Frat parties were suspended at Cornell University after at least four students reported being drugged and one described being sexually assaulted at fraternity-affiliated off-campus houses, officials said Monday.
The school’s Intrafraternity Council voluntarily made the decision Sunday after an emergency meeting, university President Martha Pollock and Ryan Lombardi, the vice president for student and campus life, said in a joint statement.
The announcement came three days after the school’s police department said in a statement that it had been notified of four incidents from Sept. 24 to Nov. 3, when students reported drinking little to no alcohol during parties but became “incapacitated.”
An apparent victim described being “roofied,” or given Rohypnol, the police department said. The sedative, which can be dissolved in liquid, is illegal in the U.S.
It warned people to watch how their drinks are made and to never leave them unattended.
No fraternities or suspects were named in the statement. The university police department and authorities in the city of Ithaca, where the Ivy League school of nearly 23,000 students is located, are investigating, the statement said.
An Ithaca police official did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The school statement said the alleged crimes reportedly occurred off-campus at buildings affiliated with registered fraternities. The school officials did not name the fraternities.
The officials condemned the incidents and said they fully supported the “necessary pause” in fraternity social events.
“Fraternity leaders will take this time to implement stronger health and safety plans,” the officials said.
The statement added that there will be no parties until school staff members and student leaders are confident they can occur safely.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
