Virginia Tech’s chapter of Delta Zeta is no longer recognized as a student organization by the university and will lose its housing in Oak Lane at the end of the school year.
Byron Hughes, Tech’s assistant director of student conduct, said Delta Zeta has lost recognition for the next two years because of multiple alcohol violations, the most recent of which occurred in January.
A statement from Hughes to the Collegiate Times said the chapter was disciplined because it had multiple offenses in the past three years, a standard that is similar to the individual policies of the Office of Student Conduct.
“For the Delta Zeta chapter, there was a history of risk management related infractions stemming back to 2006, and the latest violation in January 2010 involving the consumption of alcohol by of-age students in their chapter house was considered a violation of both University and national policies for the organization,” Hughes’ statement said.
Delta Zeta is not the only organization to be sanctioned by the university this year.
Hughes listed six organizations that had been stripped of university recognition since the beginning of the fall semester. Five were fraternities or sororities, and the men’s club rugby team was also sanctioned. He said all offenses were alcohol related.
According to the Office of Student Conduct policy, the “loss of recognition” sanction “means that the organization must cease all operations and activities in the Organization’s name including but not limited to, any recruitment of members, any social activities, correspondence or communication, and any financial transactions. We expect that the organization will follow the letter and spirit of this sanction. Thus, alter-egos of a similar name and function of the organization are prohibited.”
Of the organizations stripped of recognition, only Alpha Epsilon Phi was leasing housing from the university. Hughes said the sorority did not move out. Its recognition was stripped for only one year. Because of this, the group was able to negotiate with the housing department to remain in the house.
Delta Zeta will lose its housing at the end of the school year.
Adam Cantley, Tech’s assistant director of fraternity and sorority life, said some members would not be punished by the national organizations.
“Individual members were allowed to keep their membership, but this is at the discretion of the national organization,” Cantley said.
He also said the university worked with the national organization, and the decision to strip the chapter of its recognition was a joint decision.
Delta Zeta’s national organization did not return calls from the CT.
Hughes’ statement said the school never wants students to feel alcohol consumption is a required activity of a student organization.
“Virginia Tech is committed to student learning and academic success and we have created a conduct system, which allows us to address activities by individual students and registered student organizations who engage in activities that are counter to this learning experience,” Hughes said.
“Of particular concern for registered student organizations is the use of alcohol and its relation to high-risk behavior, as well as situations that would cause a new member to believe that participation in these activities is necessary for membership.”
In addition to Delta Zeta and Alpha Epsilon Phi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Pi Kappa Psi and Alpha Tau Omega have been sanctioned in some way during the current academic year.