Penn State University Suspends Chi Phi House After High School Student's Death

Penn State's Chi Phi fraternity has been suspended following the death of a 17-year-old. He was visiting the main campus at an off-campus house over the weekend.

State College police stated they were called to a medical emergency involving the teen at the house. They found Jack Schoenig, a high school hockey player, in full cardiac arrest inside the west college avenue house at 9.30 p.m Saturday.

The authorities could not revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities did not fid trauma on his body.

The police also added that several witnesses were present when the victim fell unconscious. An autopsy to determine the cause of death is scheduled to be done by the Centre County Coroner’s office.

Penn State University confirmed the teen was not a member of the campus. They did not release any other information concerning his visit to the university or how he ended up at the fraternity house.

They did release a statement offering their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the young teen Tuesday. The incident comes two years after a hazing death of a 19-year-old sophomore and pledge at the same university.

The deceased, Tom Piazza, made the school the central point in an argument concerning extreme hazing rituals done on rushing pledges by fraternities and sororities at institutions of higher learning all over the country.

It even sparked calls to bring lasting change to the system or to dismantle the Greek system altogether. In response, Penn State announced several reforms that prevented hazing and hampered the heavy partying lifestyle that characterized the Greek lifestyle on campus.

The reforms came four months following the death of Piazza, which happened during a Beta Theta Pi ritual, where he was made to drink copious amounts of alcohol and then sustained trauma after falling down a flight of stairs.

The school has since had a zero-tolerance policy on hazing, and they shortened the pledging process.

In this current case, Penn State released a statement declaring an interim suspension of the Alpha Delta Chapter of the Chi Phi fraternity, which is a member of the inter-fraternity council, until more information on the case comes to light.

The interim suspension means the group is going to lose privileges as a recognized organization till after the result of the investigations.

The organization may not participate or attend the functions or university-wide events during this time.