The Keene State College Community Standards Office handed down a year-long active suspension to the school’s Lambda Sigma chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), following several alcohol-related violations and a noise complaint.
The violations included three instances of “hosting an alcohol function,” one instance of “purchasing or providing alcohol to a minor,” and one “off-campus city code violation.”
The active suspension means TKE has lost the privilege of being recognized as a student organization at the college until May 9, 2025.
Additionally, TKE will be placed on deferred suspension for two semesters upon reaffiliation, during which sanctions will be in place including: requiring a representative from national headquarters appearing at recruitment, elections and initiation; no off-campus events, obtaining a KSC-affiliated advisor and increased organizational attendance at a variety of education programs for recruitment, health and safety and sexual violence prevention, among others.
During the deferred suspension, TKE must also hold all meetings on campus upon reaffiliation and provide meeting minutes to advisors and national headquarters, according to a May 1 email sent to the chapter by community standards detailing the disciplinary actions, which were reached through the negotiated agreement process.
‘The culture of this organization isn’t changing’
This suspension was not the first time the fraternity received disciplinary action though. TKE had received sanctions for similar violations as recently as December 15, 2023. The organization had received them after being found responsible for three community standards violations at the time, including ‘hosting an alcohol function where underage students consumed alcohol,’ ‘off-campus city code violations,’ and ‘purchasing or providing alcohol to minors.’
Following the 2023 sanctions, the organization looked to turn the chapter on its controversial past and re-introduce itself to campus.
Members of TKE briefly spoke on stage during the student organization summit in the Fall of 2023, and caught the attention of The Keene Sentinel for hosting a ‘Hot Ones’ style fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Brandon Carta, former student center programs coordinator and advisor to the interfraternity council (IFC), said TKE’s president, KSC junior Will Krenicky, made a good-faith effort to change the organization’s reputation.
“I do think that [Krenicky] did a really good job of trying to change the chapter and actually really did a good job developing a lot of change. The problem was it was a little too late,” Carta said.
Carta also noted TKE’s history of misconduct.
“There have been since I’ve been here, several [ambulance] transports, several issues where people will come back to campus and report things … not necessarily high level, but enough that we could say ‘The culture of this organization isn’t changing,’” Carta added.
When classes resumed in January 2024, TKE entered the semester with no sanctions, and the opportunity for a fresh start was still open for the chapter.
‘Highly intoxicated’: The January party
However, just a week later, a 19-year-old student was found lying on his side and covered in vomit at TKE’s 431 Main St. property, according to a Keene Police Department (KPD) narrative written by Sergeant Timothy Richmond obtained by The Equinox via Right-to-Know request.
KPD units were dispatched to the house at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 28.
Partygoers began leaving during the incident at the instruction of TKE house residents, according to the narrative.
“The male was covered in vomit and would occasionally gurgle and vomit while in my presence,” Richmond stated in the report.
Richmond added that no one at the party knew how much the student had to drink or for how long he had been inside the house.
“I told them to make smarter decisions about who they let in from that point forward,” Richmond stated.
The student was transported to the Cheshire Medical Center (CMC) emergency room for an alcohol overdose.
However, this was not the only incident connected to the fraternity that occurred that night.
A KSC Department of Campus Safety and Compliance report described an event in which a student was transported from campus after being identified as “highly intoxicated.”
The narrative states that the student had been involved in a physical altercation, was knocked unconscious and was unable to regain consciousness.
“Witnesses indicated they all met up at the TKE house and then proceeded back to campus where the incident unfolded,” the narrative states.
In a June 5 interview with The Equinox, Assistant Dean of Students Kat Dougherty said the Community Standards Office was made aware of the January incidents and Dougherty requested additional information from KSC’s Keene Police Liaison Officer Jack LaPorte. However, the office did not initiate the student organizational misconduct process until a second incident in February.
‘Everything has a sense of urgency’: The February party
At 10:39 p.m. on Saturday, February 10, KPD units were dispatched to the TKE house for a noise disturbance stemming from a large gathering.
“Upon arrival, a party of about 350 students was cleared out. Residents were not overly cooperative,” a note written by a responding officer stated.
TKE President Krenicky was written the ticket and fined $155, with no court appearance required.
The Community Standards Office also stated in its suspension notice that TKE was “hosting an alcohol function,” on the same night in which the fraternity provided an environment for an underage person to consume alcohol.
“We were able to leverage both of those incidents in our first communication to [TKE],” Dougherty said. “I would say that everything has a sense of urgency.”
‘Denied’: The March party
While the fraternity was actively engaged in an organizational misconduct process, a third and final incident occurred at the house.
On Saturday, March 2 at 1:54 a.m., KPD units were dispatched to the TKE house once more, but this time for a report of sexual assault.
According to a narrative written by LaPorte obtained by The Equinox, the assault was reported by a female first-year student at KSC who said the assault was perpetrated by a resident of the house, who was also a member of TKE.
“They stated a male member of the fraternity named [redacted] had forced her to have sex with him,” LaPorte stated in the narrative. The female was transported to CMC shortly after for examination.
