Alpha Phi Sorority placed on cease and desist

By Lily Marks lilmarks@iu.edu

The IU chapter of Alpha Phi was placed on cease and desist on Feb. 24 for endangering others, alcohol and hazing. All activities within the chapter will be suspended until further notice.

Anna Jeffers, president of the IU Panhellenic Association, declined to comment on this matter.

Three IU Greek organizations, Alpha Phi, Zeta Beta Tau and Theta Chi, are currently on cease and desist. There are nine Greek organizations on suspension and seven on disciplinary status, according to IU’s list of organizations on disciplinary status.

Despite IU’s strict antihazing policies, 12 of the 18 Greek organizations currently subject to discipline achieved that status due to hazing, among other things.

According to the IU Student Affairs website, cease and desist is an interim measure placed upon chapters when there is an im- mediate threat or ongoing investigation. For organizations on disciplinary probation, any violation of the conditions or further acts of misconduct will result in additional consequences that may include suspension or expulsion from the university.

However, Marté breaks from other voices in the debate over a new jail.

“We do need one,” he said. “This one is so old they don’t even make parts for the things we need to replace.”

Kay Weinberg, a member of Care Not Cages, which is a local advocacy group opposed to building a new jail, said there are many buildings in Bloomington that are older than the current jail. Weinberg supports a transparent study comparing the costs of renovation with building a new jail, a recommendation from the same consultant’s report.

Members of Care Not Cages point to the estimated cost of $70,000 for the Fullerton Pike project as further support for a comparative cost study in order to determine the most cost-effective option.

Weinberg was at the UU event and said it showed the public support for better jail conditions.

“I think what that event showed is that a growing number of people aren’t willing to let the jail be Bloomington’s dirty secret,” he said. “In a town with a lot of talk and sometimes little action, I think that’s a good sign.” included city councilmembers, several candidates for city council and mayor, prominent Democratic party members and many employees of Hamilton's administration.

At the heart of Care Not Cages’ perspective is an opposition to investing money in continuing what they see as unjust incarceration that focuses on punishment more than rehabilitation.

The group references the top reasons for bookings in the jail in 2021, which included mostly minor, nonviolent offenses. The top three reasons were a failure to appear warrant, hold for other jurisdictions, and probation violations. When a jail holds people for other jurisdictions, it means they are temporarily keeping people with warrants out for their arrest in other counties in the Monroe County Jail.

Above all, Weinberg said there needs to be more focus on the voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people.

“I think it’s embarrassing as a community that were not funding evidence-based solutions to the issues of substance abuse and homelessness,” he said.

After eight years as mayor, Hamilton has decided not to run for reelection, which means Bloomington’s next mayor will be one of the candidates running in this year’s election.