Alpha Phi sorority temporarily shut down

The Alpha Phi sorority was temporarily closed by the University on Friday after two pledges were taken into protective custody by Medford Police and two other pledges were treated by Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS), all on Thursday night.

Medford Police allegedly placed the two freshmen into custody after they were unable to pay for the taxi they took to leave an Alpha Phi event. The details of the event are still unclear, according to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman, whose office is investigating the sorority.

One of the students treated by TEMS had to go to the hospital, although both have recovered.

The Dean of Students Office said that the sorority will remain closed while administrators investigate whether the sorority's sisters were involved in providing alcohol to underage pledges on Thursday evening.

When a sorority or fraternity is closed, no one except residents are allowed in the house, including sisters and pledges, and all activities are suspended

Last weekend, the Zeta Psi fraternity was temporarily closed pending an investigation into the injuries of Sebastian Gonzalez, a pledge who suffered minor brain damage from a fall after a party at the fraternity. Gonzalez has been recently released from the hospital, but is not yet planning to return to the University.

Although no Alpha Phi member was seriously injured, Reitman said when four pledges are involved in one incident, the University needs to investigate. Even when incidents happen off-campus, if a campus organization has a role in the event, "it can still be subject to campus scrutiny."

But Reitman was adamant that the closures at Zeta Psi and Alpha Phi were not disciplinary measures. "These closures are temporary measures until the investigations are finished," Reitman said.

There is some feeling on campus that the Greek system in serious jeopardy after the University closed two of its houses. However, the system is not going to disappear, said Inter-Greek Council (IGC) President Jessica Grasso. "The incidents are disappointing for both houses, but with a little bit of work things will work out for everyone in the end," she said.

According to Grasso, the Greeks are willing to do whatever it takes to regain the favor of the administration.