The three SIUC students who filed for a preliminary injunction to be temporarily reinstated to the University are still waiting for a court date to be set.

In June, the University suspended the three women of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. for three years after an alleged hazing incident Oct. 3 through Oct. 7.

Last fall, Chantal Conley and Dominique Winston accused five sorority members and five prospective members of paddling, punching, pushing and threatening them as part of a potential review process to be inducted into the predominately black sorority.

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The three women with the harshest punishments – sorority President Tequeira Johnson, former President Nakia Collins and graduate chapter member Monet Williams – filed a lawsuit against the University in late August.

In the complaint, the students claimed their civil and constitutional rights were violated during the Student Judicial Affairs process. The suit cites the University violated the First, Fifth and 14th Amendments.

The University has until Oct. 7 to respond to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Benton. U.S. District Judge James L. Foreman is presiding over the case.

The lawsuit, which was filed by Carbondale attorneys Richard Fedder and Richard Whitney, asks for the court to grant a preliminary injunction to allow the students to continue their schooling until the case is settled. Johnson and Williams were set to graduate in May.

Once the University responds, the judge can decide that he has enough information based on the complaint and answer to make a decision for a preliminary injunction on the students’ behalf. The judge could decide to forgo a preliminary injunction hearing and proceed with the trial.

The women’s attorneys also filed a temporary restraining order against the University about two weeks ago. Fedder said they filed the restraining order as a way to fill the time until a date for the preliminary injunction hearing could be set. The judge denied the request. If granted, the order would have been for 10 days.

The University also suspended the undergraduate chapter of the sorority for five years for the hazing charges.

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Reporter Andrea Zimmermann can be reached at [email protected]