Althouse: "Cornell University announced the temporary suspension of all fraternity parties and social events in a statement on Monday..."

November 8, 2022

"Cornell University announced the temporary suspension of all fraternity parties and social events in a statement on Monday..."

"... following alerts from the school’s Police Department over the weekend that one student was sexually assaulted and at least four others were drugged at off-campus residences affiliated with fraternities registered with the school.... The Cornell police said they were made aware on Nov. 4 of at least four students who said they drank little or no alcohol at off-campus parties in recent weeks but became incapacitated. The students told the officers they had been 'exposed to Rohypnol,' the so-called date-rape drug."

The NYT reports.

40 comments:

Assistant Village Idiot said...: I worry that the focus on fraternities distracts from the importance of consequating individual crimes. It isn't necessarily related to fraternities, or the culture, or anything like it. It smacks of using this as an excuse to fight some culture war.; 11/8/22, 8:46 AM
tim maguire said...: Wads it the same party? Because suspending all functions seems a bit over the top. Although lack of perspective or judgment does seem to be the university system's calling card these days.; 11/8/22, 8:51 AM
gilbar said...: Was this reported in the Rolling Stone, yet?; 11/8/22, 8:57 AM
mikee said...: "Told the officers" or had blood test evidence? Sorry, Jackie. You get no benefit of the doubt and won't be believed without proof, even if you are telling the truth. If drugged, get a blood test for suspected drugs.; 11/8/22, 8:58 AM
Mike Sylwester said...: off-campus residences affiliated with fraternities

That "affiliation" seems rather sketchy.

If those residences are "affiliated" with Cornell University's fraternities, then aren't they "affiliated" further with Cornell University's administration?; 11/8/22, 8:58 AM
mikee said...: "Told the officers" or had blood test evidence? Sorry, Jackie. You get no benefit of the doubt and won't be believed without proof, even if you are telling the truth. If drugged, get a blood test for suspected drugs.; 11/8/22, 8:59 AM
Achilles said...: Nothing like a little group punishment for your political opponents.

Make sure those students and student organizations know who is boss.; 11/8/22, 9:00 AM
Mike Sylwester said...: off-campus residences affiliated with fraternities

University liberals detest fraternities.

No guilt-by-association accusation is too far-fetched when the goal is to cause trouble for fraternities.; 11/8/22, 9:02 AM
MayBee said...: That's horrible.
It's a good thing nothing bad ever happens in dorm rooms or unaffiliated student dwelling apartments.; 11/8/22, 9:03 AM
MadisonMan said...: were drugged at off-campus residences affiliated with fraternities registered with the school
What a head-scratching way to put it. Were these houses where fraternity members lived, or were they the actual fraternity?
I wonder how many sexual assaults occurred in Cornell's dorms over the past weekend. More than 1 is my estimate.; 11/8/22, 9:12 AM
traditionalguy said...: Chemical warfare. But what will women do when they wake up pregnant?; 11/8/22, 9:13 AM
madAsHell said...: No more parties??

What am I gonna do with all that Student Debt Relief money?; 11/8/22, 9:13 AM
Readering said...: Sometimes not just incompetence at play.; 11/8/22, 9:30 AM
Enigma said...: How the worm has turned from the 1970s. Where are you Harvey Weinstein?

Animal House Lyrics:

https://genius.com/Stephen-bishop-animal-house-lyrics

Let me t-t-tell you 'bout some friends I know
They're kinda crazy but you'll dig the show
They can party 'till the break of dawn
At Delta Chi you can't go wrong

Otter, he's the ladies man
Every girl falls into his hands
Boon and Katy playing "Cat and Mouse"
And Mrs. Wormer, she's the queen of the

Animal House

Animal House
...; 11/8/22, 9:40 AM
Michael K said...: "Rolling Stone" could not be reached for comment.; 11/8/22, 9:50 AM
n.n said...: Loosely affiliated, perhaps a onetime haunt, shared by others? Rental house? Does it have administrative fingerprints? Have criminal charges been recorded? Has the story been authenticated?

An underage girl raped by a Hollywood celebrity -- not rape-rape. An underage girl raped by an illegal alien, covered by his girlfriend, her mother, the "burden" of evidence aborted, perhaps cannibalized, sequestered in darkness. A transgender/homosexual woman raped with a democratic consensus (i.e. gang) of people of color. Women raped during nationwide insurrections. A casting couch for social progress? A serial, male trans/homosexual rapist, noticed, forgotten with JournoListic flair. Another decade, another #MeToo, finally, another rape culture allegation, on the very day of national election. Ok... Does "Ok" have racist or sexist connotation? Both? #HateLovesAbortion; 11/8/22, 9:51 AM
n.n said...: Chemical warfare. But what will women do when they wake up pregnant?

I'm going to Planned Parenthood. Disneyland? The hospital to abort what may be? The press to publish a handmade tale? The administrative staff at a school to carry out a witch hunt, pass a warlock judgment? The police station, to file a criminal report?; 11/8/22, 9:55 AM
Lurker21 said...: Where will underage students get free beer now?; 11/8/22, 10:00 AM
Yancey Ward said...: Yeah, always watch your drink, and never take one from anyone who is not the bartender or your mother.; 11/8/22, 10:04 AM
Yancey Ward said...: They all need to be shut down anyway to prevent COVID.; 11/8/22, 10:05 AM
Leland said...: There is a simple solution to this. Don't go to Cornell.; 11/8/22, 10:06 AM
Tachycineta said...: Good grief - two posts in one day.

My brother was in Skull House (Phi Kappa Sigma) at Cornell. I remember driving him back to school one weekend. Drove by Seneca Army Depot where the Women's Peace Encampment was nearby and a big demonstration was taking place at Post 1 (Main Gate).

