Month: March 2009

Students, administrators react to SUNY Geneseo student’s death

A sophomore at SUNY Geneseo is found dead at an off-campus party. Monday, we found out he was pledging a fraternity and police believe hazing is involved.

An autopsy was performed this afternoon, but no word on what caused the death of Arman Partamian.

Police believe the 19 year old from Flushing, New York, drank too much alcohol. He was biology major and a volunteer with the Geneseo Fire Department.

“It’s kind of shocking that it actually did happen,” says Jess McKenna a Geneseo Junior

Freshman Ben Jay says, “Frat parties here have a tendency to be quite crazy.”

“It’s tragic,” says Sophomore Ryan O’Connor “Of course, a lot of people knew him on campus”

The news of what happened over the weekend at this off-campus frat house spread fast on the SUNY Geneseo campus.

“This is a terrible tragedy for us and we’re all grieving and mourning,” says Dr. Robert Bonfiglio SUNY Geneseo’s Vice President for Student and Campus Life

Arman Partamian was a sophomore and lived here in Ontario Hall. But on Saturday, he was here at the PIG house off campus.

“The only purpose I’ve seen that this fraternity engages in is drinking,” says Major Mark Haas of the New York State Police.

State Police say Partamian had been drinking since one o’clock Saturday afternoon. They say he consumed everything from beer to champagne, to gin and vodka. Investigators say he was pledging to be a PIG, and to be a member – you have to drink.

“Could be beer football, beer pong, dizzy bat were some of the games these pledges were required to participate in.”

By 11 o’clock Sunday morning Partamian was dead. SUNY Geneseo officials have banned PIGS from campus in the past after two students were hospitalized after a party. That was years ago. Now a student is dead.

“What we have here is a mixture of college students, alcohol and bad judgment.” said Dr. Bonfiglio.

The University wants the PIGS shutdown, but all they can do is discourage students from joining what they call the renegade or underground fraternity.

Students we spoke with know the PIGS’ reputation.

“They’re tended to be more extreme in their activities so I know a lot of people try to avoid that particular organization,” says McKenna.

Partamian was just two weeks into the pledging process. Now the chess club champs and Boy Scout leader will never be a part of the fraternity.

“From all accounts this was a guy whose future was nothing but bright and that only magnifies what a sad, sad day this is for us,” said Dr. Bonfiglio.

At this point, no arrests have been made but police are looking into who provided the alcohol at the party and SUNY Geneseo is looking to immediately suspend any students involved at least temporarily.

We’re told Partamian had a rare blood disease called Evan’s syndrome, no word if that contributed to his death.

The house where Partamian was found dead had to be re-built after it burned to the ground in February of 1999.

20-year-old Jesse Rodgers died in that fire.

He was a student at SUNY Geneseo. The house belonged to the Omega Beta Psi fraternity at the time of the fire.

NYC student who died had been drinking for hours

Newsday Staff Writer
A 19-year-old college student found dead in an off-campus house in western New York drank a large amount of alcohol in the hours before he died, state police said Monday.

Arman Partamian was among 20 to 30 people who attended a party Saturday near the State University of New York at Geneseo, where he was studying biology.

Partamian, a sophomore from Queens, began drinking Saturday afternoon, was helped to bed late that night and was found dead the next morning by another student, said Trooper Mark O’Donnell, a state police spokesman.

“We believe that he started drinking about 1 o’clock Saturday afternoon, drank for a very long, extended time, took a break for a few hours and then started back up,” O’Donnell said. “A few friends helped him to bed … close to midnight … and he was found around 11 a.m. on Sunday unresponsive.” It could take up to two months to complete toxicology tests and determine the cause of death, O’Donnell said, adding that investigators have interviewed several people who attended the party.

Partamian lived in a residence hall on campus. He was a member of Geneseo’s volunteer fire department.

tory

SUNY Geneseo president’s new statement on the death of Arman Partamian

SUNY Geneseo President Christopher Dahl has released a statement on the death of Arman Partamian:

Dealing with the tragic and untimely death of a student is one of the most difficult tasks I or any college president can face. I send my deepest sympathies to Arman’s family, friends and fellow students.  He was a promising and talented student who was making a difference with his campus and community involvement.  While the official police report is pending, alcohol consumption was probably a factor in his death. Given this information, we are resolved to continue our aggressive educational efforts to ensure that all of our students are aware of the dangers of hazing and excessive alcohol consumption.

The organization that allegedly sponsored the party where Arman died is not affiliated with or recognized by the College or its Office of Greek Affairs. We are adamant about educating all students on campus — including those involved in our legitimate Greek organizations – regarding College policies on hazing and alcohol consumption. For example, new pledges of recognized fraternities and sororities are required to take a workshop on hazing policies.  In addition, our fraternities and sororities sign an anti-hazing pledge each semester acknowledging that they know, understand and will abide by hazing policies.  Each group has an advisor who is, in nearly all cases, a member of the College’s faculty or staff.

We strongly condemn irresponsible organizations that ignore the expectations and values of the College, recruit students like Arman and then encourage behavior that puts their lives at risk. We will continue to do all that is legally within our power to eliminate the detrimental influence these renegade organizations have on our students and community.

Minor hazing incident