A University freshman remains in critical condition at a local hospital suffering from alcohol poisoning after a weekend party at the Alpha Beta Zeta fraternity house.
Al Amalek, a freshman in liberal arts from Nashville, Tenn., was hospitalized this weekend along with two other members of the ABZ fraternity and diagnosed with alcohol poisoning.
The University has investigated the incident and is suspending the fraternity, according to Jan Mize, a University spokeswoman.
Mize said the University’s investigation found witnesses who saw the three fraternity members drinking during a party at the house. Such actions are a direct violation of the University’s no-alcohol policy for fraternities, she said.
“Based on that, we are suspending the fraternity and all its activities on campus,” she said.
The University has not decided how long the suspension will last, she said, but normally such suspensions are for a year.
The two students besides Amalek who were hospitalized were Press Martin, a junior in engineering from Shethar, N.H., and Rob Smith, a sophomore in business from Tuscaloosa. They were released from the hospital on Monday morning.
Bart Addison, president of the Inter-fraternity Council, said he would be appealing the decision of the University to suspend the fraternity.
“I do not believe that the entire fraternity should be held responsible for the actions of a few,” he said.
Because of deaths from alcohol poisoning at other campuses, University president Harvey Smithville reiterated the University’s no-alcohol policy just two weeks ago.