By Jillian Atelsek and Arya Hodjat
Senior staff writers
The University of Maryland’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity will no longer be recognized by the campus, an official wrote in an email Monday.
In a message sent to Greek organization presidents Monday afternoon, Michael Goodman — programming and advising assistant director for the university’s Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life — wrote that the decision was based on “the chapter’s inability to meet the expectations set forth by the University.”
The national Pi Kappa Phi organization also rescinded the chapter’s charter, according to an attached memo from the fraternity’s CEO, Mark Timmes.
Though the email did not provide specifics on why the chapter would be shut down, it said the closure was “not the result of one specific incident or event,” but due to “accumulated concerns over the past few years.”
“DFSL staff communicated the seriousness of the situation with the chapter leadership but the necessary improvements were not achieved,” the email read. “Unfortunately, it is sometimes necessary to remove recognition when a chapter is not able to make the required change in culture.”
Matt Supple, the director of DSFL at this university, said the chapter had been on probation, and the decision by this university to remove recognition was made after the national fraternity suspended the chapter’s charter on June 24.
“Had the national not suspended the charter, we probably also would’ve removed the recognition,” Supple said.
Pi Kappa Phi officials did not immediately respond to request for comment.
