Greeks view U. report on Castle party as fair

Though many in the Greek community are tight-lipped about the Office of Student Conduct conclusion that Psi Upsilon violated the University alcohol policy, those who did voice opinions generally agree with the University findings.

The OSC began an investigation of the fraternity -- also known as the Castle -- following its Sept. 18 registered party, during which College junior Matthew Paris was critically injured. The OSC concluded this week that the Castle did violate the University alcohol policy, but that these violations did not cause the Pi Kappa Alpha brother's fall from the house's second-floor balcony.

In light of the OSC findings, representatives of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, the National Psi Upsilon advisers, Penn chapter's alumni advisers and the chapter itself are discussing the terms of probation.

Many students backed the report's conclusion that the conditions of the Castle party did not cause Paris' accident.

"The Castle should not be held responsible for the [Paris] incident," said Jared Bernheim, an Engineering sophomore and member of Alpha Epsilon Pi. "Although it was an unfortunate event ... the decision to drink is one's own, and the Castle fraternity cannot be blamed for the incident."

Engineering junior and Tau Epsilon Phi brother Fletcher Wilson agreed with Bernheim.

"When you have a party, you can only control it so much," he said.

He added that, since it is impossible to monitor everyone in attendance at a fraternity event, the Castle should not have been held responsible.

The OSC report concluded that the Castle obeyed the rules of a registered party on the first floor, but that there was access to beer for underage students and evidence of hard alcohol on the second and third floors of the house, in violation of registered party rules.

In the weeks following the accident, the Alcohol Response Team convened to discuss the possibility of modifying Penn's existing alcohol policy.

A College junior and Alpha Tau Omega brother who did not want his name published said that he feels that "in general, the University policies concerning alcohol are fair and effective ... [yet] this cannot entirely stop the use of hard alcohol, because a student can bring hard liquor into a party."

With Psi Upsilon's probation terms pending, Wilson and Bernheim offered some suggestions for the University.

"I believe that the punishment should be the same as any fraternity [being caught serving] hard alcohol," Wilson said. "I'm just glad [the Castle] didn't get kicked off campus."

For Bernheim, a "fair probation should mean simply a higher monitoring of [Castle] activities, whether they are party-related or not," he said.

Regardless of the probation terms to come, some see value in the outcome of the newly issued report.

It "is a great opportunity for the University to have open discourse with the Greek community," College junior Christopher Moulton said. "In the recent past, the University has made changes with little or no communication with the fraternities and sororities directly involved."

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