UPDATE: The Cal Poly Office of Student Life and Leadership has decided to drop the investigation into the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, director Stephan Lamb said. After meeting with the fraternity’s president, Lamb decided to remove the cease and desist order issued last Friday.
Greek life director Diego Silva said the Phi Sigma Kappa president was “able to explain that they had nothing to do with the party next door to them.”
Silva’s office is still looking into the conduct of Delta Sigma Phi and has met with both the executive board and the residents at Monte Vista Place where the party occurred, he said. Silva and Lamb hope to conclude the investigation by Friday, in time for Cal Poly’s Open House.
The Delta Sigma Phi and Phi Sigma Kappa fraternities are at the center of a Student Life and Leadership (SLL) investigation after police shut down a party at Monte Vista Place Thursday night.
The fraternities, which were ordered to cease and desist their activities Friday, cannot engage in any greek activities until the investigation concludes, SLL Director Stephan Lamb said. Though the two organizations have not been formally accused of any wrongdoing, a University Police Department’s (UPD) report details instances of underage drinking, public intoxication and one arrest for DUI at the party.
Police said approximately 300 people were in attendance at the party at 1236 Monte Vista Place. Attendees filled the apartments, a courtyard and were strewn outside of the complex. Four unruly gatherings citations were issued, while one woman was arrested for driving under the influence and another for public intoxication, according to the report.
Both Delta Sigma Phi and Phi Sigma Kappa are under investigation for the incident, which could threaten the fraternities’ affiliations with the university, Lamb said.
“It’s a privilege to be connected with the university, not a right,” he said.
Lamb said he became aware of the party Friday morning after UPD commander Lori Hashim sent him a report detailing the night’s events. Though the police report sent to Lamb initially implicated primarily Phi Sigma Kappa, Lamb and greek life director Diego Silva said he believed Delta Sigma Phi was implicated as well.
The Monte Vista Place apartment where the unruly gathering was allegedly held is an area zoned for fraternity houses and holds a lease signed by Delta Sigma Phi, Silva said.
“The Phi Sig house is not big enough (to hold that kind of party),” Silva said.
Though Hashim was unavailable for comment Monday, Lamb said her report detailed a Playboy-themed party with hundreds of guests in attendance. He said alcohol was present at the event, though he was not sure if minors were drinking there. Student Life and Leadership is still investigating whether the party was organized deliberately, which could hurt the fraternities in the office’s judicial process.
If the fraternity did take measures to organize an unruly gathering and serve alcohol to minors, it could face the same consequences as Sigma Phi Epsilon, which was disaffiliated last year for providing alcohol to minors, serving alcohol at an open party with unrestricted access to non-members and purchasing alcohol in bulk quantities, according to Cal Poly’s Greek Life website.
Lamb said in Sigma Phi Epsilon’s case, the police were very specific about the amount of alcohol at the party.
“The Sig Ep situation was very orchestrated,” Lamb said. “I heard directly from SLOPD about the amount of handles that were present.”
The alleged Playboy theme of the party, though, could indicate that last Thursday’s festivities were planned, Lamb said.
“If that’s true, it goes to intent,” Lamb said. “It wasn’t just random, casual people.”
Lamb met with the presidents of both fraternities Monday in the first step of the ongoing investigation into Thursday night’s party. He said he wants to conclude the investigation by this Friday, in time for Cal Poly’s Open House.
Many Delta Sigma Phi alumni are also in town for Open House and would like to have the cease and desist order lifted before this weekend, so the fraternity can participate in the weekend’s festivities, Lamb said.
The alumni are also very involved in Delta Sigma Phi’s current affairs because the alumni organization owns Delta Sigma Phi’s main house on California Boulevard.
“We will hear both sides and figure out what the best course of action is to take,” Silva said.
Though greek organizations have developed a reputation over the years for hosting large parties, they aren’t actually that disruptive, said San Luis Obispo Police Department Captain Chris Staley.
“It’s rare now,” Staley said. “I think it had been more of an issue in the past.”
Both Michael Kuelpman, president of Delta Sigma Phi, and Tyler Edwards, president of Phi Sigma Kappa, declined to comment on the investigation.
Victoria Billings contributed to this article.