The Kappa chapter of Zeta Psi fraternity was found with a keg of beer at its fraternity house last Friday morning, April 8. The keg violates University rules and regulations as well as the fraternity's own probation, which was issued by the Committee on Fraternities and Sororities in 2003.
According to a report filed by the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD), loud noises coming from the Zeta Psi house on 80 Professors Row drew suspicions from several officers that morning at approximately 5:24 a.m.
The officers observed several people inside the building and heard loud music coming from inside. After knocking on the front door and hearing no answer, the officers entered the house in order to make contact with the residents. They found a keg and a "pong game" set up in clear view.
Zeta Psi is currently in the second year of a two-year probationary period for distributing alcohol to minors, endangering others, sponsoring drinking games, and violating rush regulations. No alcohol is permitted on the fraternity's premises until this probationary period lapses.
The officers spoke with Zeta Psi President Joshua Cohn and advised him that the fraternity was in violation of University rules and regulations. A report detailing the incident was forwarded to the Dean of Students office.
Dean of Students Bruce Reitman acknowledged the University's awareness of incident, but declined to comment on possible disciplinary actions to be taken by the University.
"The issue has been brought to the attention of our office, and is in the process of adjudication," he said.
Cohn declined to comment on the incident.
According to TUPD Captain Mark Keith, the Fraternal Information and Programming Group (FIGP) - the insurance carrier for fraternities on campus - strictly prohibits kegs within Greek houses on campus.
"In addition to that, University rules also prohibit the possession of kegs in a fraternity," Keith said.
As part of the procedure, the keg and tap were confiscated by the authorities and kept as evidence. "[The Zeta Psi brothers] may come back and say, 'We didn't have a keg,' so we hold it here until the case is over with," Keith said.
"The fraternity is on probation and thus not supposed to have any alcohol at all within the premises," Keith added.
These violations come in the wake of trouble surrounding another fraternity on campus, the Beta Mu chapter of Delta Tau Delta. On Monday, the chapter was ordered to close for a year and was placed on probation until 2007 for a series of alcohol and drug violations including providing alcohol to minors and as using alcohol as a part of pledge activities.
- Bruce Hamilton contributed to this article
see the correction for this article here
