Northern Illinois University has joined the bandwagon of universities and colleges nationwide cracking down on fraternity mishaps because alleged sexual assaults that may have involved date rape drugs were linked to a fraternity there in November.

The allegations triggered the elimination of after-hours parties on Greek Row in DeKalb and the suspension of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity by the NIU Provost J. Carroll Moody.

I think it does reflect how the nation is cracking down on the Greek system, Moody said. Although, this is not anything limited to NIU.

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Moody stood behind his decision, even though one sexual assault allegation in December relating to the Pi Kappa Alpha involving gamma hyrdoxybutyrate (GHB) was closed last week.

DeKalb Police said that the second case was closed because stories that were told by witnesses did not corroborate.

All together, I am not second guessing my decision at all, Moody said. We wanted them to start living up to the way their fraternity brothers on a national level expect them to act. This is a warning that things have to change.

Change already has come to SIUC since Select 2000, which in part makes fraternity living areas alcohol free by the year 2000, was implemented in the fall. Alcohol always has been banned from SIUC sorority houses.

Katie Sermersheim, assistant director of Student Development at SIUC, said she did not believe that NIU’s actions represent cracking down on fraternities but rather a way of recognizing a problem and acting upon it appropriately.

I think that NIU is recognizing that this drug is continually growing and that something must be done to stop it, Sermersheim said.

Sermersheim said she did not think Select 2000 guidelines had any effect on the decision made by Moody but said that there is a nationwide watch on fraternity action because of Select 2000.

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NIU and SIUC are only two of many universities that have placed restrictions on greek organizations. Washington State and Pennsylvania State are two more schools regulating the Greek community after alcohol-related deaths at Louisiana State University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology last semester.

Moody said eliminating after-hours parties on Greek Row is a step in the right direction, but it will not be the end to all fraternity trouble.

Quite frankly, I’m not sure if that in itself will prevent something like this to happen again, he said. But this has happened before and most complaints have happened at after-hour parties. I think we might see reductions.

Moody said NIU currently has three other fraternities on suspension for various reasons.

NIU school officials said that the greek community had been warned in writing last March that changes had to be made.

He said he wants greek life to be something that is looked up to more than the way it is looked upon now.

We are not out to smear any organization, we just want them to clean up their act.