Penn State has suspended the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity chapter for allegedly hosting a large social gathering on Saturday in violation of COVID-19 safety policies.
According to a university news release, Penn State monitors observed approximately 70 students in attendance, at least three dozen of whom were not members of the fraternity, located at 417 E. Prospect Ave. in State College. When the monitors approached the house, they were denied entry.
The chapter’s executives also were summarily suspended for refusing to comply with the monitors’ directives, according to Penn State.
The university has initiated student conduct proceedings to determine what actions it ultimately will take against the fraternity and its members.
Classes begin on Monday, but Pi Kappa Alpha is already the second fraternity suspended by the university for allegedly violating COVID-19 rules. Phi Kappa Psi was suspended for reportedly holding a social event on Tuesday that ‘exceeded state and local government directives and directly violated the University’s policy.’
Earlier this summer, Penn State’s Interfraternity Council enacted a moratorium on all social events for the fall semester and Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims said the university would not approve any ‘until we determine that our collective efforts to mitigate the virus are sufficiently successful to warrant relaxation of that prohibition.’
State College Borough also adopted an ordinance which, in part, limits gatherings at residential properties to no more than 10 people. Where a household is more than 10, no additional people are permitted to gather.
‘We’re all in this together, so when one of us, or a group, behaves in ways that threaten all of us, we must act, and we must act quickly,’ Sims said in a statement on Sunday. ‘Social gatherings are among the very best ways to spread the virus, and refusing to comply with the public health mandates, even when directed to do so by University officials, will not be tolerated.’
Penn State required all members of the Pi Kappa Alpha house to be tested for COVID-19 on Sunday and encouraged any non-members who attended the event to be tested as well.
Fraternity members who do not comply with the mandatory testing may face additional sanctions.
The university also established a temporary testing site outside East Halls, where a raucous gathering of largely mask-less students occurred on Wednesday night.
‘The University is encouraging any resident of East Halls, any students who may have been at that gathering, or any student who is concerned about potential exposure, to be tested,’ the news release stated.
Sims said no disciplinary action will be taken against students who participated in the Pi Kappa Alpha event or the East Halls gathering and voluntarily submit to COVID-19 testing.
‘The purpose is to help rule out possible exposure to the virus for them or others,’ the release said.
Penn State has not yet identified students who participated in the East Halls gathering, but conduct proceedings have begun involving a student who may have helped initiate it.
Conduct proceedings also have begun for Pi Kappa Alpha’s executives.
‘The University has clearly stated the consequences for significant violations of University expectations may, or are likely to, include suspension or expulsion from the University,’ the release stated.
Student organizations may also face loss of university recognition for failure to comply.
‘Among the last things I want to do is suspend students or student organizations,’ Sims said. ‘But the very last thing I want to do is allow a small subset of our University population to send all of us home because it chose to ignore the requirements each of us must abide, and we will do all we reasonably can to avoid that outcome.’
