Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

A fraternity at the University of Rhode Island has been banished for 1.5 years and its chapter house closed for 4 years because of substance abuse and destruction of property.

University police with a warrant searched the chapter house of Phi Kappa Psi, 4 Fraternity Circle, on Dec. 5 at 4 a.m. Eight people in Room 3 were handcuffed and waited in the hall while police searched the room, which was strewn with empty beer cans. Police found a locked safe in a closet. Robert S. Gallo, 20, of Warwick was taken for questioning.

Inside the safe, police found marijuana, miscellaneous pills, two scales, a 16-gigabyte iPod, $130 in cash and blue paper with numbers. Gallo had $95 in his wallet and $63 on his person, the arrest report says. He was charged with distributing and selling drugs.

Tom Dougan, the university's vice president for student affairs, said sanctions were imposed before students left for the holidays, and the 45 students have been able to find other housing for this semester.

"This is the exception," Dougan said. "We have not closed a fraternity chapter here in at least five years. ... The large majority of our frats are award-winning chapters. Our system has been recognized locally and nationally as an excellent fraternity system."

Phil Bowers, president of the Interfraternity Council at URI, said the IFC supports the university's action. Events at Phi Psi
"stand against the values and beliefs shared by the Greek Community, " he said.

"Greek life at URI is stronger now then ever before," Bowers said. "Our fraternity and sorority community produces outstanding leaders and continues to be on the forefront of scholarship, leadership, philanthropy, and community service. ... The actions of Phi Kappa Psi are unfortunate yet do not in anyway reflect activities common in fraternity and sorority houses at URI. Our Greek community has made tremendous strides in the past fifteen years by holding ourselves to higher standards, standards that have helped us become one of, if not, the strongest Greek community in the northeast. Those that cannot meet our standards restrict the ability of the community to further grow and develop and must be punished."

The Dec. 5 arrest was the fraternity's third strike in the last three semesters. Violations found in November included substance abuse and destruction of property, which included holes punched in the walls, furniture destroyed and glass bottles smashed in the shower and bathroom.

The house and furniture, Dougan said, belong to the Phi Kappa Psi Alumni Corp., a non-profit organization. The land on which it sits belongs to the university. The house is now occupied by about 35 transfer students who lease rooms from the Fraternity Managers Association. The chef and other staff are still working there, Dougan said.

The fraternity can return as a student group in September of 2010, Dougan said, and the chapter house can open in September of 2012.

 Tags  drugs marijuana

Comments

URI will never lose its rep as a potty school said:

"This is the exception," Dougan said. "We have not closed a fraternity chapter here in at least five years."

What a laugh. Wow, a whole five years without closing a frat. You must be real proud of yourselves.

Link | January 23, 2009 2:03 PM
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John St Lawrence said:

The police found some marijuana and beer. I guess there are still some signs of life at URI.

Link | January 23, 2009 3:20 PM
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BobH said:

There are so many kids who would love to go to college but can't afford it. When are these immature, spoiled morons going to grow up and learn that playing "Animal House" stopped being cool before they were born?

Link | January 23, 2009 3:36 PM
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me said:

Well..the way Hollywood is going, the Animal House remake should be with us in a year or two...

Link | January 23, 2009 4:31 PM
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Tom said:

Its college.....give me a frickin break.

Link | January 23, 2009 5:33 PM
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Catcher said:

"destruction of property, which included holes punched in the walls, furniture destroyed and glass bottles smashed in the shower and bathroom"
------ Are you kidding. This is NOTHING- seriously. Remember the days of Bishai and Walker???? It happens at every house- These dudes were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Obviously the pledges had the night off from security...

Link | January 24, 2009 9:00 AM
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nonya said:

you call this punishment? wow i cant be in a frat for 1.5 years. they obviously didn't care in the first place. suspension would have been my choice

Link | January 25, 2009 2:11 AM
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