CSUN Considers What to Do About Bell-Theft Prank

Cal State Northridge administrators said Thursday that they are considering what actions to take against fraternity members who stole a historical El Camino Real bell as a prank.

William C. Watkins, assistant vice president for student life, said he expects to decide next Tuesday what to do to the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity after four pledges stole a 100-pound bell from the San Fernando Mission in January.

Although the pledges were reprimanded by the fraternity, administrators--tipped off to the theft--told the school’s Interfraternity Council to investigate.

On Monday, the panel of fraternity representatives deemed the actions inappropriate and called for the chapter to lose almost all of its privileges for a year--including a ban on holding rush, intramural or social events.

“It is interesting because it is the Greek system coming together and taking a look at one of their parts,” said Watkins. “The incident reflects poorly on all of them.”

Mario Menanno, president of Pi Kappa Alpha, also known as the Pikes, said he thinks the council is being too hard on the fraternity.

“We returned the bell before the administration found out,” he said. “And we took steps to rectify the situation. We tried to act responsibly.” He said when the pledges showed the bell to their fraternity leaders at an initiation ceremony, the leaders admonished the pledges and called the San Fernando Mission to arrange to return the bell.

The mission pastor was forgiving when the bell was returned and would not press criminal charges against the fraternity. The bell is one of 21 erected in 1909 to mark the 700-mile El Camino Real, the road built to connect California’s missions in the Spanish colonial period, laying out the route for much of what is today California 101.

Menanno said the four pledges are on probation, required to perform 15 hours of community service and to organize a service event that all the fraternity brothers could participate in that would directly benefit the mission.