Liquor agents bust SDT party

The Liquor Control Enforcement bureau of the Pennsylvania State Police unexpectedly dropped by and shut down an off-campus Sigma Delta Tau sorority party last Thursday night at the New Market Cabaret at 415 S. 2nd Street, citing numerous underage students in the process. The party -- which was registered to be held from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and was open only to students 21 years of age and older -- was forced to end at around midnight. Stephanie Ives, the University's alcohol coordinator, said she does not know why the LCE entered and broke up the party. "It is an LCE matter," Ives said. "The LCE does not work in conjunction with the University at all." And Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski reaffirmed that SDT fully complied with the University's alcohol policy, since the sorority registered the party and completed a third-party vendor checklist -- a list of rules governing off-campus social events. Panhellenic Council President Becca Iverson, a College senior and Chi Omega sister, said that SDT provided at least one sober member to serve as a monitor for every 50 guests, as directed by the alcohol policy. "As far as Panhellenic is concerned, SDT completed all the steps necessary to comply with University alcohol regulations," she added. An underage male student who attended the party last Thursday said the state police handed out several citations to anyone under the age of 21, though the student did not know exactly how many. Following the raid, the doors were locked and those under 21 were forced to stay as the police confiscated fake IDs. "The cops were just doing their job, really," the student said. "A lot of people were giving the cops a hard time. Most of the people at the party were not legitimately 21." Reikofski said he was sure the University did not inform the LCE of the downtown party. "Our investigation further revealed that no one at the University tipped off the LCE. The University Police Department is the primary contact with the LCE and they were unaware that the SDT party was even going on," Reikofski added, noting that the issue is now closed. "What [the LCE] evidently did find was underage students who were improperly and illegally served by the licensed establishment that had signed off on and hosted the party," Reikofski said. The manager of the club, Phil Roy, did not return several calls for comment over the past two days. SDT President Amanda Wallen, a College senior, said that approximately 90 sorority members -- most with dates -- attended the party, and that 10 monitors were present. "I wish I knew why [the LCE broke up the party]," Wallen said.

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