St. Lawrence U (NY) Suspends Alpha Tau Omega Chapter

[exlurker]

St. Lawrence University in NY has suspended Alpha Tau Omega for a variety of risk management violations, according to a regional newspaper's report: ATO may return in spring 2011.

See
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/a...WS05/304219985

Excerpts from article:
By LORI SHULL
TIMES STAFF WRITER
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2010
CANTON — Alpha Tau Omega has been suspended by St. Lawrence University until the end of the fall semester for violating fire, alcohol and drug policies and vandalizing university property, Dean of Student Life Joseph A. Tolliver said in an e-mail.

The fraternity's 20 members will be allowed to live in their house at 50 Park St. until the end of this semester, though they are not allowed to hold any chapter activities there. The organization will be allowed to re-form in the 2011 spring semester, without any further review, according to university spokeswoman Macreena A. Doyle. . . .

The suspension stems from a night of vandalism at the Beta Theta Pi temple, in front of 25 College St., a university residence hall that used to house the Beta fraternity.

Several of the temple's windows were broken by glass bottles and bricks in February. Similar bottles and bricks were found in the basement of the ATO house, Mr. Tolliver said.
. . . university officials then investigated the house more closely and found marijuana, illegal fireworks and "lots and lots" of beer, when at least half of the fraternity's members are underage, according to Mr. Tolliver.

Its members also refused to comply with safety policies during a fire drill at the house, even when requested to by campus safety and security officers, the e-mail said.

. . . When the fraternity reforms, it will not have its own house. Greek organizations have to have been organized for a year before the university will grant them their own houses. . . .
ATO is one of five Greek organizations at SLU, including one other fraternity and four sororities. Since 1997, five Greek organizations have been shut down at the university; the university closed three, one had its charter revoked by the national organization and the last surrendered its charter voluntarily. Most of the closures were the result of drug and alcohol policy violations, according to the SLU website. . . .

[VandalSquirrel]

They are going off of bricks and bottles being similar as evidence, and possibly to gain further entry for a search? I can see their defense having an issue with that. If they found bottles of Olvi imported from Finland, ok maybe, but if it was Miller High Life or Corona, that's pretty common.

[oldu]

Sad story. Does anyone know why the Greek system at St. Lawrence has deteriorated so badly? Once there were 7 each of very healthy fraternity and sorority chapters, all from strong nationals. If one of the remaining two fraternities had only 20 members there must not be much Greek presence left on campus. What happened?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by oldu

Sad story. Does anyone know why the Greek system at St. Lawrence has deteriorated so badly? Once there were 7 each of very healthy fraternity and sorority chapters, all from strong nationals. If one of the remaining two fraternities had only 20 members there must not be much Greek presence left on campus. What happened?

Ummm, it could be that there were only 20 members living in the house and the community newspaper got it wrong. They often don't do too well differentiating between a chapter house (a structure) and the chapter itself.