A College junior and Pi Kappa Alpha brother was critically injured at a University-registered party early yesterday morning at the Psi Upsilon fraternity house. He remains in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's Intensive Care Unit.
At 1:59 a.m., police responded to a 911 call from the fraternity house known as the Castle -- located at 36th Street and Locust Walk -- where they found Matthew Paris "in immediate need of medical attention," said Maureen Rush, vice president of public safety. Paris had fallen two stories from the second floor to the basement of the building.
Intensive care is continuing at the hospital, where Paris -- who turned 21 yesterday -- was joined by his parents from Medford, N.J., shortly after he was admitted.
Most of the details surrounding Paris' fall remain unclear, but Rush said that "there was no foul play ... no horseplay or pushing or anything like that" involved in the accident. Officials would not comment on whether alcohol was involved in the incident.
However, Engineering sophomore Kyle Newman, who was in attendance at the party, said that Paris had been drinking shots of alcohol, and had made 21 marks on his arm, denoting the number of shots he had taken over the course of the night.
Several sources said that Paris had been consuming vodka.
College freshman Eric Wrigley, who was on an upper floor of the house, said that someone entered the room he was in and said, "You have to come down here -- some guy fell off the banister." When he went downstairs to leave, Wrigley said that he saw Paris lying on the ground, adding that "he looked pretty lifeless."
While Paris' condition is listed as critical, he has improved since he entered the hospital, according to InterFraternity Council President Conor O'Callaghan, a Wharton and Engineering senior.
Neither HUP nor University officials would release the details of Paris' injuries, citing patient privacy laws.
The fraternity brothers released an official statement in the wake of the incident. "In this unfortunate time, the brothers of Pi Kappa Alpha would like to express our sincerest thoughts and prayers to Matt Paris and his family. Matt is an outstanding asset to this fraternity, University and community; we can only wish him the best for a speedy and full recovery. We would ask that everyone keep Matt and his family in mind during this difficult period."
Fraternity and sorority presidents met yesterday to discuss the situation with officials from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.
The group decided to enact a social freeze for all Greek organizations for the next two weeks, according to correspondence sent within chapter houses. When the freeze is lifted for the week of Oct. 4, which coincides with Greek Week, individual houses will still not be allowed to have parties or events, according to one e-mail.
In 2001, the Castle was put on probation for two years, and brothers were prohibited from holding alcoholic events at their house until last fall. This party, however, was held within the University guidelines for parties on campus, according to Anthony Cambeiro, president of the trustees for Psi Upsilon of Philadelphia.
"We are profoundly distressed with this incident that occurred at the Psi Upsilon house ... and our heart goes out to Matthew Paris and his family. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery," he said.
A similar incident occurred at Penn in 1999, when Class of '94 College alumnus Michael Tobin, a brother of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, was found dead outside the fraternity's house after a fall.
Tobin's family sued the University, claiming that officials had not kept the house well-repaired. The FIJI fraternity was disbanded and has not returned to campus.
