UD ATO chapter suspended

12:07 p.m., May 25, 2005--The Epsilon Rho chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity was suspended May 16 after fraternity members violated an agreement that would have allowed them to remain in their fraternity house at 153 Courtney St. through May 28, the end of the academic year.

The city of Newark issued an eviction notice Monday, May 23, and the fraternity has appealed the eviction. The eviction will be suspended until the appeal can be heard by the Newark Board of Adjustment.

In April, the fraternity was suspended through the spring semester of 2009, after the UD Appellate Board upheld a March 15 judicial hearing decision that the fraternity has violated the Student Code of Conduct. To allow the students to complete the academic year without having to search for alternative housing, members were told they could stay in the fraternity house if they abided by four sanctions:

No alcoholic beverages may be consumed, used or present in the house, regardless of the age of any occupant or other person present;

No more than 10 non-members may be in the house at any time;

ATO cannot participate or be represented in any activities sponsored by the University or the Interfraternity Council for greek organizations or in which greek organizations may participate; and

ATO and its members must abide by the University’s Student Code of Conduct.

In May, the Office of Judicial Affairs learned through reports from the Newark Police and the University Police that the fraternity had beer on the premises, and Student Activities staff reported that a fight with another fraternity had resulted in the hospitalization of a member of the other fraternity. Since the fraternity had violated the terms of the interim sanctions, the Office of Judicial Affairs notified the fraternity on May 17 that it was suspended.

ATO was found guilty March 15 of violating the Student Code of Conduct and suspended through the spring semester 2009, and it chose to appeal the decision. The charges included two counts of endangering the lives or safety of others and one count of failing to comply with Delaware alcohol regulations.

The March hearing was the second hearing ATO had on several alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct that occurred at a Sept. 12, 2004, party at the fraternity house. The University granted a rehearing of the case in February, after it learned that an e-mail sent by fraternity officers requesting a rescheduled hearing was never received. The fraternity had requested a rescheduled hearing because an adviser would not be able to be present on the scheduled date.

E-mail this article

To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here.