Campus, News

ZBT suspended, 4 chapter members arrested after off-campus function

Boston University’s Dean of Students Office suspended BU’s chapter of fraternity Zeta Beta Tau Thursday after four students were arrested Tuesday on charges of keeping a disorderly house and violating terms of probation.

Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore said DOS made the decision to suspend the fraternity after they received information about a Jan. 26 off-campus function that members of ZBT were involved in planning and hosting.

“We received a few complaints, one from the Boston Police Department, and then two other individuals, that made for what could be a plausible set of circumstances where … a gathering over at an off-campus location where we believe a select number of members from the ZBT chapter participated in and had planning roles in that gathering,” he said. “They may have been serving alcoholic beverages to people that were underage.”

Police responded to a complaint Jan. 26 at 85 Linden St., where they found approximately 150 to 200 attendees, confirmed BU spokesman Colin Riley.

College of General Studies sophomore Sawyer Petrick; CGS sophomore John Pavia; College of Fine Arts and College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Michael Oldcorn; and CAS senior Terry Bartrug were arrested at 85 Linden St. and taken to Nashua Street Jail for violating probation terms that were the result of a party held in September at the same location, Riley confirmed.

At the earlier party, which took place Sept. 21, police found over 200 partygoers in addition to evidence of underage drinking and marijuana use and at 85 Linden St. Following the incident, the four students pleaded not guilty at their arraignment, where the judge put them on pretrial probation and forbade them from having guests.

The chapter members at the Jan. 26 gathering allegedly violated university rules about serving alcoholic beverages and holding parties during the recruitment period. A representative of ZBT could not be reached for comment.

“That’s a violation of rules we’ve set out for organizations serving alcohol,” Elmore said. “Also this [incident] was [during] recruitment or rush period, and there are also some rules regarding that, too.”

The suspension is a temporary measure pending the outcome of the investigation of BU’s Interfraternity Council and the Dean of Students’ Office of Judicial Affairs, Elmore said.

“We [DOS] will look to see what they determine and we, ourselves, will also look at the facts, too,” he said. “Based upon that, we’ll make a decision on whether or not to lift the suspension or to carry it over with any other sanctions against the organization. So this is just an interim measure right now.”

The suspension temporarily bars ZBT from making use of university funding and resources, Elmore said.

“A suspension means that they’ve got to cease all their activities immediately — things like new member education and recruitment during the semester, they can’t receive university recognition or be eligible to receive any funding, reserve space or use Boston University in their name,” he said. “So basically, they can’t use university resources or their connection with us to conduct business or operate.”

 

This article previously stated that members of ZBT were arrested after having held a party on Feb. 26. The gathering actually took place on Jan. 26, and the four students were arrested Tuesday. The article has been revised to reflect these changes. 

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