A court hearing was held Tuesday morning for nine Florida State University students facing criminal hazing charges. FSU President John Thrasher is optimistic new Greek life regulations will bring about a cultural change.
The Tallahassee Police Department in January charged nine members of the FSU Pi Kappa Phi fraternity with college hazing causing death or injury. This was after Pi Kappa Phi pledge Andrew Coffey died at a fraternity party in November.
Tuesday’s case management hearing is essentially a status report on where both sides – the prosecution and defense – are in the case. Prosecutors will try all nine students together. The next hearing is scheduled for February 20.
Meanwhile President Thrasher says he’s happy with the progress the university and fraternities and sororities have made.
“I think the loss of somebody on our campus has really focused the minds of everybody on what it takes to really be a university that supports its values and its culture," says Thrasher. "And so I feel very good about where we are.”
The hearing came on FSU Day at the Capitol.
Last week the university partially lifted a Greek life ban, but alcohol is still prohibited at events.
