As students on Tuesday mourned a 20-year-old Phi Kappa Si pledge at Texas State University, the school’s President Denise M. Trauth suspended all fraternities and sororities until the greek system on campus recieved a “thorough review.”
According to Buzzfeed, Matthew Ellis, 20, was found unresponsive Tuesday morning after attending an off-campus event. Ellis, a transfer student in his sophomore year studying business, had reportedly attended a fraternity event Sunday evening and was found unresponsive at 11:35 a.m. Tuesday morning in the Millennium Apartments, an off-campus housing complex. Ellis was pronounced dead at 12:28 p.m.
“These chapters are prohibited from holding new-member events, chapter meetings, social functions, and philanthropic activities until a thorough review of the Greek Affairs system is completed,” Trauth stated.
San Marcos police released the following statement after a press conference Tuesday, released by Click 2 Houston, stating that it was still too early to tell if Ellis’ death was a result of hazing. They also stated they have no previous knowledge of alcohol-related incidents with the fraternity. They do believe, however, that the drinking was done at a private fraternity and not in public.
According to the New York Times, the national Phi Kappa Psi organization stated that they suspended the Texas University chapter last Tuesday due to unrelated matters. This suspension will continue through the investigation of Ellis’ death.
No arrests have been made, however pending charges can vary from furnishing alcohol to a minor and manslaughter.