Shutterstock
Fraternities at the University of California-Los Angeles have been indefinitely banned from hosting in-house events with alcohol.
According to a statement from the UCLA Interfraternity Council, the Interfraternity council’s executive board passed the ban at a meeting on Tuesday, January 16. The ban was confirmed by Kevin Dougherty, the director of fraternity and sorority life and associate dean of students. The sororities and fraternities involved in the ban were informed through text, messaging apps and email.
via Daily Bruin:
The ban follows an alleged sexual assault Saturday night in the North Village. UCPD responded Sunday morning to an alleged report of sexual assault Saturday night at a party on the 500 block of Gayley Avenue. Benjamin Orr, 21, was arrested and charged with assault with intent to commit rape and oral copulation. Orr, a UCLA student, was the 2016-2017 president of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity.
Orr was transferred to Los Angeles County jail before being released on $100,000 bail, and is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 5 at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse. A former member of the IFC executive council said he thinks instances of gender-based violence and discriminatory behaviors increased this academic school year, especially during fall quarter.
IFC Director Dougherty said that he thinks the ban is a “step in the right direction and that UCLA will ensure IFC and the chapters it oversees follow UCLA Student Conduct Code.” Furthermore, he added that UCLA works with UCPD and Campus Assault Resources and Education to respond to reports of inappropriate behavior, including sexual violence and sexual assault.
This is the latest fraternity suspension in the last year, as schools such as Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Texas State, Florida State, Ball State, Louisiana State and Penn State have all suspended fraternities.
