UMD Greek life sanctions
 

https://dbknews.com/2024/03/02/umd-c...st-greek-life/

UMD places cease and desist order on all social fraternities, sororities

Akshaj Gaur


The University of Maryland placed a cease and desist order Friday on all social fraternities and sororities after it received notice of chapters conducting activities that posed threats to community members’ “safety and well-being.”

The cease and desist order impacts all Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association chapters at this university, according to a letter obtained by The Diamondback. James Bond, this university’s student conduct director, and James McShay, this university’s assistant vice president of engagement, sent the letter to new members of IFC and PHA organizations.

The letter said all new member activities for the organizations will be suspended indefinitely. This university’s student conduct office plans to conduct “a thorough investigation” into the matter, the letter said.

In a separate letter sent Friday to IFC and PHA chapter leadership, Bond and McShay said all fraternity and sorority life councils at this university received a warning during an emergency meeting Thursday that “further allegations of misconduct” could result in a cease and desist. Additional misconduct incidents were reported Friday, the letter to leadership said.

IFC and PHA chapters are prohibited from communicating with new members, both letters said, and violating the terms of the order will result in “disciplinary action.”


The indefinite suspension affects at least 20 fraternities comprising the IFC and 16 sororities that are part of the PHA, according to this university’s fraternity and sorority life department website. IFC and PHA leadership did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This university also placed a social moratorium on all IFC and PHA chapters, according to both letters, which prohibits an organization from holding an event where alcohol is present.

The cease and desist comes about one month after fraternity and sorority recruitment ended and as many chapters are holding new member initiation events.

Bond and McShay urged IFC and PHA members to review the university’s hazing and student conduct policy in both letters.

“Our goal is to have students honestly and openly share their experiences with our office so that we can uphold the mission, values, and expectations of the University community,” the letter to new members read. “Any attempts to deceive University officials, falsify information, or retaliate against individuals who share information will be subject to disciplinary action.”

This university and its fraternity and sorority life department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Diamondback.

Senior staff writer Marijke Friedman contributed to this story.

And so all the chapters that play by the rules will comply, and all the chapters that don't (who were the reason for this in the first place) will keep doing things under the table and get away with it. Yawn. Next.

The only "cease and desists" that work are those enacted by peers.

I never got why schools do this. Of course if an organization does something (hazing, etc.) then yes of course put sanctions and consequences on said house. But what about the countless others that do the right thing and have spotless records when it comes to RMF and such?

I hate the idea of punishing everyone universally. I think they said there are 16 sororities and 20 fraternities? Surely all aren’t breaking the rules!

Giving everyone the axe across the board while they get everything sorted out seems incredibly drastic IMO. I wonder if we (the public) will get to see the results of the investigation and what chapters are indeed at fault.

Not much of an update from the school, but some of the fraternities have spoken out about the situation.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...sions/3559578/

Isn't there a first amendment issue here with a public university telling students they do not have the right to assemble?

This isn't a new or novel approach to multiple organizations in violation of hazing or risk management policies. Happened at Bloomsburg (and ended in the Greeks' ultimate demise), Virginia Tech, etc.

This makes having members of one GLO report that a different GLO is hazing a *bad* idea from the standpoint of keeping their own chapter going. Does the administration really want that to happen?

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4OfRJqJ4wb/

NPC has released a statement regarding the complete greek life suspension.

NPC Statement Regarding Recent Actions by the University of Maryland

The National Panhellenic Conference is disappointed with the University of Maryland’s action. Safety and well-being are our top priorities as we strive to create safer campus climates for sorority women. When we met with university officials earlier this week in an effort to partner, we asked for improved communication and increased transparency and clarity regarding the broad allegations the university is asserting and the timeline of its investigation. They had no response and provided no answers. After nearly a full week, the University of Maryland has not informed any NPC sorority that they are the subject of specific and credible allegations of wrongdoing. The university continues to deny our members their First Amendment rights without due process and plans to continue to do so indefinitely.

To that end, we are evaluating our path forward. We are in close communication with our inter/national organizations with chapters at the University of Maryland to support current members and new members during this uncertain time.

Thank you, NPC!

Are they going after every national Greek Council? NIC, NPHC, and NPC?

I keep wondering if it’s just one or two houses that caused an injury through hazing, alcohol or both? Sometimes the response is to close EVERYBODY down, I guess as a warning. I’ve read that many other schools have done this.

This is getting crazy…it’s just not possible that every single house is in violation in some way, or has all this info to drop on the offenders and is holding out.

Shadokat: there are still Greeks at Bloomsburg, theyre just not formally recognized by the school, correct?

Just NIC and NPC groups.

University of Maryland hires consulting firm to interview Greek life students

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/unive...dents/60144269

Thorough and impartial, my ass!!

The only way I think students should even contemplate participating in this is if they are allowed to record the entire thing - from the minute they walk in. A no to that would be a big no from me.

Anyone who says all chapters at all schools have is automatically an unreliable narrator.

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/baltimor...e-park-campus/

Apparently her sisters told her a picture on her instagram wasn't appropriate and she called it hazing, ostracism and cyber bullying. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

Everyone should be a part of this. If they're going after Greeks, include everyone. Also, they should tail the jocks and the music fraternities and the ROTC, all long time violators around here.

Lucy Taylor just so happens to have her own podcast about the issues with Greek Life. There is absolutely no ulterior motive for her speaking out right now, I’m sure :rolleyes:

Soooo......it's a fishing expedition in hopes that students will feel pressured to randomly disclose information?


Woah! Woah! Woah! Did they just say that for real?? So they've got nothing and are spending tax payer dollars to hire an outside consulting firm to conjure up something, anything, to find wrong? And they are going to violate rights to do so?

