One Copy: Free. 10,000? Priceless.

What is being called an "ill-conceived prank" by its members has caused more problems for a fraternity already in hot water for breaking the rules at the Chapel Hill campus of the University of North Carolina. Members of Sigma Chi thought that taking more than 10,000 copies of the school's newspaper early in the morning would keep the students in the dark over a front-page story on their hazing violations and a three-year suspension.

Campus police were called in to investigate the taking of the newspapers. A number of the fraternity brothers said they didn't realize that it was against the law to take so many copies of the free newspaper.

In a letter to the Daily Tar Heel and the university community, Sigma Chi said, "Our actions were unethical and immature; however we did not realize that they were illegal at the time."

The fraternity was found guilty of seven violations of Greek-system rules; penalties have not been decided.

-- Jill F. Bartscht