Sigma Alpha Mu and Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternities have both been placed on interim suspended stemming from a brawl Friday involving more than 100 people.

The fight took place in the university’s Marshall Street parking lot across the street from Maggie’s Tavern, 720 University Ave., at about 2:00 a.m., according to a police report.

Before arriving at the lot, responding officers spotted at group of about 40 to 50 persons moving toward the parking lot with several fights actively occurring within the group, the report added. Once the disturbance reached the parking lot, the number of people involved had grown to more than 100 persons, with two groups of 20 to 30 individuals repeatedly engaging each other, the report added.

Syracuse University spokesman Kevin Morrow said that a combination of about 24 Syracuse Police Department and Department of Public Safety officers took about 30 minutes to stop the fight.

He added that representatives of both greek chapters met with the Division of Student Affairs on Friday to give statements on what happened, and that the university has requested that members of both national organizations meet with administration officials early this week.

The chapters have been suspended because they violated sections one, three, nine and 11 of the Student Code of Conduct handbook, Morrow said.

“The university is concerned about the direction of the greek chapters’ conflict resolution,” Morrow said. “Constant fighting does not speak well for the Greek System.”

On April 12, members of the Zeta Psi and Alpha Chi Rho chapters fought while walking home from Maggie’s Tavern.

Morrow said that the altercation on Friday stemmed from the alleged vandalism by a Sammy brother of a car owned by a Deke member.

Deke President Marc Klein said that the origins of the fight are by no means clear cut.

“There is a lot of heresy about the catalyst,” said Klein, a junior accounting and finance major.

David Cooperman, president of Sammy, said that he had no comment on the matter at this time.

Two students, Saif Omer and Markian Kulynych, were arrested by responding officers for continuing to fight after being repeatedly warned to stop, the report stated.

In March of 2000, Deke was indefinitely suspended and officially lost its recognition from the Office of Greek Life after former pledge Jeff Dublinske told OGL officials that he had been hazed during recruitment. Since then, Deke has been rerecognized after separate investigations by OGL and Deke alumni which allowed them to reach an agreement with OGL.

Morrow did not comment on whether the previous Deke suspension would have an effect on the current one. Interfraternity adviser Vince Kuss of the OGL did not return a call for comment.

About 30 minutes after the fight had cleared, officers cited Klein for playing music too loud from the Deke house. Klein said that officers were circling Walnut Avenue directly after the fight to make sure nothing else happened and saw the noise violation as a way to keep people under control. He added that beyond the fight causing an increased police presence, the two incidents were not necessarily coincidental.

“Maybe it wasn’t unrelated,” Klein said. “but it wasn’t related.”

Published on April 21, 2002 at 12:00 pm