The University of Maryland has ordered all fraternities and sororities to cease operations immediately and indefinitely. The university’s Division of Student Affairs sent out a notice Friday, saying several chapters were engaging in dangerous activities. A letter sent to interfraternity organizations states that several chapters “have been engaging in activities that have threatened the safety and well-being of members of the university community.” “The letter says the university warned about behavior on Thursday before new allegations of misconduct surfaced on Friday. The university said it was conducting an investigation. The university released its own statement Monday evening. “Fraternity and sorority life is an important part of the academic and social experience at the University of Maryland. Our decision to suspend new members and alcohol-related activities was made after careful review of reports, observations and data-driven analysis of behaviors that we believed posed a threat to safety and security. the well-being of certain members of our community. No single or specific incident led to this decision. Our decision was made to prevent such a major incident. “Our investigation is a demonstrated commitment to prioritizing a safe and healthy campus environment. “We plan to bring in an external resource to assist with an investigation that moves forward as quickly as possible, and we aim to remain in close coordination with chapter and council presidents, as well as national organizations and advisors in the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life. We are also actively identifying the best ways to communicate with fraternity and sorority alumni now and in the future. “The fraternity eventually let me know that the house was under police investigation, letting me know that my room would be searched while I was gone,” Flannery said. Current members have been ordered to have no contact with new and prospective members. , and those who violate the order will be subject to disciplinary action. Some students 11 News spoke with Monday said they think it’s unfair to suspend all Greek organizations for the actions of a few. “I don’t think all fraternities should be disbanded. I think it’s a little too harsh, but I think fraternities that are struggling should be punished in some way,” Wale Adelaja said , a student. “I don’t think it’s a UMd problem. I think it’s just a fraternity problem that’s gone too far.” Some students told 11 News they wonder about the long-term implications of this radical action for Greek life on campus. “Not allowed to talk to the older girls. So it just creates a divide between all the classes,” said Chloe Zegas, a student. “I think it’s crazy, but, as Maryland is becoming a more academically smart school, I think they’re just trying to get Greek life off campus and focus more on the academic side. “Whatever the future holds, if there has been wrongdoing, students hope the organization will be held accountable.” I think it’s a fair warning to make sure other fraternities hold each other accountable to make sure no one goes too far,” Adelaja said. “There are only rumors about this which really happened. Everybody talks about it. That was kind of the big talking point of the weekend,” Flannery said. “I hope that if the rumors are true about what happened, I hope that at least the fraternity suspected of “having done some pretty horrible things will at least be suspended for the rest of the year.”
The University of Maryland has ordered all fraternities and sororities to cease operations immediately and indefinitely.
The university’s Division of Student Affairs sent out a notice Friday, saying several sections were engaging in dangerous activities.
A letter sent to interfraternist organizations indicates that several sections “carried out activities that threatened the safety and well-being of members of the university community.”
THE letter states that the university warned about the behavior on Thursday before new allegations of misconduct surfaced on Friday. The university said it was investigating.
The university released its own statement Monday evening.
“Fraternity and sorority life is an important part of the academic and social experience at the University of Maryland. Our decision to suspend new member and alcohol-related activities was made after careful review of reports , observations and analysis of behaviors based on the data we have We deemed this to be a threat to the safety and well-being of some members of our community. No single or specific incidents led to this decision. Our decision was taken to avoid such a major incident.
“Our survey demonstrates a demonstrated commitment to prioritizing a safe and healthy campus environment.
“We plan to bring in an external resource to assist with an investigation that moves forward as quickly as possible, and we aim to remain in close coordination with chapter and council presidents, as well as national organizations and council advisors. Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life We are also actively identifying the best ways to communicate with fraternity and sorority alumni now and in the future.
Griffin Flannery, a student who is not a member of a fraternity but lives in a house on Fraternity Row, said police searched all the houses over the weekend.
“The fraternity eventually let me know that the house was under police investigation, letting me know that my room would be searched while I was gone,” Flannery said.
Current members are ordered to have no contact with new and prospective members, and those who violate this order will face disciplinary action.
Some students 11 News spoke with Monday said they think it’s unfair to suspend all Greek organizations for the actions of a few.
“I don’t think all fraternities should be disbanded. I think it’s a little too harsh, but I think fraternities that are struggling should be punished in some way,” Wale Adelaja said , a student. “I don’t think it’s a UMd problem. I think it’s just a fraternity problem that’s gone too far.”
Some students told 11 News they question the long-term implications of this drastic action on Greek life on campus.
“It’s just sad because the younger girls aren’t allowed to talk to the older girls. So it just creates a divide between all the classes,” said Chloe Zegas, a student. “I think it’s crazy, but, as Maryland is becoming a more academically smart school, I think they’re just trying to get Greek life off campus and focus more on the side academic.”
Whatever the future holds, if there is wrongdoing, students hope the organization will be held accountable.
“I think it’s a fair warning to make sure that other fraternities hold others accountable to make sure that no one goes too far,” Adelaja said.
“There’s just rumors about what really happened. Everyone’s talking about it. It’s kind of been the big talking point of the weekend,” Flannery said. “I hope that if the rumors about what happened are true, I hope that at least the fraternity suspected of doing some pretty horrible things will at least be suspended for the rest of the year.”
