Uconn to Keep Residential Capacity at 50% Next Semester

THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SINCE 1896 • VOLUME CXXVII, NO. 29 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 COVID-19 Tracker Current 203 166 7 CONFIRMED CASES AT Residential Cumulative Cumulative Staff Cases UCONN STORRS Cases as of 8:47 p.m. on Oct. 6 22 Residential Cases Commuter Cases Fraternity Phi Gamma UConn to keep residential Delta suspended for hazing, underage drinking capacity at 50% next semester and endangerment by Rachel Philipson STAFF WRITER [email protected] The University of Connecti- cut’s chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, also known as FIJI, is currently suspended and will be facing expulsion after being found responsible for violating seven acts of the university’s Student Code, according to a De- partment of Student Activities sanction letter. Stephanie Reitz, university spokesperson, said the university’s decision came after a hazing investigation due to an incident during a pledge event on Feb. 24, 2020. The event led to the hos- The UConn chapter of Phi pitalization of one student for Gamma Delta, commonly acute alcohol intoxication. Ac- known as FIJI, has been cording to the sanction letter, the suspended for violating the student was four times over the university’s code. They were permanently seperated Housing will continue to be at 50% capacity at the University of Connecticut next semester. Prior- legal limit of intoxication. from the university on Sept. ity will be given to in-person classes, newly-admitted students and athletes. PHOTO BY ERIN KNAPP, STAFF “The ongoing culture of haz- 30. PHOTOGRAPHER/THE DAILY CAMPUS ing at Phi Gamma Delta’s UCo- PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY UCONN PHI nn chapter and last February’s GAMMA DELTA FACEBOOK by Amanda Kilyk selection times, regardless of and others who work closely incident could have produced STAFF WRITER credits.” on these issues,” Reitz said in tragic results,” Reitz said. “Such [email protected] Regarding social distancing an email. “We’ll be guided by severe misconduct warrants the guidelines, according to UCo- whatever protocols provide the strongest possible action pro- practices were degrading, dan- The University of Connecti- nn’s spring 2021 housing FAQ best public health and safety posed under UConn’s conduct gerous and fully incompatible cut’s Department of Residen- webpage, students will no lon- protections for the kind of con- process.” with the organization’s own val- tial Life sent out an email last ger be allowed to have guests gregate housing that our resi- Reitz said UConn officials no- ues and those of the University,” Friday to notify students that in their dorms or apartments, dence halls provide.” tified Phi Gamma Delta chapter according to the sanction letter. residential capacity on campus regardless of where the guests According to the ResLife FAQ leadership on Sept. 30 with the “There is also widespread, will- will continue to be limited to may live. page, students should know sanction letter saying effective ful secrecy and lack of trans- half capacity for the spring 2021 “For spring 2021, [students] whether or not they have been immediately, it had been “per- parency between the executive semester, giving priority hous- will not be permitted to have approved for housing by early manently separated from the board and membership, which ing selection to those already any guests in their room at any November, with more informa- University with no opportunity has bred a lack of accountability on campus. time (day or night), including tion about the housing selection to return in the future as a rec- throughout the organization.” Students who have in-person other UConn residential stu- process and room assignments ognized student organization.” Phi Gamma Delta can file an classes, newly-admitted students,” the page noted. to follow shortly after. The sanction letter stated the appeal to the interim assistant dents and athletes participat- University Spokesperson The FAQ page also noted fraternity violated seven sec- vice president for Student Af- ing in athletic competition are Stephanie Reitz said UConn that Residential Life has begun tions of the University of Con- fairs/director of Student Activi- among those listed in the email will continue this, as well as looking at how the housing se- necticut’s Responsibility of ties before Wednesday, Oct. 7 at who will also be prioritized in other social distancing and lection process will work for Community Life: The Student 5 p.m., according to the sanction the housing selection process. safety protocols all in accor- fall 2021. Code. The sections are Part letter. If they do not file an appeal According to the email, stu- dance with the state of Con- “Residential Life and Hous- III.B.5. Endangering behav- or if the appeal is denied, the or- dents must complete a form by necticut’s protocols. ing Services have begun to Nov. 6. The form can be found “The University’s guidance have internal