Nothing prepared me for going into his frat house. Pot smoke everywhere. The place was poorly lit - it was like a dungeon. I think some studying went on there. There were acts on vandalism that took place (someone poured paint in another frat's pool, another fraternity stole a candy machine from a neighboring frat house and once the machine was devoid of candy and money, proceeded to thrown it down one of the many gorges.

I asked my brother recently if he gained much being in a fraternity while there. He said he made a lot of friends (still keeps in touch with some to this day) but all in all, it was a distraction to studying and other facets of campus life. Skull House is no longer an active chapter at Cornell, and their former house is I believe now owned privately.; 11/8/22, 10:28 AM
Rabel said...: If the police press release is correct then this is based on one individual reporting that she knew of four other individuals who passed out without the required amount of drinking who must have been given roofies.

A second case of reported sexual assault was most likely at 4AM at the AEPi house on Thurston Ave., if it happened.

There are only 12 members in AEPi so the school can just apply collective punishment without ruffling too many feathers. Those guys are used to it anyway.; 11/8/22, 10:48 AM
n.n said...: What am I gonna do with all that Student Debt Relief money?

Child support? A party at Planned Parenthood? Cancellation without due process? A splooge stooge, in a womb with (i.e. first choice) or without consent, and his money are soon parted.; 11/8/22, 11:05 AM
Lem the artificially intelligent said...: Frat boys, frat boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you; 11/8/22, 11:11 AM
rehajm said...: Cornell is a 'sort-of' Ivy. Just ask the other Ivies...; 11/8/22, 11:15 AM
rehajm said...: Back in my day Cornell had an in-state quota. If you went to a NY state public high school and were earning a Regents diploma, had a good GPA or an okay GPA with some APs you likely were accepted to Cornell. I got in and so did twenty of my classmates.

Like I said, a 'sort-of' Ivy...; 11/8/22, 11:21 AM
mccullough said...: There are always sociopaths among us.

Politics is filled with them. University administration has more than its share.; 11/8/22, 11:29 AM
MB said...: Unless this happened at several parties, it seems odd to punish them all. It makes me wonder if there is a reason not to punish only the one (if it was just one) that caused the problem.

I'm also curious about these students to don't drink, or are light drinkers, but are still going to frat parties. There are few things less entertaining (party-wise) than being sober around a lot of really drunk people.; 11/8/22, 11:37 AM
Darles Chickens said...: Tachycineta,

I was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma at Cornell, back in prehistoric times. I can confirm that some studying went on there, occasionally. During my stay we had a considerable contingent of Navy ROTC brothers, almost all Engineering students, which brought up the house average.

After the fraternity folded the property was sold to another fraternity, which still occupied the premises as of five-six years ago.; 11/8/22, 12:21 PM
Michael K said...: Blogger marybeth said...

Unless this happened at several parties, it seems odd to punish them all. It makes me wonder if there is a reason not to punish only the one (if it was just one) that caused the problem.

College administrators are hired based on their antipathy to fraternities. That was true even back in the 50s. Then the big issue was drinking, not pot or sexual assault.; 11/8/22, 12:38 PM
gilbar said...: Does this mean, that that Really irritating guy, with the guitar; will be able to just keep on making horrible noises without having Bluto smash it against the wall?

Because; as horrible as date rapes are (and, they're Horrible!).. Do we REALLY WANT to live in a world with chickens without bones? or cherries without stones??

the issue here is not whether theye broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with their female party guests—they did. [winks at Dean Wormer]

But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick perverted individuals.
For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system?
And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general?
I put it to you: isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do what you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America.; 11/8/22, 1:06 PM
What's emanating from your penumbra said...: Did they shut down all gay parties based on reports that some attendees had sex without disclosing their monkeypox infection? No? I see.; 11/8/22, 2:21 PM
What's emanating from your penumbra said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/8/22, 2:22 PM
JaimeRoberto said...: The first time I smoked pot was at a Cornell fraternity party. They apologized for being out of coke. So it doesn't shock me that there are drugs at fraternity parties at Cornell. But that doesn't mean that collective punishment is right.; 11/8/22, 2:27 PM
Dr Weevil said...: marybeth (11:37am):
"There are few things less entertaining (party-wise) than being sober around a lot of really drunk people."

My late sister (UVa 1971-75) disagreed. She found such expeditions hilarious: "Next best thing to a trip to the zoo!" (Her sense of humor may have been a little on the immature side. She skipped a grade and was only 16 when she matriculated.); 11/8/22, 4:16 PM
PM said...: A suspension? They think it's over? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?; 11/8/22, 4:26 PM
Ampersand said...: With fentanyl potentially in the mix, things are pretty rough out there. Who can you trust anymore?

What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?; 11/8/22, 5:27 PM
loudogblog said...: "...off-campus residences affiliated with fraternities registered with the school"
That's a strange way to describe it. If none of them were the frat house, then I wonder what the "affiliation" is. Sorority houses? The "little sisters?"

Also, the students told the police what drug people had been drugged with? Shouldn't a medical professional, who has test results, be telling the police that?

I'm no fan of fraternities, but I'd be skeptical about some of this.; 11/8/22, 11:11 PM
Tom said...: A couple of the chapters on campus have substance free houses (including the fraternity of which I’m a member m, albeit at another school). If those chapters had alcohol at parties, that’s enough for them to be suspended by their general fraternity.

On the subject of roofies, there probably should be some physical evidence before chapter houses are collectively shutdown. But I don’t think Cornell is a bastion of due process at the moment.; 11/9/22, 5:17 AM