BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | Following the death of Baruch College student Chun Hsien “Michael” Deng in a violent hazing ritual, Councilmember Rosie Mendez is calling for an end to the dangerous and brutal practice.
According to reports, Deng, 19, who attended college in Mendez’s Council District 2, died of massive brain injuries from blunt head trauma after participating in an initiation ritual for Phi Delta Psi, an Asian-American frat, called “glass ceiling.”
During the ritual, which occurred in Pennsylvania on Sun., Dec. 8, Deng and several other pledges were blindfolded and made to wear backpacks loaded with 20 pounds of sand, while trying to run a gauntlet of fraternity brothers intent on repeatedly shoving them to the ground. According to law enforcement sources, the brothers were “very violent” with Deng. After he fell unconscious, they left him by a fireplace while they researched his condition on the Internet. Some of the frat brothers finally drove him to a local hospital an hour and a half later. He was placed on life support but removed from it on Mon., Dec. 9.
Authorities are reportedly in the process of interviewing at least 30 people and are expected to file criminal charges.
Baruch officials said it was an unsanctioned fraternity event and have suspending the frat’s privileges.
In a statement, Mendez said, “I extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of 19-year-old Chun Hsien ‘Michael’ Deng. Michael’s unfortunate death was a result of head trauma endured during a heinous hazing ritual by members of the Phi Delta Psi fraternity. Baruch College incorporates anti-hazing modules as part of their fraternity and sorority orientation and I commend them for taking such proactive measures. Additionally, I commend Baruch College for suspending Phi Delta Psi’s rights and privileges at the Baruch campus. While this does not bring back the life of a young man who strived in academics and wanted to pledge in a ‘cool’ Asian-American cultural fraternity — it sends a clear message that Baruch College has zero tolerance for hazing rituals.
“I ask that Phi Delta Psi, along with all fraternities and sororities, put an end to the abuse that is hazing and, to a certain extent, bullying of first-year students,” Mendez said. “I hope that Michael gets justice and that we have no more college students in Michael’s situation.”
