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The University of Iowa has suspended nine fraternities for violating a moratorium on alcohol at fraternity and sorority parties.
According to university officials, Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Pi Kappi Phi, Acacia, Sigma Pi, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Delta Chi were suspended on Wednesday, October 11, due to violations of the university’s code of conducts.
The organizations are accused of violating a drinking moratorium that was put into place back in 2017 after University of Iowa student tragically passed away at a fraternity event.
Due to the suspensions, the Greek life organizations cannot participate in some organization-sponsored meetings, programs, social events, intramural sports or homecoming activities.
At a news conference on Wednesday, October 10, University of Iowa vice president Melissa Shivers said that “the blatant and systemic failure to curb holding dangerous open events with alcohol, including tailgates, will stop” as a result of the suspensions.
via The Gazette:
The university last year placed a moratorium on Greek parties with alcohol and out-of-town formals after freshman Kamil Jackowski, 19, died while attending a Sigma Chi event at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri in April 2017. The Camden County Sheriff’s Office told The Gazette Jackowski died from alcohol and drugs.
The university last fall rolled out a “formal and date party pilot” program for its 36 fraternities and sororities, allowing the Greek houses to hold one event with alcohol under strict guidelines and monitoring.
Groups interested in participating in the program must submit applications, including guest lists; mandate wristbands for of-age attendees limiting them to five drinks per event and no more than two drinks an hour; and allow impromptu security checks — in addition to hired event monitors.
Only beer, wine, and hard cider is allowed at the events, which must also have non-alcoholic options. Only a handful of groups participated in that pilot program last fall and in the spring.
The suspension of nine fraternities at the University of Iowa is the latest major fraternity or sorority lawsuit, investigation, suspension or closure 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 in the wake of hazing and alcohol deaths.
These reports come amidst similar allegations that have been made against fraternities nationwide, including Sigma Alpha Epsilon at East Carolina University, who was shut down for hazing and the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at the University of Arkansas which has been accused of taking sexually explicit photographs of women without their permission.
In response to incidents like these, fraternities such Phi Kappa Psi have made numerous changes to their code of conduct in an effort to address the issues that have arisen. In addition, schools such as Texas State, West Virginia University, and Penn State University have introduced new Greek Life rules to try and prevent these problems.
