2008 Woodie Awards
Two sororities booted from Greek Week
Chris Curtis
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Campus
04/10/08 - Two notable campus Greek associations will be absent from next week's Greek Week festivities.
The Alpha Chi Omega and Sigma Delta Tau sororities were placed on social probation and removed from Greek Week for separate alcohol-related infractions.
Greek Week is a weeklong series of athletic and entertainment events hosted by campus Greek organizations. Fraternities and sororities compete to raise money for charities through ticket sales.
The sanctions against the two sororities originated from the Office of Student Life, which encompasses the university judicial system.
The University of Rhode Island Student Handbook provides for sanctions against "any URI student organization or recognized student group that sponsors, permits, allows a social event with alcohol and/or fails to prevent the consumption of alcohol."
Sanctions include fines, probation and a two-semester suspension from campus for a second offence in the span of three semesters.
Dean of Student Affairs Fran Cohen said charges brought against both organizations by her office involved events at which underage drinking took place.
The incident for which Alpha Chi Omega was charged took place in February, Sigma Delta Tau was charged for infractions at multiple events last semester, one of which took place on campus.
Cohen said that both cases were settled by administrative action by agreement between the chapter and herself, the judicial officer in charge.
Cohen said that her office has stepped up efforts to prevent such infractions by student organizations.
"We have been working with them very hard particularly this semester to make sure that all of their activities are safe and legal so it's kind of disappointing," she said.
Cohen said she believes that part of the problem may be related to the four-year population turnover at the university, and to poor communication between Greek community members and their executive heads.
The Alpha Chi Omega and Sigma Delta Tau sororities were placed on social probation and removed from Greek Week for separate alcohol-related infractions.
Greek Week is a weeklong series of athletic and entertainment events hosted by campus Greek organizations. Fraternities and sororities compete to raise money for charities through ticket sales.
The sanctions against the two sororities originated from the Office of Student Life, which encompasses the university judicial system.
The University of Rhode Island Student Handbook provides for sanctions against "any URI student organization or recognized student group that sponsors, permits, allows a social event with alcohol and/or fails to prevent the consumption of alcohol."
Sanctions include fines, probation and a two-semester suspension from campus for a second offence in the span of three semesters.
Dean of Student Affairs Fran Cohen said charges brought against both organizations by her office involved events at which underage drinking took place.
The incident for which Alpha Chi Omega was charged took place in February, Sigma Delta Tau was charged for infractions at multiple events last semester, one of which took place on campus.
Cohen said that both cases were settled by administrative action by agreement between the chapter and herself, the judicial officer in charge.
Cohen said that her office has stepped up efforts to prevent such infractions by student organizations.
"We have been working with them very hard particularly this semester to make sure that all of their activities are safe and legal so it's kind of disappointing," she said.
Cohen said she believes that part of the problem may be related to the four-year population turnover at the university, and to poor communication between Greek community members and their executive heads.