Sophomore out of GW Hospital after apparent fall

Tau Kappa Epsilon member Ben Golden was released from the GW Hospital last week, hospital officials said, after spending a week at the facility due to an apparent fall from his fraternity’s house.

While hospital officials have declined to speak about the sophomore’s condition or injuries since Golden was admitted May 10, Tau Kappa Epsilon member Mike Heenan told The Hatchet after the incident that the student sustained some broken bones in his legs.

University and Metropolitan police officials on scene May 10 were seen pointing to the top of the three-story Tau Kappa Epsilon residence, located at 621 22nd St. Students gathered near the house were overheard saying that Golden either jumped or fell from a part of the building.

Tracy Schario, GW’s director of media relations, wrote in an e-mail Friday that Student Judicial Services, working with GW’s Office of Greek Life, is continuing its investigation of the incident and may issue sanctions on the organization, the individual or individuals involved or both after the investigation’s conclusion. SJS has also contacted the Tau Kappa Epsilon national organization, which may also have its own disciplinary process.

“SJS is working to resolve the investigation in a timely manner, while being sensitive to the welfare of the injured individual, and in a fashion which accommodates finals schedules,” Schario wrote.

A statement released Monday by Mike Krinecky, Tau Kappa Epsilon’s vice president, said “details of the incident have been compiled and submitted to the University.” Krinecky did not elaborate on what the details of the incident were and Schario said she still does not know what happened. SJS officials could not be reached for comment.

Golden was transported to the emergency room at the GW Hospital around 1 a.m. May 10. As of Friday afternoon, hospital officials said Golden had checked out “a few days ago.”

While in the hospital, Golden declined to speak with The Hatchet regarding the incident. Golden’s parents also did not return phone calls from The Hatchet last week.

-Katie Rooney

CI activities to take place at Mount Vernon

Colonial Inauguration, GW’s summer orientation program for incoming freshmen, will feature a day of programming on the Mount Vernon Campus this year.

The second day of the three-day program, which has been held almost exclusively in Foggy Bottom in the past, will feature the traditional Buff and Blue Barbeque, Columbian College advising and a number of presentations. In previous years, only the Women’s Leadership Program, which is housed exclusively on the former women’s college, had CI events at Mount Vernon.

“We felt that students haven’t had a lot of direction on day two, and I think having things done this way, for me, will add a little bit of structure,” said Renee Clement, assistant director for orientation. She added that events will take place from around 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Clement said the idea to put a large portion of CI events on Mount Vernon has been in the works for about two years.

At Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting, Dean of Freshmen Fred Siegel, who doubles as the Mount Vernon administrator, said he hopes that during CI some students will be motivated to live at the Foxhall Campus, which is not as popular for housing as some Foggy Bottom dorms.

Robert Snyder, director of Mount Vernon Campus Life, said the CI events at GW’s alternate campus will promote Mount Vernon, which is sometimes forgotten or shunned by students who see it as a long haul from Foggy Bottom.

“Mount Vernon Campus Life is always looking to cooperate with Colonial Inauguration to make sure it is well represented,” Snyder said. “So this was part of the evolution of that discussion.”

Snyder said that the number of students who will need to move from the flagship campus, where CI participants reside during the orientation, will be the same as the load of students who trek to Mount Vernon on a regular class day. He said that the Mount Vernon Shuttle, which operates on a limited schedule over the summer, will run more often.

“We’re going to operate as if it would be a normal class day,” he said.

Snyder added that the Mount Vernon Campus Life staff is “excited” to promote the alternate campus and help improve the CI experience.

-Gabriel Okolski