Parties have effectively been banned at a majority of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s greek life houses and independent living groups.

Boston officials banned MIT fraternities, sororities and independent living groups from having parties that exceed each house’s maximum occupancy limit.

This means that none of the affected houses can host a group larger than the number of people allowed to live there. The temporary restrictions could become permanent, according to an email from MIT campus officials to greek life and independent living representatives.

But not all MIT fraternities and sororities will be affected by the ban. While some MIT greek life houses are located in Boston, others are located in Cambridge, Mass., along with the school itself. The Tech, MIT’s student newspaper, reported on Oct. 22 the party restrictions would affect 19 of the university’s 27 fraternities, three of the six sororities and two of the six independent living groups.

The restrictions came a month after an MIT student fell through a plexiglass skylight down a four-story stairwell at the university’s Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity house. The 18-year-old did not suffer life-threatening injuries and was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital at about midnight on Sept. 11.

Witnesses told police the student had been jumping on the skylight, according to a Sept. 12 Boston Globe article. The skylight and the roof deck had apparently been constructed without a permit and the fraternity was cited for the unsafe roof deck and alcohol violations at the party.

Though Boston’s ban will only affect some of MIT’s student houses, the university has imposed temporary restrictions on its other greek and independent student houses limiting parties to three times the occupancy limit, according to an Oct. 23 article in The Boston Globe.

USA Today reported that, while some students are indifferent to the ban — or even glad not to have their sleep disrupted by loud parties — others are upset about the consequences to MIT’s social scene, according to an Oct. 31 article.

“It strikes me as a decision that was made hastily and without seriously thinking through the implications,” MIT sophomore Alec Heifetz said in an email to USA Today. “It’s having a huge impact.” Heifetz is a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity located in Cambridge.

Henry Humphreys, senior associate dean for residential life and dining, said in a statement to The Tech that the university’s concerns about large parties are due to a number of student living issues rather than any single incident.

He said residential life and dining and the Association of Independent Living Groups are planning to have all 39 fraternity, sorority and independent student group houses reviewed in a process that could last until December. This is when the city can begin its own review of the house plans and issue new certificates. At that time, the houses’ assembly occupancy limits will be revised.

Published on November 7, 2013 at 1:37 am

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