Delta Sigma Phi House Condemmed -- Franklin & Marshall

[exlurker]

Another instance where it looks like a GLO has been warned and warned, but it just didn't seem to sink in.


142 cited at F&M parties; city condems frat
Off-campus headache flares again. Mayor and college president say raucous, overcrowded gatherings are dangerous as well as annoying.

By Janet Kelley
Lancaster New Era

Published: Nov 22, 2004 1:24 PM EST

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - A Franklin & Marshall College fraternity house was condemned, and 142 people face underage-drinking charges after city police raided two college parties over the weekend.
“The neighbors can’t tolerate it, and we can’t either,’’ Mayor Charlie Smithgall said today. “It wrecks the quality of life for the neighborhood.’’

“I am deeply disturbed and very embarrassed,’’ F&M President John Fry said this morning, adding that he was completely supportive of the city officials’ actions, both in closing the 437 College Ave. fraternity house and citing the underage drinkers.

“Despite all the work we continue to do,’’ Fry said, there are students who apparently “refuse to manage their own situations and become outraged when they’re held accountable.’’

While not all of the young people at the parties were F&M students, Fry said, the school will be conducting its own investigation, which may result in additional “consequences’’ for those college students who were involved.

The residents of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity house on College Avenue had been warned repeatedly about the filthy living conditions, city officials said, as well as underage-drinking parties and overcrowding.

Specifically, city police Lt. Stephen Skiles said, the fraternity brothers were told not to have any more parties.

Late Saturday night, police said, 168 people were counted inside the fraternity house basement, nearly doubling the allowable occupancy number of 95.

Out of that group, police said, 112 will be cited for minor drinking, some of whom freely admitted they had been consuming alcohol.

Police said the students were not taken into custody, but officers took their names and other information before releasing them. The citations are being sent in the mail.

Also on Saturday night, police raided another residence of F&M College students, at 522 Lancaster Ave., citing an additional 30 people for underage drinking.

Besides the noise and lack of respect for the neighbors associated with the college parties, Smithgall said, there are major safety and health issues.

“If there was a fire, they’d never get out’’ of the overcrowded basements or second- and third-floor apartments, Smithgall said. “I don’t want that to ever happen in this city...not ever.’’

Members of the city police department’s Selective Enforcement Unit conducted several investigations over the weekend in the northwest section, by sending two undercover police officers into several “obvious parties.’’

Some of the parties, police noted, appeared to stay within the limits set by the city fire and housing ordinances.

But when they were invited inside the Lancaster Avenue party, according to a statement issued by police, the undercover officers became aware of “marijuana being smoked, drinking games resulting in contestants becoming intoxicated and minors consuming and being furnished alcohol.’’

The undercover officers stayed and watched when their co-workers, in uniform, arrived moments later and conducted an investigation.

Later, shortly before midnight, city police officers invited inspectors from the city fire department and housing and sanitation departments to join them when they went into the College Avenue fraternity house.

Residents of the house have been warned repeatedly this school year about the unsanitary conditions, overcrowding and other problems at the fraternity house, Smithgall said.

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Late in October, several fraternities hosted parties that spilled outside near Nevin and James streets, requiring every available officer from college security and the city to respond and bring the disturbances under control.

“There is no reason the residents have to endure this every weekend,’’ Smithgall said.

According to newspaper records, the Delta Sigma Phi house was condemned in 1991, after neighbors described the college students as living like “animals.’’ It was condemned as “unfit for human habitation.’’

It apparently was cleaned up at some point, but then was condemned again in 1999, after city officers filed six pages of sanitation, housing and fire code violations.

After severing ties with the fraternities and sororities in 1988, F&M trustees only agreed to recognize the groups earlier this year on the condition they adhere to behavioral guidelines.