Headline: Delta Upsilon Fraternity shut down at GV

Subhead: Following drug, alcohol violations, university chapter closed

An email was sent out to various members of the Greek community on Thursday, March 16 warning students to be thoughtful about how they talked about the closing of the Delta Upsilon chapter at Grand Valley State University. Since the official announcement, the decision to close down a GVSU fraternity has spread to local and state-wide media stations.

After a hearing between board of directors and chapter delegates Friday, Feb. 17, the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity Board of Directors officially announced Thursday, March 16, that they had decided to revoke the charter of the Grand Valley State Chapter.

According to a press release from the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity, the Delta Upsilon fraternity violated a number of Fraternity Loss Prevention Policies regarding alcohol and drugs during the fall 2016 semester. The Board of Directors also identified multiple reports of violations of university policies over the course of the past 18 months.

According to information provided on the GVSU Greek life webpage (www.gvsu.edu/greeklife), alcohol is not allowed in any chapter facility, house, lodge or suite, chapter funds may not be used to purchase alcohol and the illegal use and abuse of alcohol and controlled substances is not tolerated by any of the National Panhellenic Conference member groups.

“The decision to close a chapter is the most difficult decision the International Fraternity makes,” said Executive Director Justin Kirk in an official press release. “Delta Upsilon is committed to being the premiere men’s fraternity on college campuses today. As such, we hold our members and chapters to a set a standards that, unfortunately, the Grand Valley State Chapter could not sustain.”

Due to the elimination of the GVSU chapter, all fraternity operations have been immediately shut down. Members of the chapter were given alumni status and associate members have been released from the fraternity. Fraternity members living in the chapter housing have individual leases with the third-party owner and will be able to fulfill their leases for the remainderof the school year according to the official press release.

The International Fraternity will consider reinstatement of the chapter once all current undergraduate students are placed on alumni status, have graduated or left GVSU.

Various members of the previously Delta Upsilon chapter at GVSU were contacted via email following the announcement but did not respond with comments.

“The national board of Delta Upsilon voted to revoke the charter at Grand Valley for violations of the fraternity’s national policies,” said Eileen Sullivan, Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. “We respect the board’s decision to regulate their member organization. “