The College of Kentucky group is looking for solutions a day after an 18-year-old freshman died at a fraternity home on the college’s Lexington campus.
The scholar, recognized as 18-year-old Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood, was discovered useless on the dwelling of the FarmHouse Fraternity on Monday, and he probably died from alcohol poisoning, in line with officers.
Nonetheless, UK President Eli Capilouto and Vice President for Scholar Success Kirsten Turner stated in a message to the campus group that investigations into Hazelwood’s demise are underway.
As well as, the information of Hazelwood’s demise has reignited conversations round hazing on school campuses, primarily in Greek life, in addition to if alcohol consumption is a matter on the campus.
Here is what we all know to this point:
Standing of investigation into UK pupil demise
Contents
“Foul play will not be suspected” within the case of Hazelwood’s demise, UK spokesman Jay Blanton stated, “however police are investigating the circumstances of his demise.”
“The UK Police Division was known as to the FarmHouse Fraternity at roughly 6:22 p.m. Monday night relating to stories of an unresponsive pupil,” Blanton instructed The Courier Journal in an e-mail. “The scholar was taken to UK HealthCare’s Chandler Hospital. Makes an attempt to revive him had been unsuccessful and he was pronounced as deceased early (Monday) night.”
An preliminary report from the Fayette County Coroner’s Workplace stated Hazelwood’s explanation for demise, pending additional investigation, is “presumed alcohol toxicity.” His time of demise was listed as 7:06 p.m. Monday, and the style was listed as an “accident.”
Capilouto and Turner additionally despatched the campus group a message Tuesday evening in regards to the “tragic loss” of Hazelwood.
“First, two investigations have been launched by the college. UK Police already has begun its investigation and is within the strategy of interviewing folks. UK’s Workplace of Scholar Conduct additionally has begun a evaluate,” the message stated.
As soon as full, the message added, “each of those investigations can be made public together with any findings and suggestions, topic to obligatory redactions to guard the privateness of scholars.”
“However we’ll perceive higher what occurred and we’ll talk with Lofton’s household and our college household,” the message stated. “Third, as of as we speak, the College has suspended all actions for the FarmHouse Fraternity whereas these investigations are ongoing. The main focus of the chapter — and of college officers concerned on this evaluate — wants to stay fastened on understanding what occurred and discovering solutions.”
Who was Lofton Hazelwood?
Henderson native Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood, 18, was recognized by the Fayette County Coroner’s Workplace as the scholar who died.
Hazelwood was, the Kentucky Kernel reported, a first-year agricultural economics pupil at UK. In an announcement, his fraternity’s CEO referred to him as a “new member.”
Members of the family instructed Lexington media shops he was the youngest of 4 siblings and have become eager about agriculture after working a summer time job on a farm. He was a graduate of Henderson Excessive College, The Gleaner reported, the place he performed on the golf crew.
What’s the FarmHouse Fraternity?
The FarmHouse Fraternity is a Greek group based by college students on the College of Missouri in 1905. It was fashioned by male college students learning agriculture with the target of “constructing the Complete Man by way of four-fold growth: Intellectually, Spiritually, Socially/Morally and Bodily.”
The fraternity has been on UK’s campus since 1951, and it is one in every of 20 “social fraternities” — organizations ruled by the college’s Interfraternity Council — on the campus.
FarmHouse has 48 whole chapters on campuses within the U.S. and Canada.
Is hazing an issue on the College of Kentucky?
The character of Hazelwood’s demise has raised questions on whether or not hazing — the abuse of somebody in a company by different members, usually as an initiation — is at play.
Hazing is usually related to “Greek life” and has been cited in different circumstances of alcohol-related deaths on school campuses.
UK’s code of conduct defines hazing as “any motion or state of affairs created by a member of the College Neighborhood in opposition to one other member of the College Neighborhood for the aim of affiliation with a gaggle or group that: (a) Is negligent or reckless in nature; (b) Is humiliating or endangers a person; or (c) Unreasonably interferes with scholastic or employment actions.”
The code of conduct cites “pressured consumption of meals, alcohol, or medicine or different managed substances” for example of hazing habits.
People cited for hazing can face punishment ranging “from a warning to disciplinary expulsion,” and organizations might face “suspension or restriction from College property or revocation of Registered Scholar Group standing.”
“Violators of this coverage are topic to referral to acceptable regulation enforcement or College companies, in addition to to regional and nationwide affiliated places of work for teams and organizations, for motion or prosecution,” UK’s code of conduct states.
In line with publicly obtainable data, 10 pupil organizations on UK’s campus are at the moment dealing with “disciplinary probation” or the “revocation of registered pupil group standing.” All of these teams are accused of both hazing, “misuse of alcohol” and/or “hurt and risk of hurt.”
The FarmHouse Fraternity will not be listed as dealing with any disciplinary penalties.
Is ingesting an issue on the College of Kentucky?
Hazelwood’s demise has additionally raised questions on alcohol consumption amongst school college students.
In line with the college’s most up-to-date Clery report — a evaluate of crime statistics and security efforts federally funded universities are legally required to subject annually — three “liquor regulation arrests” had been made on or in shut proximity to UK’s foremost campus in 2020.
Nearly 700 “liquor regulation violations” on or in shut proximity to the principle campus had been “referred for disciplinary motion” in 2020, in line with the report. That is down from 2019, which noticed 822 cases, however up from the 627 reported in 2018.
Courier Journal reporter Billy Kobin contributed to this story.
Comply with Mary Ramsey on Twitter @mcolleen1996.
This text initially appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: College of Kentucky pupil Lofton Hazelwood useless in frat home
