Alpha Chi put on probation, Phi Kap probed

The Alpha Chi Omega sorority has been placed on social probation for the remainder of the semester, and the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity is being investigated by the Judicial Inquiry Office. Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup confirmed that the sorority had been investigated by her office, but would not specify the results of the investigation. "I've settled an agreement with them," she said last night. "It's closed." Panhellenic Council President Allison Marinoff, a College junior, said that the sorority is "at no risk of losing their house." Alpha Chi Omega recently decided to move to a new house because there is no sprinkler system in their current house at 4040 Walnut Street. Alpha Chi Omega President and College junior Colleen Lynch also confirmed the probation last night, saying that her sorority would consider it "an opportunity." "As a whole, our chapter, rather than being negative, is creating new events and ideas to work within the limits of the probation," she said. "We are having non-alcoholic mixers and have revamped our formal, both with positive response from the chapter . . . we will use this as an opportunity for our chapter to grow even stronger." The Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity is being investigated by the JIO for an incident which occurred last Thursday night, according to Phaup and JIO Catherine Schifter. "It will be done through the JIO's office," Phaup said last night. "They'll conduct the investigation just to see what occurred around the incident." Philadelphia police said earlier this week that a 27-year-old male, Aad Lander, was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania after reportedly drinking 10 shots of vodka at a fraternity party. Phaup said that the incident occurred in Phi Kappa Sigma's house at 3539 Locust Walk. HUP Evening Administrator Martha Taylor said last night that Lander "has been transferred out of the intensive care unit and is [in] stable [condition]" at the hospital. Schifter said she is not sure what University policies the fraternity might have violated, but that the age of the victim is immaterial. "It came to our attention today and we are going to be looking into the situation," Schifter said. "[Lander] is clearly of legal age but that doesn't mean that the chapter didn't violate anything." Schifter added that the incident is under investigation because the case was out of the ordinary and because "the guy almost died." Interfraternity Council President and Alpha Chi Rho brother Morris Massel said that his organization will also be conducting an investigation of this incident. "I can understand why the University would want to look into this," the College junior said. "The IFC will be looking into this as well to understand the events that occurred and the circumstances which surrounded them." Repeated phone calls made to the Phi Kappa Sigma house last night were not answered.