Starting with this semester's freshman orientation, Tufts' fraternities have experienced continued restrictions from the school and Somerville administration.
Due to a policy decision reached by the Council on Fraternities and Sororities this year, freshmen were not permitted to attend social events at fraternity houses during orientation.
The Greek social scene was further reduced when the Tufts administration ordered that Delta Tau Delta and Zeta Psi would be unable to serve alcohol at any social events for the duration of the year. Zeta Psi, which was on complete social probation last year, was permitted to throw parties without alcohol this semester.
Meanwhile, as a result of repeated neighborhood complaints, Somerville Alderman Bob Trane threatened to revoke the housing licenses of Delta Upsilon, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Alpha Tao Omega. Although none of those fraternities lost their licenses this semester, the entire Greek scene has been under intense scrutiny by both the Somerville Police Department and the Tufts University Police Department.
As a potential solution for the restricted Greek social scene, Director of Drug and Alcohol Education Margot Abels worked with students over the summer to create a program that will give money to students groups that hold alcohol-free social events.
