Limsetone President Statement (archives 2006)

This was different from the Zach Dunleavy death.
Thanks to Josh on this one.

Limestone College president fuming over hazing
By LARRY HILLIARD Ledger Staff Writer larry@gaffneyledger.com

“I haven’t come to a decision yet, but there is a possibility of more forfeits of games. … Supposedly the initiation of the freshmen was all voluntary. But it still falls under my definition of hazing.” — Dr. WALT GRIFFIN Limestone College president

Hazing — long a rite of passage for fraternities, sororities and some college athletic teams — won’t be tolerated at Limestone College.

That’s the message president Dr. Walt Griffin is expected to send today when he announces further sanctions on the baseball team.

The sanctions could range from 5-game suspensions for players to additional forfeitures of games. The team forfeited a 3-game weekend series to Augusta State.

“I will meet with the team on Monday afternoon and there will be some further punishment,” Griffin said. “I haven’t come to a decision yet, but there is a possibility of more forfeits of games.”

Disciplinary action will also likely be taken against longtime baseball coach Chico Lombardo, who recently won his 300th game at the school and guided the Saints to the 2005 regular-season conference championship.

“We feel very strongly that coaches are responsible for the actions of their players both on and off the field,” Griffin said.

The alleged hazing incident came to light Friday morning when various news agencies, including The Gaffney Ledger, received an e-mail about photos posted on a Web site.

According to the e-mail, Limestone freshman baseball players were “welcomed” to the team with a night of full scale hazing. The e-mail said the pictures showed players wearing boxers or jock straps being doused with chocolate and molasses and then coated with flour.

The photos also showed that some of the players had received special haircuts, the e-mail said.

The e-mail concluded with the statement: “Surely Limestone College does not tolerate hazing, and will take action.”

Griffin said the hazing ritual occurred off campus and with the apparent consent of the players.

“Supposedly the initiation of the freshmen was all voluntary,” he said. “But it still falls under my definition of hazing.”

According to the Limestone College policy manual, hazing is any “conduct or methods of initiation into any student organization, whether public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endanger the physical or mental health of any student or other person.”