Although the Interfraternity Council (IFC) suspended Penn State's Alpha Tau Omega chapter Tuesday, an official from the national fraternity said they won't pursue action against the chapter at this time.
The State College Police Department said Monday that they are investigating incidents of furnishing alcohol to minors at the Alpha Tau Omega property and the Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) property. Both incidents are associated with the death of 18-year-old Penn State freshman Joseph Dado, who was found dead Sept. 21 in an exterior stairwell of the Steidle Building.
The results of a toxicology report that will reveal whether Dado consumed alcohol before his death is expected in the coming weeks, officials said.
"At this point, we have no reason to believe Joseph Dado was served alcohol while at Alpha Tau Omega," Wynn Smiley, chief executive officer of the national Alpha Tau Omega headquarters, said.
Smiley did not return a call for further comment by press time Thursday.
Multiple members of Alpha Tau Omega declined comment or were unavailable by press time Thursday.
The Interfraternity Council (IFC) suspended Alpha Tau Omega on Tuesday after police said the fraternity was under investigation.
Dado was last seen leaving Fiji, 319 N. Burrowes Road, at about 3 a.m. Sept. 20, police said. Friends said he visited Alpha Tau Omega, 321 E. Fairmount Ave., earlier that night.
Under IFC terms of suspension, Alpha Tau Omega is unable to vote in council meetings or hold social functions.
IFC President Luke Pierce reiterated his organization's suspension of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity Thursday night and stood behind the IFC's decision.
"Suspension is a standard procedure in our judicial process and exists to preserve the integrity of the investigation and to provide for the safety of a chapter and its members," Pierce (senior-economics) said.
The IFC suspended Fiji on Sept. 22 after police began the investigation. Fiji's national headquarters has also banned alcohol from the chapter's property.
