Maryland Delta Chi Removed After University Goes Behind Their Backs

Harrison Lee10 years ago

There is quite an interesting story coming out of the University of Maryland today. Delta Chi has been removed as a fraternity after the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life wrote a letter recommending that they lose that recognition for “unacceptable patterns of behavior.”

From The Diamondback Online:

Delta Chi fraternity lost its university recognition Monday, according to a letter obtained by The Diamondback, which was addressed to chapter President Jack Canavan and signed by Student Affairs Vice President Linda Clement.

Back in the winter of 2014, the fraternity held an away weekend in Pennsylvania where they racked up $20,000 worth of damage to the hotel at which they were staying. This led to their chapter being put on probation until the end of the Fall 2015 semester. That is when the Department for Fraternity and Sorority life told them that their status would be reviewed. However, it seems that the DFSL decided to expedite the process after the fraternity failed to comply with a series of self-imposed and DFSL conditions, according to them at least.

The letter also referenced a satellite house off campus at which members of Delta Chi had been causing trouble. Clement said that the failure to address the situation played a part in the removal. However, the president of Delta Chi, Jack Canavan, said that those members that lived in the house were removed from the chapter in January and the university still linked Delta Chi to the trouble causers.

On June 16th, Canavan sent the following email (obtained by TFM) to chapter presidents asking for their support.

Chapter presidents,

I apologize for the wall of text below but the issue is rather important.

Yesterday I was informed by the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life that they have recommended to Linda Clement, the Vice President for Student Affairs, that Delta Chi lose its recognition as a fraternity at the University of Maryland.

Although our chapter has had no negative incidents this semester, has contributed positively to the Greek community, and has improved greatly in many facets DFSL believes we do not deserve to be a fraternity anymore. This information directly contradicts letters from DFSL that said our recognition status would be reviewed at the end of the fall 2015 semester, has no basis based on our behavior this semester, and threatens to set a dangerous precedent. If DSFL can remove our chapter simply because they don’t think we’re bought in to being a Greek organization anymore the same could happen to you.

I believe our chapter has a lot to contribute to the Greek community here at the University of Maryland and that removing us would be a huge mistake. If you share these feelings or disagree with DFSL’s recommendation in any way I would really appreciate it if you could reach out to me or copy me if you choose write some sort of letter to DFSL or the VP of Student Affairs showing that you think we deserve to remain a part of this community.

Again, I apologize for the long email but any help would be sincerely appreciated.

Best,

Jack Canavan

Jack told the Diamondback Online that they felt the DSFL handled the situation rather poorly.

“I feel like a lot of the stuff was done behind our backs,” Canavan said. “Actively keeping us out of the talks and circumventing us was a poor move on their part and not a professional thing to do.”

Obviously there are two sides to every story, but with the way that Greek life is handled nationally, it would not surprise me that a lot of things were done behind their back. From what it sounds like, Delta Chi was doing their best to clean up their image in order to avoid a penalty like this, but both Clement and the DFSL already had their minds made up and decided to give them the boot.

Delta Chi can get their recognition back after all the current undergraduate members graduate..

[via The Diamondback Online]

Image via Facebook/Maryland Delta Chi