University of Missouri fraternities suspend activities at Greek houses amid COVID-19
Fraternities at the University of Missouri are suspending all in-person activities at Greek chapter houses on and off campus in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.
That means “definitely no parties,” Reid Bayliss, a spokesman for the campus Interfraternity Council, said Thursday. The council announced the decision this week in response to a university order limiting gatherings to no more than 20 people, Bayliss said.
“We were concerned that we would not be able to control the number of people who might show up for the activities we had planned to do in person, including meetings, social events and service events this semester, so we just suspended all activities,” Bayliss said.
The council includes 31 fraternity chapters at MU. Leaders of MU’s Panhellenic Association were unavailable for comment Thursday on whether sororities will do the same.
“We just want to make sure we don’t cause an outbreak,” Byliss said. “The main thing is that we want to stop gatherings where people would not comply with health orders like wearing masks and washing hands.”
MU began classes on Monday and reported 159 cases the first day. The university could not confirm how many were linked to Greek organizations.
Meanwhile at University of Kansas in Lawrence, Douglas County health officials have issued quarantine orders for residents of nine Greek chapter houses. As KU started classes on Monday, officials reported 222 students, faculty and staff had tested positive for the virus, with a positive test rate of 1.14%. In the Greek community, people have tested positive at a rate of 5.47%, according to the university.
Over the weekend, the KU chancellor issued a cease and desist order against two fraternities, citing violations of health guidelines.
Last week Kansas State University reported 13 members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity tested positive for coronavirus. University administrators in a letter to the campus community begged students to behave responsibly.
This story was originally published August 27, 2020 at 3:25 PM.
