Rutgers suspends fraternity, sorority parties for rest of semester

Rutgers University is banning all fraternity and sorority house parties for the remainder of the semester after several alcohol-related incidents, officials announced Monday.

The ban applies to all 86 fraternities and sororities at the school and will be reevaluated in the fall, E.J. Mirada, a Rutgers spokesman, told the Los Angeles Times.

“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,” the school said in a prepared statement. “Organizations are still allowed to host formals and other events where a licensed third-party vendor is used to serve alcohol, but they 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,” the school said.

In September, Rutgers student Caitlyn Kovacs, 19, died of alcohol poisoning after a party at the Delta Kappa Epsilon house in New Brunswick, N.J. Authorities did not say if Kovacs was drinking at the house or elsewhere that evening.

Delta Kappa Epsilon has been suspended by Rutgers pending a university review. Five other Rutgers fraternities are also facing campus discipline reviews for alcohol-related incidents.

Last November, a 20-year-old member of Sigma Phi Epsilon was hospitalized in connection with alcohol consumption. And last month, the national headquarters of Sigma Phi Epsilon suspended the Rutgers chapter.

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