Phi Gamma Pi (PGP), the fraternity sanctioned for a 24-keg party Homecoming weekend, has partied for the last time, at least as an official fraternity.
Northeastern’s Greek Council revoked the group’s charter last week, which means the fraternity is no longer recognized by the university. The group cannot apply for another charter for six years.
Rachel Truman, chair of Greek Council and a member of Delta Zeta, said the council’s main concern in making its decision was student safety and PGP’s history of creating an unsafe party atmosphere.
“It was a very tough decision for us to make, but we took into account their past history and the safety of everyone involved and decided it was the best thing to do,” Truman said.
PGP’s disciplinary history, which dates back to 1998, includes an incident of alleged hazing that left bruises on a pledge’s buttocks and allegations of sexual harassment at PGP parties. In connection with the hazing incident, seven students were suspended and the fraternity was suspended until fall of 2000, according to Boston Globe and Quincy Patriot Ledger reports published at the time. The fraternity also lost their lodging license in 1998, meaning only three non-related people could legally live in the fraternity’s Victorian mansion in Brookline.
That mansion is owned by PGP’s alumni association, and assistant director of student leadership and Greek advisor Laura Parrillo said Northeastern will not be involved with whether the fraternity brothers continue to inhabit the house.
Gene Carozza, Northeastern alumnus and treasurer of the PGP Alumni Association, said the alumni have not decided what to do with the house now that PGP is no longer a recognized fraternity.
“The short answer is we don’t know,” Carozza said.
Although Carozza declined to say whether the fraternity would appeal the decision, he said the alumni and members of PGP are not done with the matter.
“We are planning to discuss it with officials just to make sure we’re comfortable with how they came about their decision,” Carozza said.
This is not the first time a Northeastern fraternity has had its charter revoked. Gamma Phi Kappa was disbanded in 2002, Parrillo said. Its charter was revoked due to a similar party incident, although the group had a different history than PGP.
“It always is hurtful to a Greek system when you lose a chapter,” Parrillo said.
The Greek Council consists of student representatives from Panhellenic Council and the InterFraternity Council, as well as staff members from the Student Activities Office and the Public Affairs Office. Truman declined to say whether the vote was close. Although there is an appeal process available to the fraternity, Parrillo said she is unaware of any efforts by PGP to appeal the decision.
John Silveria, director of student leadership, said PGP is not typical of Greek life at Northeastern.
“The thing to keep in mind is that we just came back from a summit with Greek leaders,” Silveria said, emphasizing the good that many Greek organizations do on campus. “We’re saddened that PGP couldn’t be a part of that, but that’s a choice they made.”
Members of PGP declined to comment for this story.
