UMass clears 1 fraternity; 1 disciplined
Friday, November 18, 2005
By HOLLY ANGELO
hangelo@repub.com
AMHERST - One University of Massachusetts-Amherst fraternity has been cleared of charges related to a fight last month, but another has been placed on deferred suspension and will operate under restrictions.
Dean of Students Jo-Anne T. Vanin cleared Zeta Beta Tau, but Pi Delta Psi will lose its recognition as a Greek organization on campus if they have one more violation. Pi Delta Psi's deferred suspension is for the remainder of the fall semester. The fraternity will not be allowed to invite non-members to any of its social functions.
"I'm glad it worked out the way it did," said Chris P. Canton, president of Zeta Beta Tau. "Our story is our story. We were completely innocent of any wrongdoing. We were the victims."
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The fraternities are located on "Frat Row" on North Pleasant Street. On Oct. 2, two fights broke out and six people were stabbed, including Canton and at least one other brother from Zeta Beta Tau. Police arrested three people, none of them UMass students, on assault charges. Two were minors and another was 18 years old. At least one of the minors was attending a party at Pi Delta Psi when the fights broke out.
"Jo-Anne Vanin was very concerned that the perpetrators of the assault had been guests at a social function at Pi Delta Psi," said Edward F. Blaguszewski, director of news and information at UMass. "We'll closely observe their activity for compliance."
No one from Pi Delta Psi could be reached for comment yesterday.
The two fraternities were given interim suspensions Oct. 20 and were ordered to cease operating as fraternities until the appeal process was completed. During the appeals, brothers were allowed to live in the fraternity houses.
Police have not arrested anyone in connection with the stabbings and have never made public a motive for the fights.
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