was willful, then agree that we don't need laws, just let Darwin act.

Either way, I'll never understand why this happens year after year. Tragic and completely avoidable.

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I never understood the attraction of frats and sororities.

Basically it's LinkedIn before there was LinkedIn. This concept of networking, starting at a young age and potentially carrying one through their entire life, particularly a person's professional life/career. Never was a frat boy myself but I know quite a few who were and carried on those bonds throughout their lives. Oft times there were advantages to having those relationships that they got as a result (and even a few that I got just being good friends with a frat brother. Hell, two of my nephews belonged to a fraternity; both got their respective post-college careers going via family or insider relations of fellow frat members.

That's what a fraternity can score for you.

There needs to be a realistic policy. College kids are going to drink. Often to excess and sometimes to a dangerous if not fatal amount. Too many kids are not willing to get or to call for help do to fear of getting kicked out of school.

Ban all frats and sororities. If they want to get together and do drugs or drink themselves to death, and they will, it's on them.

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Originally posted by monoblok:

quote:

I never understood the attraction of frats and sororities.

Basically it's LinkedIn before there was LinkedIn. This concept of networking, starting at a young age and potentially carrying one through their entire life, particularly a person's professional life/career. Never was a frat boy myself but I know quite a few who were and carried on those bonds throughout their lives. Oft times there were advantages to having those relationships that they got as a result (and even a few that I got just being good friends with a frat brother. Hell, two of my nephews belonged to a fraternity; both got their respective post-college careers going via family or insider relations of fellow frat members.

That's what a fraternity can score for you.

Nobody joins a fraternity because they think it'll land them a good job...NOBODY!

Between carrying 18 credit hours each quarter and working 40 hours a week to pay for my college I had no time at all for Fraternities.

Probably my gain.

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Nobody joins a fraternity because they think it'll land them a good job...NOBODY!

That is just wrong, or something has changed in the last 5-20 years. That's like saying nobody achieves Eagle Scout rank just because it will help them down the road with jobs, promotions, etc. NOBODY!

There are some very influential and tight-knit fraternities at some schools that absolutely will have an impact on future opportunities. Of course most kids are in for the party and social aspect, but not all by a long shot.

ETA - never in a fraternity other than ΓΔΙ.

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Nobody joins a fraternity because they think it'll land them a good job...NOBODY!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
But, that is what they tell the parents. My University did not have fraternities so it was a nonissue for me.

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Nobody joins a fraternity because they think it'll land them a good job...NOBODY!

Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that some relationships gained are not productive, create contacts that after school yield jobs, contracts, work, or lead to other contacts.

Its a bit odd for gun owners to insinuate that people in Fraternities are all alike, dangerous, irresponsible, non valuable entities, filled with drunk Bluto Animal House people.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

quote:

Nobody joins a fraternity because they think it'll land them a good job...NOBODY!

Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that some relationships gained are not productive, create contacts that after school yield jobs, contracts, work, or lead to other contacts.

Its a bit odd for gun owners to insinuate that people in Fraternities are all alike, dangerous, irresponsible, non valuable entities, filled with drunk Bluto Animal House people.

Well said. I was in a fraternity that "recolonized" because the prior chapter had been shut down by the fraternity's national offce because of, shall we say, bad behavior.

As a result, I didn't have to go through a traditional pledge period, dues were cheap, and I was joined by several "non-traditional" fratenity members. We built our chapter back up, built a house and were all normal, hard-working (both in school and in jobs) college students.

I still am close friends with several of my fraternity brothers, but it is like any other team or club: some people you are friends with and some are just acquaintances. Nothing wrong with that.

Because the group started relatively small, I was able to attain leadership positions, including serving as Chapter President twice. I was also my fraternity's representative to our school's intrafraternity counsel (think the UN for college students - equally corrupt and ineffective).

So all in all, you can't fairly put all fraternity and sorority members into the same box. The greek system is as different from fraternity to fraternity, chapter to chapter, school to school and member to member as any other organization.

Oh, and I was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Go Skulls!

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

quote:

Nobody joins a fraternity because they think it'll land them a good job...NOBODY!

Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that some relationships gained are not productive, create contacts that after school yield jobs, contracts, work, or lead to other contacts.

Its a bit odd for gun owners to insinuate that people in Fraternities are all alike, dangerous, irresponsible, non valuable entities, filled with drunk Bluto Animal House people.

For the record I didn't insinuate anything of the sort. It great that Fraternities (and Sororities) 'can' promote networking that 'could' bring job opportunities post graduation. Additionally, the comradery and potential life long relationships that develop are all good things that many consider an invaluable component to college life. Sure, I get that part. I'm just saying that 18 & 19 YO College Students aren't joining Fraternities because of the excellent job prospects it would bring! Let's be serious...

quote:

Originally posted by abnmacv:
Amazed that payouts in the multi-million dollar "settlements" keep rolling along. Bowling Green University pays $3,000,000 to parents whose 20 year old son drank himself to death. As if a 20 year old is unaware that too much booze will send you off planet. Guess those seven figure payouts to criminals who fight the police and end up dead have set a trend. Responsibility of the individual must be an old fashion concept.

As all of the posters who mentioned things like hazing and what the university did or didn't do about it, these things are usually much more complicated than a 45 second news report or a 300 word story conveys.

The university knew the facts. They made an intelligent and informed decision to settle in light of how this would play at a trial. This includes the knowledge that juries generally start with a real bias against large verdicts, especially if they think the claims are abusive. Every jury panel I have questioned over the past 15 years has shown me this. So, the university made a decision that the facts of this case were bad and could lead to a far worse outcome at trial.

The private college I attended didn't have fraternities and sororities and never had. It was one of the reasons I went there. Nevertheless, it didn't stop me from drinking too much on occasion but it was my choice - not as a result of pledging or hazing.