Rutgers Fraternities And Sororities Cannot Hold House Parties For The Rest Of The Semester

Fraternities and sororities at Rutgers University will not be allowed to host parties in their houses for the rest of the school year after several incidents involving greek organizations and alcohol.

“Rutgers takes seriously its commitment to maintaining a healthy and safe campus environment,’’ Rutgers spokesman E.J. Miranda said in a written statement. “In light of a number of alcohol-related incidents this year involving greek organizations, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs (OFSA) has placed a moratorium through the end of the semester on parties in fraternity and sorority houses.”

He said those fraternities and sororities will still be allowed to host formals and other events where a licensed, third-party vendor is serving alcohol. But those organizations will not be allowed to host parties in their houses.

“OFSA is taking this step out of caution and concern and will use this time to continue and reinforce its dialogue with the leadership of the university’s 86 recognized fraternities and sororities about greek life at Rutgers and their responsibilities to the campus community at large,’’ Miranda said.

Earlier this year, the national headquarters of Sigma Phi Epsilon suspended the Rutgers’ chapter (which was already suspended by the school) after a 20-year-old intoxicated member was taken to the hospital in November, NJ.com reported.

In September, Caitlyn P. Kovacs, 19, of the Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick, died of alcohol poisoning. Her friends took her to the hospital when she appeared to be in distress while attending a small gathering at the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house on College Avenue. Authorities have not said if she was drinking at that fraternity house or elsewhere, but that fraternity has been suspended by the school, pending a review, according to NJ.com.

Students are referring to the ban on parties as “social probation,” and the president of the governing body for the university’s sororities said greek leaders seem to have accepted it, NJ.com reported.