The officers were then led into the second floor of the house by Krenicky, according to the narrative, and instructed the alleged perpetrator to exit the room until a search warrant was secured.
LaPorte noted that he seized a condom from the male that he had in his pocket, and interviewed two subjects who were at the house during the alleged assault.
“He stated that he did not hear anything in that room take place and was not aware that [redacted] nor [redacted] were in there,” LaPorte stated.
Another witness stated she had a brief conversation with the alleged victim about “looking for someone” but did not hear much beyond that until after the alleged assault.
“I asked [redacted] if there was any reason that [redacted] would lie about this to which she stated no,” LaPorte wrote.
LaPorte was called to CMC to assist the alleged victim in filling out an emergency protective order against the alleged assaulter, which a judge shortly thereafter granted.
LaPorte went back to the house with Richmond and seized several other relevant items for the investigation.
KPD Officer Nicholas Pannell wrote in his narrative to note he was dispatched to CMC to retrieve a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination (SANE) kit from a nurse which was filed into evidence.
KPD Lieutenant Collin Zamore detailed the alleged assault in his narrative.
“His story went right to [redacted] being worried about people being able to look in through the windows and so [redacted] turned off the LED lights that are hung up,” he stated.
Zamore added that the alleged assaulter said the entire encounter was consensual. Zamore also noted that at one point the alleged assaulter changed his story to say he had taken her pants off.
“He also stated he had no idea why [redacted] would be accusing him of anything,” Zamore stated.
KPD Patrol Officer Cameron Chamberlain’s narrative states his interaction with the alleged victim.
“[redacted] told us that she attempted to stand her ground and said “no” multiple times, further stating that while she was saying no, [redacted] kept begging her,” Chamberlain wrote.
The alleged victim also added the interaction had lasted “an hour tops,” and that weapons were not involved.
KPD Lieutenant Joel Chidester stated in his narrative the alleged victim, an advocate from the Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention (MCVP), Title IX Coordinator Jeff Maher and Sexual Misconduct and Bias Investigator Kelli Jo Harper spoke together with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations and reviewed the alleged victim’s interview.
Chidester said prior to the TKE event, the alleged victim claimed to not consume any alcohol or illicit drugs, and while at the house she drank a single White Claw which she brought and a “couple sips” from someone else’s drink.
A March 26 court hearing was held for the purpose of the alleged victim obtaining a stalking order, but following an ensuing April 16 hearing, the petition was denied and the temporary order was vacated.
“At the conclusion of this hearing the judge took this matter under advisement and did not issue a decision from the bench. I was later informed that the petition for the order was denied,” Chidester wrote.
The case was sent to the Cheshire County Attorney’s Office for review.
KSC Campus Safety was notified of the incident by Title IX Coordinator Maher on the day of the incident.
“The Title IX Office is handling this matter. Keene PD has an investigation ongoing as well,” the narrative, penned by Director of Campus Safety and Compliance Chris Buckley, stated.
In response to a right-to-know request sent to the Title IX Office and community standards, it was confirmed that no students were found responsible for sexual misconduct, nor were there any hearings held during the spring semester.
‘A constellation of violations’
Assistant Dean of Students Dougherty was unable to speak to the sexual assault case, but noted the Community Standards Office received information about the March 2 party from a student complaint filed, which included evidence of students performing “keg stands,” consistent with KPD documents.
“A number of individuals, three or four that are documented as being underage, consuming alcohol were at that particular event,” Dougherty said.
She noted underage in this context meant under the legal drinking age of 21.
She also spoke to the added factor of the third incident.
“Sometimes when there’s a constellation of violations like we see here, in this case, it’s best to address them altogether as opposed to isolated into their particular incidents,” Dougherty said.
Dougherty said one key factor is considered more than others when looking at what punishments to hand down in the student organizational misconduct process.
“What really impacts the outcome and the sanctions is the severity of the behavior,” Dougherty said.
Dougherty also explained the rationale behind including a deferred suspension for TKE following the active suspension.
“That would really be Community Standards’ way to say the organization really needs to live by their values, abide by the code of conduct, not violate any local state, federal laws, or that they would be at risk of further sanctions,” Dougherty said.
Though TKE will be able to apply for reaffiliation following the academic year’s end, former IFC advisor Carta was skeptical of its prospects.
“My guess if I were to predict the future is that a different fraternity will come first and TKE will come back in maybe three or four years which I think is actually probably better for the chapter long term,” Carta said. “I think they will be more sustainable if they can sort of clear out the current culture of the group and really have their headquarters come in and start over.”
Gregory Roskopf, chief risk officer at TKE’s National Headquarters, shared a statement on May 9 with The Equinox.
“We appreciate the working relationship TKE has with Keene State and on bringing this matter to resolution. By our internal policy, we do not typically comment on student conduct matters and have no further comment at this time,” Roskopf wrote.
TKE President Will Krenicky and TKE Recruitment Chair Lucas Hare did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Nathan Hope can be contacted at