Is it definitely taxpayer dollars? Just because a school is called University of Insert State Here, doesn't mean State funds it. (See: University of Pennsylvania) I don't know how Maryland is set up.

That being said, if it's not taxpayer dollars, it's tuition dollars, and I can't imagine parents will be pleased about that.

The University of Maryland College Park is the "flagship" of the Maryland state university system. which includes 12 total institutions, including three HBCUs and several schools that used to be teachers colleges. Salisbury University and Towson University are the two that you can't immediately tell are state schools by the name unless you are old enough to remember them as Towson State and Salisbury State. The rest either have state or University of Maryland in the title.

Thanks Sen :)

This came very shortly after the Kappa Sigma pledge at UVA was placed in a medical coma after falling backwards down their cellar stairs and sustaining a serious head injury. The two schools are in neighboring states and UMD may have panicked upon hearing about the news,especially if there was any chatter about hazing at UMD.

I *think* that University of Pennsylvania is the only school which is University of <state name> that is private and isn't a name created to trick people. (I saw a fake "University of West Virginia" at one point.)

And in regards to the other comment, although there are 12 separately accredited institutions in the University System of Maryland, there are a few that are non-standard enough that I wouldn't expect a stereotypical greek system. But lacking any other descriptor, when they say University of Maryland, they are referring to the flagship school in College Park Maryland.

Funny thing - Bloomsburg hired an outside consulting firm before they kicked our Greek organizations out. It didn't tell them anything they didn't already know except that alumni were willing to help the chapters. The funny thing is that since they kicked everyone off, the national sororities are flourishing! Word on the street is that Bloomsburg wants to get back into the Greek Life business, but we'll see how that goes.

I am comfortable with a world in which Greek life doesn't require university recognition or access to university benefits.

Just posted in the University of Maryland Greek Life alumni from the 1980s FB group that I belong to. There have been ongoing discussions on this issue in the group.

Filed by KA, OX, ASP & ATO.
Suit filed in district court against Maryland to lift cease and desist. Check news services. Should be up soon.

(COLLEGE PARK, MD) - A group of students and fraternities are petitioning U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland for a temporary restraining order against administrators at the state's flagship university for their
"decision to unilaterally suspend normal Chapter operations without any suggestion of actual wrongdoing, coupled with the imposition of an ambiguous, vague and overly broad notice that has indefinitely suspended every single Chapter's unrestricted ability to operate, runs afoul to basic notions of due process."
The temporary restraining order would bar the University of Maryland from implementing restrictions on ordinary social and philanthropic activity that administrators outlined in a March 1, 2024, letter addressed to all
"Interfraternity and
Panhellenic Association
Member Organizations."
The notice also demanded that students comply with an open-ended investigation, absent any specific allegations about individuals or their affiliations, or face disciplinary retribution from the university.

Someone responded to the post with this, lol:

If the restraining order is not granted, this car may need to make an appearance at the College Park parade on May 4th!

https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net...Yg&oe=65F79AD8

The image you tried to post isn't coming through. Without the photo, it sounds like a threat to drive into the crowd.... :o

It's the Delta Chi "Deathmobile" from the parade at the end of Animal House.

I can see the image in both of our posts, so I wonder if anyone else is having trouble?

Fraternities accuse University of Maryland of illegally searching phones, violating rights in Greek life probe

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/baltimor...investigation/

The Greek Life Suspension has been lifted, but 5 Fraternities are still under investigation.

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/unive...ities/60216424

Absolutely unbelievable. If this doesn't impact their enrollment I'll be shocked.

PS: these kids need to learn they can't search your phone if you don't have it with you.

I love what they said here!

"We will continue to pursue litigation against representatives of the University of Maryland for their unlawful behavior in targeting members of fraternities and sororities. Administrators who participated in or were complicit in this egregious erosion of student liberties must be held accountable."

That article and others that I've seen indicate that there are 5 groups still under investigation, but no indications that those 5 are all men's groups. (In fact with the fact that this blew up at the same time as that female influencer, I wouldn't be that surprised if a majority of the five still under investigation were women's groups.

That article and others that I've seen indicate that there are 5 groups still under investigation, but no indications that those 5 are all men's groups. (In fact with the fact that this blew up at the same time as that female influencer, I wouldn't be that surprised if a majority of the five still under investigation were women's groups.

All five are confirmed by the university to be fraternities.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md...ty-ban-lifted/



The students probably weren't expecting to be asked to have their phones searched. I would have never anticipated that myself. The one news article stated that the consulting firm asked them to show their calendars and such. I suppose, to glean information on what events happened when and where.

What is most horrifying to me is that none of these students were under criminal investigation. The university and "consultants" do not have legal authority to detain the students or search their personal property without consent. Only the police get to do that and, from what I can tell, the students were not being investigated by any law enforcement officers. The university and "consultants" likely used scare tactics such as "If you don't cooperate and give us your phone, you'll get an honor violation and possibly kicked out of college" to coerce these 18-22 year olds into giving consent for their cell phones. Unless there is something in the university policy, I don't even see how they could coerce anyone into showing up for the interviews to start with. You want an interview? Get a warrant! Then the police can invite me in for a little chat. The students were under no obligation to sit there in the interview room. They could have gotten up and walked right out. Otherwise, it's an unlawful detention.

Disgusting! These kids didn't understand their rights and the administrators knew it.

Let me rephrase that.

Anytime you're called to any sort of interrogation, have as little personal information on you as possible. Leave your wallet in your car (or better yet, take a bus/walk there). Ideally, walk in with nothing but your house key. If they want info, they need to get a warrant.

And yeah, I do feel like I knew this at that age, it's what comes from growing up/going to college in a state with super restrictive alcohol laws and small town police departments continually trying to justify their salaries.