discussions about on each student’s MyHousing about social distancing pro- housing plans for fall 2021,” “The ongoing culture of hazing at Phi Gamma page, in order to demonstrate tocols are designed to mirror Proulx said. “This will depend Delta’s UConn chapter and last February’s interest in receiving housing those recommended by state on the guidelines set by the for next semester. and federal public health au- University and the determina- incident could have produced tragic results.” The director of Housing Ser- thorities, the Governor’s Office, tion of capacity for fall.” UCONN SPOKESPERSON STEPHANIE REITZ vices Kimberly Proulx noted that the housing selection process for those approved for ior; Part III.B.6. Hazing; Part ganization will be expelled. housing will be similar to past III.B.7c. Serving, distributing or This is the second University selection processes. The dif- obtaining alcohol; Part III.B.9. of Connecticut fraternity chap- ference will be the decreased Uncooperative behavior; Part ter to be suspended in the past 12 number of residential vacan- III.B.19b. Falsification, distor- months. According to The Daily cies for students to be able to tion or misrepresentation of Campus, Zeta Beta Tau was ini- choose from. information; Part III.B.19c. In- tially under an interim suspen- “Highlighted differences are fluencing or attempting to influ- sion following an incident in- that not all spaces on campus ence another person and Part volving a freshman student who will be available, as we are still III.B.19d. Attempting to dis- fell out of a third-story window operating at reduced capacity courage or retaliate against an in October 2019. and also will be holding some individual. According to a sanction letter areas of campus aside for medi- The letter said the Commu- dated April 15, 2020, Zeta Beta cal quarantine and isolation nity Standards and the Student Tau was officially suspended use,” Proulx said in an email. Activities Ad-Hoc Committee after being found responsible Proulx also said selection discovered during their investi- for endangering behavior and times for students in learning gation that hazing and underage hazing. They were permanently communities will be impacted. drinking was deeply ingrained separated from the university “We will not be holding as in Phi Gamma Delta’s culture and lost their University Hous- many smaller selections that and was not limited to the Feb. ing in Husky Village. Zeta Beta are typically included for fall 24, 2020 event. With the combi- Tau filed a recommendation ap- (Honors, LCs), as the time- nation of the February incident, peal that was later denied, Reitz frame for this selection process history of hazing members, a said. did not allow for the inclusion failure to address such inci- Reitz said UConn has a “zero of those selections and thus dents and written and verbal tolerance approach” toward students in these populations responses by Phi Gamma Delta organizations or individuals have been notified that their members, the Community Stan- whose behavior may endanger assignments will remain the dards and the Student Activities others. same for the spring,” Proulx Ad-Hoc Committee was able to “UConn is committed to cam- said. come to their decision to expel pus communities that are, above Proulx also noted that Char- all, safe, healthy and respectful ter Oak Apartment residents Over the weekend, UConn announced that students currently liv- the organization. ing on campus will be allowed to stay in their rooms for the up- “Hazing occurred through environments for our students, will be relocated for the spring coming spring semester. Previously, UConn had said all students many different dehumanizing employees and guests,” Reitz semester, so those relocated would have to move out of their current housing asignments by Nov. 22, 2020. PHOTO BY ERIN KNAPP, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/THE DAILY CAMPUS methods and these activities and said. students “will have priority For more... dailycampus.com The_DailyCampus The_DailyCampus The Daily Campus Tweet of the Day Touch of Midas SPEAK NOW | PAGE 4 HENRY BIRD | PAGE 5 BASEBALL | PAGE 12 @Mawcus Spoke Trump’s unsurprising attitude An Interview with The Great UConn holds fall scrimmages at Football the biggest money- toward COVID-19 British Bake Off, Henry Bird new ballpark dump Uconn engages in 02 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 • DailyCampus.com News UConn InChip discusses school policing alternatives by Jake Kelly that understands that the way tion of what role law enforce- vocates and role models they According to Kupchik, “re- CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT you really build a safe learning ment should have in schools, wish to be. It is hard to have cent research using nationwide [email protected] environment is by building a all three panelists had similar a relationship with students data finds that schools with positive school,” Murphy said.

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