West Virginia University suspends fraternity, sorority activities
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia University has suspended social and pledging activities at its campus-affiliated fraternities and sororities following two recent incidents.
"The action to halt fraternity and sorority activities while these matters are being reviewed is being done with the well-being and safety of our students in mind. That is - and must always be - our foremost priority," WVU Dean of Students Corey Farris said in a statement released jointly with the Inter-Fraternity Council and Panhellenic Council.
WVU says an undisclosed medical emergency occurred Thursday at a fraternity house. The university said a student is gravely ill but didn't disclose details.
On Nov. 6, 19 students were arrested or cited on alcohol-related charges after a disturbance at the Sigma Chi fraternity house, according to CBS affiliate WDTV in Bridgeport, West Virginia. The fraternity was suspended days later.
"They get suspended like that is really going to give everyone a bad image," Terrell Adams, a brother of Sigma Alpha Phi, told WDTV after the first incident. "There's a whole bias towards fraternities that we're a whole bunch of knuckleheads that keep messing up, but that's not really the whole case for every fraternity."
"It definitely puts a bad impression on Greek life because fraternities aren't all about partying," said Adams. "The purpose of being in a fraternity is to be a brother and to become a better man."
Morgantown police and university police are investigating both incidents.