Greek system is under fire for multiple violations

With the recent number of disciplinary incidents involving members of the on-campus Greek system, many Tufts community members have found themselves wondering whether or not the system is falling apart.

Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Todd Sullivan said he does not believe the situation to be that bad.

"[The Greek system] is not falling apart, but we have serious concerns," he said. "This semester was very difficult. I don't know if we know yet what led to all of these things happening this semester but we're going to follow up on that."

The Chi Alpha chapter of the Chi Omega sorority will be suspended for one year starting on May 22. The charges of "participating in the hazing of fraternity pledges," "participating in the distribution of alcohol to underage individuals," and "contributing to the endangerment of others," were brought against the chapter by the Dean of Students Office.

According to a press release from the Office of Community Relations, each charge relates to the participation of Chi Omega members in the fraternity pledge activities of Delta Tau Delta (DTD). One such activity occurred at the Chi Alpha chapter house, while another occurred at an off-campus apartment on Feb. 25 and 26.

According to Chi Alpha chapter president Elizabeth Thys, the chapter has appealed the University sanctions and is awaiting a response.

After a University investigation regarding incidents occurring on Feb. 26 and 27 found that freshman pledge Ian McPherran stopped breathing during an alcohol-related pledge event at the chapter house, the Beta Mu chapter of the DTD fraternity was shut down for a year, and is on probation until 2007.

The fraternity had agreed to remain dry during the 2004-2005 school year following three disciplinary charges brought against it in the 2003-2004 school year.

Additionally, the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) found a keg of beer in the Kappa chapter of Zeta Psi fraternity on April 8 of this year. The chapter is currently in the second year of a two-year probationary period and no alcohol is permitted on the fraternity's premises until this probationary period lapses.

Zeta Psi chapter president junior Joshua Cohn said he had no information regarding the condition of his fraternity for the next semester, and could not comment on the fraternity's stance with regard to the accusations.

"I simply hope that this matter will be handled by the [Committee on Fraternities and Sororities (CFS)] in an appropriate manner," he said. "Zeta Psi truly looks forward to ending our probationary period after two-plus years of cooperation with Tufts and positive behavior and influence within the Greek system."

The Greek system came under further criticism after junior Riyadh Mohammed alleged that three Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) brothers physically attacked him on the night of April 30. According to Mohammed, an Arab student, the attack was racially motivated.

According to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, there is an ongoing investigation into the allegations, with TUPD working as the primary investigator in conjunction with the district attorney's office.

"[Mohammed] has not yet said whether he intends to pursue criminal charges," Reitman said.

Because the incident is still under criminal investigation, Sig Ep chapter president junior Patrick Willis could not comment on the accusations except to say that the fraternity is cooperating with the authorities in the investigation.

Additionally, senior Marcus Mattingly, 23, a Delta Upsilon (DU) brother, was arrested in connection with drug trafficking on April 13. Massachusetts State Police found 280 grams of cocaine, assorted drug paraphernalia and large amounts of cash in Mattingly's unregistered vehicle and in his DU bedroom.

Mattingly's arrest was not fraternity-related - in fact, he was evicted and expelled from the fraternity that day - but his arrest garnered a great deal of attention from local media who described him as a "Delta Upsilon brother at Tufts University."

Greek leaders, such as DTD President junior Noah Ornstein, said they strongly believe that there will be negative effects if the University goes too far with disciplinary measures against fraternities and sororities.

"Despite specific grievances people may have with some of the members, the presence of DTD and other Greek organizations is as big of an allure to lads and lasses looking at schools as any of the academic attributes," Ornstein said. "Greek organizations are the keystone of on-campus social life."

"Without a Greek system and places to go for many non-Greeks to party, underage drinking in the dorms would go way up," Cohn added. "This drinking would occur in an unmonitored [setting]."

Due to what he views as poor campus social life, Ornstein said he is upset with the disciplinary action taken upon DTD and other Greek organizations.

"Despite what my mother says, Tufts is not a cool school," he said. "Thus I find it particularly strange that the University would be willing to eradicate the last vestiges of on-campus social life."

