All of this.

If anything, I would think that these schools would want chapter meetings to continue, assuming they know what they accomplish. The school can still make rules surrounding them (e.g. the meetings must be held in certain locations on campus, there has to be at least one advisor in attendance, etc.), but to restrict members from meeting with each other seems counterproductive.

My letter to President Trauth
 

Dear President Trauth,

In 2013, members of the Texas State University drum line were found to be hazing other members. They were arrested and suspended from the band. The band was not suspended. The entire music department was not shut down. The athletic program, with which they are obviously affiliated, was not sanctioned. Those arrested were given due process and paid for their crimes. No one would argue that they did not deserve all the consequences of their bad decisions, but they were the ones who paid the forfeit, and not those innocents who had nothing to do with their transgressions.

Now in 2017 the entire Greek system is being forced to pay for the bad decisions of a few. It is my understanding that an investigation into the tragic death of Matthew Ellis is still ongoing, with many questions left to be answered. Quite rightly, the national organization of Phi Kappa Psi has suspended the chapter. But to hold the entire Greek system, including sororities, responsible for the possibly criminal actions of members of one organization goes against all common sense and violates the rights of those members who are examples of the positive aspects of the Greek system, a system which for over 150 years has enabled men and women to develop into leaders in their communities, providing support and training which results in members who go forth and improve the world around them.

I do not know of a single fraternity or sorority alumnus who does not support holding miscreants responsible. Because we know the great good which can come from membership in a chapter which is living up to its ideals, we bitterly resent being punished and forced to pay, both literally and figuratively, for the sins of another. I fail to see how cancelling the celebration of my chapter's 50th anniversary does anything constructive.

Instead of punitive measures against the innocent, this should be a time for meeting and providing guidance as to how members, both active and alum, can insure that their chapters are living up to the high standards of their organizations. If you truly wish to make a difference, education, mentoring, and upholding standards is the way to do so. We are a three generation Bobcat family. My mother, my daughter, and I are all proud members of the same sorority. I know the many benefits, both personal and community-wide, of a healthy Greek system. Those who besmirch our good name, who break the law and thus heap ignominy on both Greeks and Texas State University should be given no quarter. But this action smacks of falling in line with other universities simply because that's what they are doing - the worst kind of bowing to peer pressure.

I will admit to being somewhat bitter because I know full well that in the past hazing by athletes and non-Greek groups has not resulted in the kind of draconian measures being leveled against us. It would have been wrong to disband an athletic team, or wipe an entire organization out, because of the actions of a few. It's wrong to do so now. However, since we cannot go back and undo what has been done, I call upon President Trauth to respect over 50 years of dedicated service of Greeks to the Texas State community, and conduct her review as quickly as can be done. Punish those who need it, educate those who do not, and enable us to work with our chapters to make sure that no member ever is endangered or treated with anything less than the respect due to every member of the Texas State University family.

Sincerely,
Christine Boyett Barr
1986 Sallie Beretta Outstanding Senior Woman.

Shutting down FSL groups without so much as a conversation sends the message that the administration does not value the thoughts of the students.

I'm afraid my alma mater might be on the verge of something like this. We haven't had a death, but a recently recolonized group appears to be on the brink of losing recognition because of numerous alleged sexual assaults, accusations of hazing negative interactions with law enforcement, etc. It's just one group, but we have to be in the mindset that we don't only have to ensure our own groups are safe, but we can be punished for the actions of groups whose members we MIGHT have shaken hands with once during recruitment week.

Absolutely fabulous, well written letter speaking truth. I look forward to seeing what happens.

What really struck me after reading this whole thing is that they're cancelling your chapter's 50th anniversary celebration. My chapter celebrated our 25th on campus a few years ago, and I can't imagine missing out on that experience because of a fraternity's poor decisions and actions.

Update
 

Response to my letter -
Dear Ms. Barr:

Thank you for your email dated November 30, 2017, in response to the recent suspension of all fraternity and sorority chapter activities at Texas State University. I recognize the decision has affected many people in our university community.

I am grateful for your thoughts on this difficult issue. We understand and appreciate the true impact of Greek chapters in our community, and our goal is to preserve the value of these organizations and create a safe environment for students.

Student safety remains my top priority. We are conducting a comprehensive review of Greek life governance and it is our aim to establish a safer, more responsible culture within the Greek community.

This spring, Dr. Joanne Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs, plans to relay a timeline for next steps and relevant information about what the comprehensive review will entail. If you have additional questions, you may contact Dr. Smith directly at 512-245-2152 or via email at js14@txstate.edu.

Thank you, again, for your email.

Sincerely,

Denise M. Trauth

And my letter to Dr. Smith
Dr. Smith,

As per President Trauth's email which was copied to you, I am asking for the timeline for the review process. It would of course be terribly irresponsible to suspend operations on all Greek letter organizations without a plan in place, so I look forward to hearing the administration's timeline.

In the meantime, I appreciate having a topic for my newspaper column in The Paris Post-Intelligencer, and will be asking my fellow Greeks to withhold any and all support for the school until this travesty is rectified. There is not a Greek problem; there is an alcohol problem, and while the GLOs provide a convenient scapegoat, the fact of the matter is that it was a problem when my parents attended college there, when I did in the 80s, and when my daughter did in 2008 - 2012. If student safety is truly your concern, that should be the focus.

Given my family's history with the school, I want nothing more than what is best for our reputation and standing in the academic community. I see the unilateral action against all Greek organizations, whether guilty of any infraction or not, as denying students due process and unfairly penalizing the innocent for the actions of a few. I expect better from my alma mater.

It's devastating. 50 years - and we had founding members coming. And, I hasten to add, costs the community all the hotel and restaurant reservations we had made.

If the active chapter's activities are suspended, why should that affect alumnae? In fact, if you were to have your alumnae run the actual event and invite active chapter members as guests, how would that be a sorority function?

The active chapter was sponsoring it, and we dare not give even a hint of going against the edict lest they decide to make an example of us. Unfair, but there it is.

The ban also says that the collegians may not attend any alumnae activities.

Or you could go ahead and have the activity and if the school responds, your lawyers could go get free money from them.

Hahahaha...but seriously, they're telling members they can't go to alumnae events, which have zero affiliation or recognition status with the university?

This sounds like a situation that's ripe for a challenge.

Honestly, foregoing university recognition is looking better and better, and these colleges need to understand that it is an option, whereupon they will have NO say in their operations. I do not think that is an ideal situation, but it is an option. The other is to lawyer up and challenge it - I don't know who would be willing to do that.

Our International President is an attorney.

Like I said. Free money. I can't believe not one of the organizations at Texas State hasn't challenged things.