Phi Delt's charter suspended again

Nationals pulls fraternity's charter after investigation

The national governing body of Phi Delta Theta has again suspended the charter of the fraternity's campus chapter.

The University chapter first lost its charter following the death of LSA first-year student Courtney Cantor, who died after falling from her sixth-floor residence hall window Oct. 16. Cantor had attended a party at Phi Delta Theta the night before, where she was seen drinking.

The national organization indefinitely suspended all fraternity activities and eventually found that the local chapter violated its alcohol-free policy at the party and revoked the fraternity's charter.

To allow a formal investigation, the charter was reinstated, but activities remained suspended.

"The charter was reinstated about a week and a half later," said Interfraternity Council President Brad Holcman, a Kinesiology senior. "In three days they couldn't get enough evidence. They reinstated it to complete their investigation."

"During the whole time they have been a non-functioning chapter. They could not function as a fraternity," he said.

The Phi Delta Theta national board met Nov. 21 to determine the chapter's final status and suspended the charter.

"Last week, the formal investigation found that they did violate the charter," Holcman said.

"This has nothing to do with the Courtney Cantor death - it was just an internal investigation," he said.

Campus Phi Delta Theta members refused to comment on the suspension.

Holcman said the fraternity can return to campus, but it is a lengthy process and could take place several years from now at the earliest.

IFC must first place the chapter on a waiting list from which one fraternity each semester receives re-evaluation for campus privileges, such as a new house or charter. The council has a policy that allows only one fraternity to expand in any semester so it can fully concentrate on that organization, Holcman said.

"They have to petition the Office of Greek Life to be put on the expansion schedule," Holcman said. "It's about a semester-long process. The next open spot (in the expansion schedule) I believe is fall of 2001," Holcman said.

Holcman said all active Phi Delta Theta members on campus will be put on alumni status, and new pledges - since they were not official members of the fraternity - have an option to re-rush other chapters.

"I would assume that they would wait at least three or four years - until this dies down, until these members leave," so alumni members will not be on campus when the chapter is restarting, Holcman said.

Engineering first-year student Mike Delaney said he thinks Phi Delta Theta is being unfairly singled out.

"It's not to say they're any more guilty than anyone else," Delaney said. "They crossed the line, but they are being made an example of."

Engineering senior Melissa Patek said the actions against Phi Delta Theta should serve as a wake-up call to other fraternities.

"It's something that they really can't control, but I think they need to set an example," Patek said. "The fraternity is definitely getting the bad end of the deal."

- Daily Staff Reporter Sarah Lewis contributed to this report.

11-30-98