University of Maryland orders fraternities, sororities to indefinitely cease activities immediately

By Kim Dacey

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    COLLEGE PARK, Maryland (WBAL) — The University of Maryland ordered all fraternities and sororities to immediately and indefinitely cease and desist activities.

The university’s Student Affairs Division sent a notice on Friday, saying several chapters engaged in dangerous activity.

A letter sent to interfraternity organizations states that multiple chapters “have been conducting activities that have threatened the safety and wellbeing of members of the university community.”

The letter states the university warned about behavior on Thursday before new allegations of misconduct surfaced on Friday. The university said it is 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 member and alcohol-related activities was made after careful consideration of reports, observations and data-driven analysis of behaviors that we felt posed a threat to the safety and well-being of some members of our community. No single or specific incident led to this decision. Our decision was made to prevent such a significant incident.

“Our investigation is a demonstrated commitment to prioritizing a safe and healthy campus environment.

“We plan to engage an external resource to assist with an investigation that moves as quickly as possible, and we aim to stay in close coordination with chapter and council presidents, as well as national organizations and Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life advisors. 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 of the houses this weekend.

“The fraternity ended up letting me know the house was being investigated by the police, 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 the order will face disciplinary action.

Some students with whom 11 News spoke on Monday said they think it’s unfair to suspend all Greek organizations for the actions of a few.

“I don’t think all the frats should be disbanded. I think that’s a bit too harsh, but I do think the frats in trouble should have some sort of punishment,” said Wale Adelaja, a student. “I don’t think it’s a UMd. issue. I think it’s just a frat issue that kind of went too far.”

Some students told 11 News they wonder about the long-term implications of this sweeping action for Greek life on campus.

“It’s just sad because the younger girls, they’re not allowed to talk to any of the older girls. So, it’s just, like, creating a divide between all the classes,” said Chloe Zegas, a student. “I think it’s crazy, but, like, since Maryland is kind of becoming more of a smart school academically, I think they’re just trying to get Greek life off of campus and focus more on the academic side.”

Whatever the future holds, if there was wrongdoing, students hope the organization is held accountable.

“I think it’s, like, a fair warning to make sure other frats hold the other ones accountable to make sure no one goes too far,” Adelaja said.

“There’s only rumors about what actually happened. Everyone’s talking about it. It has kind of been the big talk of the weekend,” Flannery said. “I hope that if the rumors are true about what happened, I hope that at least the fraternity that is suspected of doing some pretty awful things is at least suspended for the rest of the year.”

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