At a May 11 hearing with a College dean, Phi Delta Alpha fraternity was found responsible for providing alcohol to persons under the legal drinking age and given one week of social probation which ended at midnight last Thursday.
The charges stem from an incident over Dimensions weekend late on the night of April 19 when prospective students, who were in the presence of two admissions officers, were able to gain entry to the house and obtain alcohol. Neither side would comment on why admissions officers were there or what role they played in the incident.
Among other requirements, Phi Delt must issue an apology letter to the officers.
No information about the incident was made public until the posting of a BlitzMail bulletin on May 22 written by Director of Judicial Affairs April Thompson. The bulletin noted that Phi Delt was found not responsible for hosting an unregistered social event that night.
"The organization denied the allegations but acknowledged that the house did provide alcohol to visiting prospective students because of a breakdown in the house's internal procedures," Thompson wrote.
Dean of Admissions Karl Furstenberg declined to comment but did confirm in a BlitzMail message that the prospective students involved in the incident did not have their offers of admission rescinded. The names of the prospective students cannot be issued for privacy reasons.
For several weeks, both the Office of Admissions and Phi Delt have repeatedly turned down or ignored requests by The Dartmouth for additional information concerning the incident or information as to why two admissions officers were present in a fraternity basement that night at a non-Dimensions event.
On May 23 following a meeting of the admissions staff, a reporter for The Dartmouth attempted to contact several admissions officers in person, including Assistant Director of Admissions S. Caroline Kerr '05, who was present in Phi Delt on the night in question. The reporter was unable to obtain comments from most parties exiting the room, despite repeated attempts to do so.
Senior Associate Director of Admissions Paul Sunde did comment on the incident and said that there is a possibility that recently-graduated alumni who work in the admissions office may visit fraternity basements for personal social purposes.
"I can't imagine [admissions] officers taking prospies to events as much as participating in the events going on," Sunde said.
When Kerr exited the room, she did not issue a comment to the reporter and instead walked to another room with a colleague and locked the door. She has also not responded to several attempts to contact her.
Phi Delt declined to issue a formal statement as an organization. Repeated BlitzMail messages to President Michael Fritz '07 were not returned, and efforts to reach him through other members of the house were unsuccessful.
This is not the first time prospective students have been caught engaging in underage drinking during Dimensions. Three years ago, two intoxicated prospective students were questioned by Safety and Security officers in French Hall and ultimately arrested by the Hanover Police.
