COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The University of Maryland lifts the pause on new member Greek Life activities on campus. On Friday, UMD issued a statement saying that, effective immediately, the pause on new member and alcohol-related activities directly affecting 32 fraternities and sororities has been lifted and they are clear to return to normal activities.
The pause was put into effect after evidence suggested members were involved in hazing and other incidents that threatened the health and safety of the campus and community. On March 1, all fraternities and sororities under the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Association (PHA) chapters were instructed to have absolutely no contact with any new member or prospective new member via in-person, telephone, postal mail, or any electronic means (including social media), pending an investigation.
This caused a swoon of responses and reactions from current students, former grads, and people who experienced Greek Life at UMD. Most recently, a group of students and four fraternities petitioned the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland for a temporary restraining order against UMD administrators.
The petition cited the school’s “decision to unilaterally suspend normal Chapter operations without any suggestion of actual wrongdoing, coupled with the imposition of an ambiguous, vague and overly broad notice that has indefinitely suspended every single chapter's unrestricted ability to operate, and runs afoul to basic notions of due process.” The petition named four administrators as defendants.
On Thursday, a federal judge announced that she would address the request for a temporary restraining order. The hearing was scheduled for Monday, March 18 at 1 p.m.
On Friday, UMD announced the University’s Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life (DFSL) and the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) have cleared all but five chapters affiliated with the IFC and PHA. These chapters will now be investigated through the Office of Student Conduct. These chapters will continue to be subject to limited restrictions on their activities as the investigation continues. Additionally, individual students will also be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for potential violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
Wynn Smiley, a spokesperson for the group of fraternities and students who launched the petition against the school, said:
“Finally, on the eve of Spring Break, the University of Maryland does the right thing. Sadly, it took them two weeks and the threat of a judge's ruling to do it. We are astonished by the school’s willingness to repeatedly violate their students’ civil liberties – their rights to freedom of association, due process and privacy – and their own administrative procedures in chasing a meritless investigation.” Smiley continued saying, "We will continue to pursue litigation against representatives of the University of Maryland for their unlawful behavior in targeting members of fraternities and sororities. Administrators who participated or were complicit in this egregious erosion of student liberties must be held accountable."
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