“Extreme” alcohol consumption — not tainted cocaine — sickened students at Boulder fraternity party, police now say

The Boulder Police Department on Tuesday said five college students at the Kappa Sigma fraternity became violently ill over the weekend after drinking an “extreme” amount of alcohol — an incident the agency originally had characterized as a rash of overdoses involving potentially tainted drugs.

Police initially reported that at least six men were were sick or overdosed Saturday night after consuming “a possibly tainted batch of cocaine at a party,” and that alcohol also was involved. That was based on the use of the overdose-reversal medication Narcan as well as evidence found at the scene and “initial information,” police said.

In Tuesday’s update, the department said it does not appear fentanyl was involved. The five students who were sickened “consumed an extreme amount of alcohol and some had consumed drugs, which led to them become violently ill,” police said.

Detectives seized cocaine at the scene, which they said is being tested.

Boulder police said five men were treated at the scene or taken to the hospital, and one of them — whose prognosis initially had been “grave” — remained hospitalized Tuesday.

Neither local nor national representatives of the Kappa Sigma fraternity responded to requests for comment from The Denver Post.

Kappa Sigma is among three “rogue” fraternities that do not belong to any of the established Greek oversight organizations at the University of Colorado.

Greek life at CU has been fractured since 2005, when Boulder fraternities — under scrutiny following the alcohol-fueled hazing death the year before of Chi Psi pledge Lynn “Gordie” Bailey — broke off from the campus after refusing to sign an agreement to delay rush until the spring each year and have live-in house supervisors.

The independent Interfraternity Council on the Hill — a student-run oversight organization now led by chief advocate Michael Smith — was born out of the split.

The council is made up of more than 20 fraternity chapters in Boulder with nearly 2,500 members, Smith said.

CU Boulder restarted its own fraternity council in 2015 and today has 10 active fraternity organizations affiliated that have agreed to university oversight.

Kappa Sigma was a part of the Interfraternity Council on the Hill up until about five years ago, Smith said. Kappa Sigma hosted parties that violated IFC on the Hill’s risk management rules, Smith said, prompting the split.

“They left the IFC after a series of events had them going to our judicial board,” Smith said. “They were going to suffer significant punishments and rather than be held accountable, they chose to leave.”

Sigma Pi and Phi Kappa Tau fraternities also do not belong to IFC on the Hill or CU’s fraternity council. In place of an oversight organization, Smith said fraternity alumni are expected to oversee what he referred to as the “rogue” fraternity houses.

“Their alums are far more concerned about the property than they are about their kids,” said Smith, referring to Kappa Sigma’s 27-bedroom fraternity house at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave.

Nicole Mueksch, a CU Boulder spokesperson, said the university can’t stop unaffiliated organizations from existing and it can’t engage in student conduct and conflict resolution processes with them.

“However, it’s important to note that all CU Boulder students are subject to our Student Code of Conduct, including students who are involved with unaffiliated organizations,” Mueksch said. “CU Boulder has established processes, including Student Conduct Resolution, to address incidents when students or recognized student organizations are alleged to have violated university policy.”

CU Boulder’s Division of Student Affairs, Counseling and Psychiatric Services and the Office of Victim Assistance are communicating with those directly impacted by the overdose incident and are providing support, Mueksch said.

The university is also working with the Boulder Police Department as the agency continues its criminal investigation. CU Boulder’s Division of Student Affairs will determine whether disciplinary action will be taken. Whether CU disciplines students for hazing will be determined by BPD’s investigation, Mueksch said.

Smith said he believes a fraternal organization not affiliated to an organization like IFC on the Hill is more susceptible to trouble.

IFC on the Hill drills into members that if there is any physical or mental distress with a fraternity brother, they call 911 and turn the students over to professionals.

“Quite frankly, that is the reason why we’ve gone 20 years without a death,” Smith said. “It is far more important to us that they be alive than keep their egos in check.”

IFC on the Hill has a crew that walks through every social event on the weekends keeping an eye on things, Smith said. They have multiple training sessions talking to students about the importance of calling 911 at the first sign of medical distress and educating students about drugs, alcohol, mental health, sexual assault and consent.

“The drug and alcohol issues in Boulder are substantial,” Smith said. “It’s hard to manage those. The university tries, but I’m not sure they go far enough.”

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