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Rutgers Shuts Down Fraternity, Sorority House Parties On Campus

By Justin Finch

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBS) --- Rutgers University has implemented a ban on fraternity and sorority house parties for the rest of the school year.

Rutgers says the current climate of controversy enveloping college Greek life was a major factor in their decision to shut the parties down. School officials broke the news to fraternity and sorority leaders last week, and it's now the talk of campus.

Not all students are thrilled. "I don't think it's really fair that everyone should be punished for the poor decisions of a few people," one student remarked.

Rutgers has 86 fraternities and sororities that are affected by the decision.

"A lot of us don't agree," says student Alessandro Bonet, "and now we're looking more proactively at this, bettering our community rather than getting mad or upset about it."

Rutgers leadership says the move comes in light of a number of alcohol-related incidents this year involving Greek organizations. Sophomore Caitlyn Kovacs died last September, after attending a party at the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Her death was ruled alcohol-related.

Then last month reports of underage drinking led to the shut-down of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

"They definitely can get out of hand," says senior Anthony Nicastro, "but there are the large percentage of frats on campus that don't let it get out of hand."

The University says it is taking this step out of caution and concern, though there are some that think this ban will do more harm than good.

"That doesn't mean parties are gonna stop happening, it means they will stop happening at their lettered housed," says Jeremy Deane, a fraternity member. "But every fraternity has a satellite house somewhere in New Brunswick, in a less safe place, and they're just going to have their parties there instead."

There's no word yet how Rutgers will enforce the party ban. As of now, formals can continue as planned, as long as third-party vendors serve the alcohol.

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