Florida State University announced Monday that it would be suspending all fraternity and sorority activities indefinitely after a fraternity pledge died and a member of another fraternity was arrested, The New York Times reports.
In two unrelated incidents, 20-year-old Pi Kappa Phi pledge Andrew Coffey was found unresponsive Friday morning following a Pi Kappa Phi party in a house off campus, and Garrett John Marcy, a member of FSU’s Phi Delta Theta chapter was arrested for selling cocaine. Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo told CNN it was likely alcohol played a role in Coffey’s death, but that the police were waiting on autopsy results to confirm any further details.
In response, FSU president John Thrasher announced all Greek life activities, including chapter meetings, social events and philanthropy would be suspended for all 55 fraternities and sororities on campus until students made the commitment to change their behavior.
“For this suspension to end, there will need to be a new normal for Greek Life at the university,” Thrasher said in a statement. “There must be a new culture, and our students must be full participants in creating it.”
FSU isn’t the first school this year to lose a student to a hazing-related death in a Greek life organization. Penn State freshman Timothy Piazza died earlier this year after being left unconscious for twelve hours while pledging Beta Theta Pi, and 10 Phi Delta Theta members at Louisiana State University were arrested after a pledge was killed by alcohol poisoning in September.
Florida State has said the ban will only be lifted once students have demonstrated a commitment to working with the university to prevent dangerous behavior in the future. “They must work with us and demonstrate they fully understand the serious obligation they have to exercise responsible conduct,” Thrasher said.