Sorority members searching for answers
By Dan O'Brien, Collegian Staff
February 04, 2005
Left with few answers, 15 residents of the University of Massachusetts chapter of the Delta Zeta sorority are looking for new housing after being abruptly evicted from their house.
The residence on 11 Phillips St. is currently under investigation by the national chapter of Delta Zeta after "unspecific drug allegations" surfaced, according to the national chapter's executive director, Cindy Mingas.
The national chapter sent a letter to Delta Zeta residents on Friday, Jan. 25 - one day before residents were expected to move back into the house - stating they had to move off the premises by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29.
Some members of the UMass Delta Zeta chapter have said they are extremely upset with the national organization's decision to remove them from their house, while others some are questioning the legality of evicting residents without 30-days notice.
A Delta Zeta member who was evicted from the sorority's house spoke with the Daily Collegian on the condition of anonymity. She alleges that the president of the national chapter, Debra Rossiano, phoned the parents of the members saying the drug allegations stemmed from cocaine trafficking, something several of the sorority members have vehemently denied.
"I've never seen coke in my life," the anonymous member said. "[The national chapter] had parents doubting their own children ... [The parents] thought their kids were lying."
Several media reports have said allegations of illegal drug use at Delta Zeta surfaced when a maintenance worker took a photograph of a marijuana pipe in a member's bedroom. The photograph was allegedly sent to the national chapter.
Sorority members who the Collegian spoke with said they could not confirm if the worker had mailed the picture, but did say it was clear someone had gone through their personal belongings over the winter break. One member identified the worker identified as "Handyman Hank."
A junior who lived at Delta Zeta, Abby Marsh said nobody she spoke with from the sorority knows who was in possession of the alleged marijuana pipe.
"It's kind of sad because this has made people doubt their friends," Marsh said, adding that the allegations were "very surprising" to everyone.
The national chapter members flew into Massachusetts from Ohio Tuesday for a closed door meeting with UMass Delta Zeta members to discuss the current situation. The members told the Collegian that not much new information came out of the meeting.
"They told us they are shutting down the house and they're taking our charter away," said the anonymous source, who added that Delta Zeta officials will allow members to be given alumni status and be left with good standing.
The Office of UMass Amherst Fraternities and Sororities, Michael Wiseman said his office and the office of the Dean of Students has been helping several of the displaced residents to find new housing on campus.
"Every member had an option to move back and a few took advantage of that," Wiseman said.
Since the eviction notice was handed down, the national office issued a security guard to stand watch over the house. One was seen sitting in a car outside the house yesterday afternoon.
Assunta DiMuro, a sophomore who lived at Delta Zeta, believed that the sorority was shut down because the national chapter was afraid of the reputation it would receive due to the allegations.
"I think that just knowledge of a fact - whether true or not - gives them good enough reason to take those actions," DiMuro said. "In our eyes, we think they should have proof."
Marsh claims that sorority members have been subject to harassment around campus since the allegations surfaced. In one instance, she claimed a group of males parked their cars outside the Delta Zeta house and began yelling obscenities and phrases such as, "coke heads!" while a security guard looked on, doing nothing to stop them.
DiMuro says this experience is not going to end the friendships the sisters have already made.
"It's sad that they did this because we all really did get along," DiMuro said. "We're all sticking together through this ordeal."
Marsh, who plans on filing a lawsuit against Delta Zeta, says this incident is sad because of all the good the sorority has done for the UMass Amherst community.
"It's unfortunate that something like this had to happen because of all the things our sorority has done for the community, such as philanthropy wise," Marsh said. "We stand by the university and support what is right. We're sorry that the proper due process was not followed in this case."
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