A poll conducted by the Daily last month questioned students about campus social life. Forty-four percent, or 144 of the 331 students who answered the poll, said that they feel campus social life is "good." Twenty-four students said social life on campus is "very good." Not one of those 24 students was a junior or senior. Thirty-six percent responded that campus social life is "not so good" or "terrible," with an additional 43 students who responded that they had "no opinion."

The same poll showed general support for the Greek system - a question asked if Greeks contributed to the Tufts community in a positive way.

Twenty-six percent responded "yes" while 32 percent responded "slightly." Twenty-seven percent said that the Greek system contributes positively to the Tufts community "not often" or "never." An additional 15 percent of respondents had no opinion on the subject.

"We have to emphasize the positive aspects of the Greek system and the individual students in the system," Sullivan said. "We have very committed student leaders who have been advancing the idea of the Greek community through programs, new member forums, a Greek leadership retreat and community service."

"I think they do good work, but that's overshadowed by these other, more negative things," Officer of Judicial Affairs Veronica Carter said.

Reitman said that the reluctance of the Greek community to propose long-term solutions for their problems is perpetuating the present dilemma of recurring incidents.

Sullivan's position of Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs was created last year after difficulties in the Greek system arose in Spring 2003.

"We hoped bringing Todd on would bring about a change," Reitman said. "That was the time for the system to recognize that it needed to turn a corner and build a system the community can be proud of."

Junior Alexis Liistro, president of the Inter-Greek Council (IGC) said she feels that now is such a time.

"[The Greek system is] in no way falling apart, and now more than ever, feels the need to rise out of hard times and band together to create a great system for the future," she said.

"The big question is [if these problems] are a continuation or resumption of problem behavior," Reitman said. "Were they lucky they didn't caught last year?"

Liistro said, however, that "it is important to remember that the actions of few do not reflect the attitudes and feelings of the entire system."

"We, as a system, must rise above the incidents that have happened this past semester and become a great and positive presence on the campus," she said. "Our goals for the next semester are to take steps toward becoming the system that we want to be, and that our surrounding communities need us to be."

Sullivan said he believes that good leadership is the first step for an improved Greek system, and according to Reitman, members of this year's IGC, Pan-Hellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and CFS include the "best and most responsible leadership we've had in years."

"What remains to be seen is if the majority of Greek students are committed to those changes or not? Is it just the leaders? We don't know the answer to that yet," Sullivan said.

"We've got a good structure, strong leaders, senior administrators willing to give [the Greek system] a chance - these are all in place," Reitman said. "But it requires buy-in and if buy-in doesn't exist, then the system will fail. It's not enough for the Greek system to say that the problems are a result of just a few people."

Reitman went on to discuss the effects on Greek life of the alleged hate crime committed by the Sig Ep brothers.

"Unfortunately this alleged bias assault probably further divided the Tufts community overall. It's always very difficult for us to decide whether we should judge people as individuals - such as in the DU case - or if the problem should reflect on the [Greek system] as a whole," he said. "To what extent is something that's not a chapter activity reflective of the character of the chapter as a whole?"

The Anti-Hate Rally held on the Tisch Library patio on May 3, which was inspired not only by the alleged assault on Mohammed but also by bias incidents that have occurred on-campus all year, raised similar questions.

According to Sullivan, University President Larry Bacow said he supports the Greek system but wants it to be a "great system or no system at all."

In Fall 1992, after a particularly volatile year at Tufts coincided with the shutting down of the Greek systems at other New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schools, the Tufts faculty voted to shut down the Greek system. The recommendation, however, was not acceded to by the University's trustees who made the final decision.

"Of course [such a recommendation] could potentially happen again but right now we're dealing with the issues on a chapter-by-chapter basis," Reitman said.

Approximately 550 undergraduates, 11 to 14 percent of the undergraduate population, are members of one of Tufts' 14 Greek organizations. These organizations include 10 fraternities, three sororities and one co-educational independent fraternity.

In any given year, two hundred students can live in chapter houses, making up six percent of on-campus residential opportunities, according to Reitman.

The Tufts Daily - Greek system is under fire for multiple violations