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BLACKSBURG
Virginia Tech has removed a sorority from campus because of several incidents of alcohol consumption inside the chapter's house.
The university has denied recognition of the Delta Zeta chapter for two years after a pattern of members drinking in the sorority house, Byron Hughes, assistant director of student conduct, said Monday. Such incidents violated an in-house alcohol ban set by the national sorority as well as one by the university, Hughes said.
The violations occurred over the past couple of years, with the latest incident reported in January. The university informed the sorority the following month of its decision to deny recognition, which means the group cannot use university facilities, recruit members or otherwise operate as a campus organization.
University officials say sorority members living in the house can stay there until the end of the school year. Virginia Tech's campus housing division administers leases for Delta Zeta and 11 other sorority houses.
Delta Zeta's national office in Oxford, Ohio, confirmed Monday that it has withdrawn the Virginia Tech chapter's charter. In a statement, President Michelle Smith expressed disappointment that the actions of a few members "have shown disregard for the standards of conduct and expectations of behavior that our sorority values."
Since the start of the 2009-10 school year, five Virginia Tech fraternities have lost university recognition for alcohol-related violations, Hughes said. The length of such sanctions ranges from two to four semesters, and it depends on the severity of the violations and the group's history of student conduct.
The fraternities are Alpha Epsilon Phi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Phi Kappa Psi and Alpha Tau Omega, he said. The school's club rugby team also lost university recognition.
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Alcohol in College? Wow!
And most recently of all, a "Roman Toga Party" was held from which we have received more than two dozen reports of individual acts of perversion SO profound and disgusting that decorum prohibits listing them here.
old school disappointment
I have read the comments and most people make light of what has happened. I find this all disheartening. I graduated in 1977, a time when the administration actually provided kegs for the winners of greek activities. We had keg parties in the lodges (U of R had lodges, not houses) and we LOOKED AFTER ONE ANOTHER! When did the concern change? Ok, I learned to drink in college. I repeat-I learned to drink in college. Did I say I learned to drink in college-AS AN ADULT! We once actually hog tied a brother who had too much. More often, we'd take the car keys. When did the concern change? It changed when the nanny state decided young adults were too young to be. . . young adults. It was in college I also learned that I didn't need booze to have fun. Too bad our young adults are being denied that learning experience.
Drinking is a learning
Drinking is a learning process?
A comparison to clarify your argument
So, by your argument, 15 year olds should be afforded the opportunity to learn to smoke or not to smoke in high school. To not be allowed to smoke would deny them a valuable learning experience. Hey look, just because someone under 21 is in college, doesn't mean they should be able to violate the law. We have to pick a number, and that number is 21.
Not your fault these days
The problem is nothing can be your fault these days, so you can't be allowed to be responsible. If drink too much, the problem is having alcohol available. If you get overweight it's evil fast food restaurants. If you buy a house too expensive for your budget then it's the bank's fault.
What a difference a few years makes
I was at UofR a few years before you and I can tell you that the University never bought a keg for anyone, much less a fraternity. We were still making the transition from Baptist rule in those days. Heck, the only females in Richmond College dorms were 60-something house mothers.
Campus drinking is a far more open and extreme thing now than it was when we were in college. Not that we didn't drink a lot or do stupid and occasionally dangerous things. But in all my years of college I never knew of anyone to suffer from, much less die from, alcohol poisoning. Alcohol-related sexual crimes were extremely rare. But go to Harrisonburg or Charlottesville or Blacksburg or Radford during the school year now and you'll find a number of such cases at the local ER many nights of the week.
It really is a very different climate that what we experienced in the 1970s.
cycles
Things do go in cycles. Before I got to Richmond, my frat was known as the 'milkshake boys'. During Greek Week one year however, the Interfraternaty Council did award a keg to the winner of the kayak race in the lake. The IC of course, was operating under the guidance of the Dean. Now, due to the caveat from national HQ the lodge at Richmond is expected to be dry. It is a wonder how anyone over the age of 50 managed to live this long.
I wonder what would happen if a 19 year old won the Medal of Honor and then was arrested at a celebration party for underaged drinking?
How many 19 yr olds have won
How many 19 yr olds have won the medal of honor vs 19 year olds that have died in alcohol related car accidents?
common sense
You missed the point. I am not calling for the drinking age to be lowered but use some common sense. There will always be exceptions and we should make provisions for those times.
What provisions? a 19 year
What provisions? a 19 year old is in college so they should be able to drink? I have 19 year old troops and guess what- they have to wait till 21 as well. Regardless of whether I think it is right or wrong it is what it is-the law.
Oh yeah- I do know some Silver Star and Bronze Star winners who are under 21. No MOHs yet as apparently you have to die to earn one now. They have to wait to legally purchase and drink alcohol as well.