Texas State U. Is the Latest Campus to Suspend Greek Life After a Fraternity Death

Texas State University has suspended the activities of all fraternity and sorority chapters on its campus indefinitely after a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity pledge died on Sunday night.

Denise M. Trauth, the university’s president, said in a written statement that Texas State’s vice president for student affairs, Joanne Smith, would lead a review of Greek life on the campus. That review, Ms. Trauth said, would include “recommendations for reinstating fraternity and sorority chapters that demonstrate a commitment to the core values of Texas State and the ideas established by their respective national organizations.”

“It is imperative that our entire university community develop a culture that places the highest priority on the safety of its students, faculty, and staff,” Ms. Trauth said in the statement.

The fraternity pledge, Matthew Ellis, was found unresponsive on Monday morning in an off-campus apartment.

Texas State joins other institutions by curtailing Greek life in response to incidents or security concerns. Last week Florida State University suspended Greek activities indefinitely after the death of Andrew Coffey, a 20-year-old pledge. Meanwhile, students at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor last week voted to suspend pledging activities and parties for most campus fraternities after recent fraternity incidents — including a party at which dates were shackled to each other until they downed a bottle of champagne — prompted concerns about student safety.

At three other universities that suspended all or some Greek activities on campus in recent years, the bans resulted in policy changes after the suspensions were lifted.

Read more about how colleges are attempting to make fraternities safer from The Chronicle’s Idea Lab.

Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz is a breaking-news reporter. Follow her on Twitter @FernandaZamudio, or email her at fzamudiosuarez@chronicle.com.