College of Charleston Bans Alcohol at Fraternities After ‘Party School’ Ranking

The College of Charleston on Tuesday temporarily suspended all alcohol-related activities for its fraternities and sororities, citing disruptive parties and excessive drinking among students.

The announcement came a day after the school was ranked 15th on the Princeton Review’s list of the nation’s top party schools.

“This is not a knee-jerk reaction to an isolated incident, but rather a serious response to a series of dangerous behaviors connected to some members of our fraternities and sororities, ranging from disruptive parties out in the community this month to recent medical transports related to extreme intoxication,” College of Charleston President Glenn McConnell wrote in a message to the campus community on Tuesday.

“Enough is enough. This type of reckless and dangerous behavior will not be tolerated. While we have a robust and comprehensive education and disciplinary conduct process for drug and alcohol abuse, clearly the message is not getting through to all students.”

Read more: Why Banning Hard Alcohol on College Campuses May Not Be the Answer

McConnell said he consulted with fraternity and sorority leaders before making the decision. He said he plans to lift the suspension after all members of Greek life complete trainings about alcohol and substance abuse and bystander intervention.

Other universities have similarly restricted or banned alcohol, often after incidents of sexual assault or excessive partying on their campuses. Dartmouth, Bates, Bowdoin and Colby colleges all have bans on hard liquor. The University of Virginia instituted restrictions on hard liquor at fraternities and sororities, requiring that a bartender be hired to serve hard liquor at events.