LCE agents bust two off-campus sorority parties

About 30 underage drinkers at parties thrown by Chi Omega and Pi Beta Phi were cited by agents. The Pennsylvania State Police's Liquor Control Enforcement bureau shut down two off-campus sorority parties Saturday night and gave citations to approximately 30 underage students at the restaurants where the parties were being held. Within an hour and a half, LCE agents raided the Chi Omega party at Cutters at 20th and Market streets and the Pi Beta Phi event at Euro Cafe at 414 S. 2nd Street, handing out between seven and 10 citations at the first party and approximately 20 at the second, several sources said. Bouncers were checking identification at the doors of both parties, handing out wristbands at the Chi O party and stamping hands at the Pi Phi party to mark those over 21. When they raided the Pi Phi party, the agents gave underage drinkers the option of undergoing a breathalyzer test or admitting to drinking and receiving a summary offense that is not marked on a permanent record. A summary offense -- which is sent to the student's legal address -- involves paying a fine and attending an alcohol education class. According to a freshman who requested anonymity, the police said that if they discovered alcohol on the breath of a student who denied drinking and opted instead for the breathalyzer, they would write up an additional offense for lying to an officer. The freshman said she was told that this misdemeanor, unlike the summary offense, would go on her permanent record. Pi Phi Vice President of Moral Advancement Erin Murphy, a College sophomore, said the LCE monitored the Euro Cafe party with undercover agents before writing up citations. Euro Cafe manager Nick Ventura said the state police "gave some [students] a hard time" while investigating the establishment, which was forced to shut down between 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. Saturday night. Panhellenic Council President Becca Iverson, a Chi O sister, said the LCE cited about seven to 10 underage drinkers at her sorority's party -- giving them court dates -- and shut down the Cutters party at approximately 11:45 p.m. The police did not use breathalyzers but "approached people who were holding drinks and asked to see ID," the College junior said. Office of Sorority and Fraternity Affairs officials said neither sorority is responsible for violating liquor laws, stressing that the establishments themselves are at fault. Yesterday, OFSA Assistant Director Tom Carroll said in regard to both parties that if the vendor was in violation of the liquor laws, it is the "establishment's responsibility." "The women weren't the ones carding, it was the establishment that was carding," said Carroll. Pi Phi President Alisa Plesco, an Engineering junior, said "all regulation was followed" with University and national chapter guidelines before authorities shut down the party. And Iverson said her sorority "followed all the rules" within OFSA, the University and the Chi Omega national chapter. Chi Omega President Lindsay Corbett, a Daily Pennsylvanian production manager and College junior, confirmed that Cutters' "bouncers were in charge of everything at the door." Cutters is closed on Sundays and could not be reached for comment. But Ventura said yesterday that "everything we did was legal" and that police have not taken action against the Euro Cafe yet, though he said he is meeting with legal advisors today. "We were not given a citation at all," Ventura said, adding that he spoke with the Cutters general manager last night to find out why the LCE searched both establishments. Ventura said the Cutters general manager claims Penn security notified the state police at 10 p.m. about where the parties were occurring. The LCE "only comes out if someone calls to make a complaint," he added. But University Police Chief Maureen Rush said yesterday that the LCE is spot-checking "all bars and restaurants in Center City" for underage drinking and "it's certainly not targeted at Penn." These are not the first times Penn students have been cited by LCE agents. In October, the LCE handed out nine citations at a downtown Kappa Alpha Theta party. In April 1996, agents cited 180 students for underage drinking at Spring Fling, and in March 1997, 33 students received citations after a midnight raid at the Palladium. At last year's Fling, the LCE issued citations to 19 students.

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