According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, "The suspension means the sorority loses its campus dorm suite, can't recruit new members and can't participate as a group in campus activities, Miami spokeswoman Claire Wagner said."

Thanks, Mr. Cat. As usual, your good for getting to the bottom of things.

If anyone is interested, The Eddie and Tracey show on 700 WLW is still talking about the MU PiPhi's. In fact, several women have called in claiming to be MU PiPhis who were there. If they ARE indeed PiPhi's from MU calling into the E&T radio show, I am embarassed for all PiPhi's (my own cousin included). I have never heard a more self-entitled, non-chalant, condescending bunch of girls. Their defense? "We were just having a good time. It wasnt as bad as people are making it out to be. This is how all formals are, and parties in Oxford. People are pretty much just jealous because we're the most popular and prettiest on campus." Were I their President or Risk Chair, I would be telling them to SHUT UP NOW. Maybe their nationals should know about the even more negative press they are bringing upon themselves. If anyone is interested, you can listen to the station online, and download podcasts of todays broadcasts.

This is a real life train wreck that I can't stop listening too.

I went to Miami. My sister went to Miami. Between the two of us, we've been to formal/semi-formal events for ten different chapters on campus. I never saw anything even remotely close to the description given in that letter.

And like I said, as soon as I heard which chapter it was, I wasn't even a little surprised.

And that is just plain SAD, Mel! I am so glad you and your sister are GOOD examples of what can come out of Miami.

I honestly hope they get more punishment than just a year probation and suspension. What if someone had died or gotten seriously injured or ill? Would it all be in "good fun" then? Where were their Sober Sisters? Why was the President hammered? A GLO like this gives ALL GLO's a bad name, not just other PiPhi's. People rarely hear about the good things we do... just stuff like this. Disgusting.

I am stunned. I know our risk management dictates that we have to go to and from the event on the bus but I would've called our advisor and left. (We have alumnae there, not always the chapter advisor though.) I'm embarassed that this was done by any Greeks.
Ps. A sink is NOT an alternative to a toilet. I don't care how badly you have to pee.

The letter from the venue representative indicated that there were no adults (i.e. non chapter members) present. That is why she kept trying to deal with the intoxicated president.

From everything I've heard on local media... no "adults" were present. No advisors, parents, chaperones, school representatives, etc. I dont ever remember having them at our formals either, though. Winter semi-formals were always held on-campus and were dry events. Spring formals were a big deal, though, and we also took buses to Lima or Findlay for them. However, there was always a core group of sisters... the exec girls, risk team, etc who stayed sober and regulated hardcore on people who got out of control. My freshman year, our own sweetheart (fiance of a senior) got out of control, and he was escorted out by 3 boyfriends of other sisters and made to sit in the parking lot under threat of calling the police. I just don't get how only 20-30 people got the better of supposedly 250-300 people. According to that Lyndsay girl from the facility on the radio today, that was how many people were out of control versus others just having a normal good time. She even mentioned that one person disappeared completely for hours, and people were afraid he had fallen in the lake and drowned.

Many (if not most) Risk Management policies preclude advisors or alumnae attendance at functions which are paid for by active members.

I cannot speak for every chapter, but I do know that it is customary and usual practice for the sororities at the University of Arizona to hire security for various events. These paid employees are responsible for checking IDs and maintaining order at functions, such as "date dashes." The University also has a strict GAMMA policy, and there are many regulations that govern various social functions.

*segue*

"There but for the Grace of God go you or I"... given what I've observed of the current climate and culture, it could easily have been any other chapter (fraternity or sorority) at any campus on any given day. Who can say? There are things like the perfect storm, and the tipping point, and I for one do not know why things happen the way they do. I wasn't there. Don't see any point in speculating.

Clearly, from what has been reported in the press, this was a hugely regrettable situation which is going to have long-standing repercussions.

However, I am loathe to judge anyone, lest I not be judged. I have faith in the system and in the leadership of Pi Beta Phi, and I believe that this will be addressed through the appropriate channels. I cannot even imagine how difficult it is for everyone involved, and I have faith that they will find the way through this, painful as it might be.


Panhellenically yours...

I think Univ of AZ has a good policy. I as an alumna would not want to be in the position of policing these young women. It puts alumnae in an awkward position, may actually leave them open to liability and may injure their relationship with the chapter when it comes to sanctioning the chapter. It's unfortunate that Pi Phi will have to deal with this, and I agree that each of our organizations are lucky that it's not one of our chapters.

I want to know why Miami's chapter of Tri Delta was just shut down for two years but Pi Phi was only suspended and just for one year... What could the Tri Deltas have possibly done to get a harsher sanction than Pi Phi if what that letter said was true? I'm guessing nationals had something to do with it, but why would they be so hard on a chapter that was about to celebrate their centennial if the University wouldn't sanction them as hard?

I'm sorry, but BULL SHIT!! She's getting a ton of publicity for her venue from this, and I'm guessing that her "intent" was for the sorority and the school to pay her 10x what the damages were. No, the sorority members do not deserve any slack being cut to them, but I feel like her spreading it around (and most probably sending the letter to deadspin herself) is super duper tacky.

That's what happens when you drink Natty Light. bleeeaaaahhhh

From what I remember, the Tri Delt chapter was allegedly hazing their members. IMO that definitely warrants a harsher sanction than drunk and disorderliness (especially if the dates were doing half or more of the damage, which it sounds like was the case).