An Ohio University sorority trashed a West Virginia art center in March, using plates like missiles in food fights, dancing in puddles of alcohol and engaging in sexual activity on a sink, according to a letter sent from the center's director to the president of the chapter.
The Parkersburg Art Center filed an insurance claim for $46,055, accusing the OU chapter of Pi Beta Phi of causing the damages at its March 6 winter formal.
In a statement, the national sorority admitted someone stole keg taps from the center, but said the claims have been grossly exaggerated and that the chapter would fight the remaining charges. The statement also noted that the lawyer representing the center has been convicted of tax evasion.
Richard A. Hayhurst, the lawyer representing the center and husband of its director, Abby Hayhurst, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay $400,000 for tax evasion on April 14, according to the Internal Revenue Service's website.
The center plans to sue Anne Duffy, the president of OU's chapter of Pi Beta Phi; the Ohio Alpha chapter of Pi Beta Phi, the national Pi Beta Phi; the Pi Beta Phi Foundation and the OU Board of Trustees for the full cost of the damages, said Richard Hayhurst in an April 27 e-mail.
The center withheld the chapter's $1,200 security deposit and filed a police report one month after the event.
Abby Hayhurst wrote in an April 6 letter to Duffy that attendees of the event - who were not all members of the sorority - had food fights, poured out a bottle of alcohol on the dance floor, threw a glass-full of liquor onto the ceiling and ruined silk tablecloths and flowers.
Four people and a commercial cleaning company spent three days cleaning up the mess, which included urinals filled with feces and trash, other piles of trash, vomit and chewing gum on the carpet, according to the letter.
The letter also states that the bartender and caterers witnessed three different couples engaging in sexual activity in various places during the event.
The broken sink (which was in a location outside the area rented for your event) is a result of one of your members and her date attempting to have sexual relations on it
an act which was witnessed by the event's caterer Abby Hayhurst wrote.
The bartender hired for the event stated she feared for her safety when guests attempted to tear off her clothing and take the money in her apron pocket.
Repairs include stripping and refinishing the hardwood dance floor re-seating a sink
repainting a section of the Ballroom ceiling
replacing two beer keg 'tappers
' replacing the Ballroom carpeting and repainting much of the white baseboard woodwork
according to the letter.
The chapter met with officials from University Judiciaries last Wednesday to determine whether OU will also bring charges against the sorority. Sanctions for the OU chapter could include suspension, according to the university's Code of Conduct.
Miami University's chapter of Pi Beta Phi was recently suspended for a year after trashing a hotel lodge the chapter rented for its spring formal, according to a news release from the national sorority.
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Pamela Engel
