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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Lambda Chi Alpha faces sanctions

Lambda Chi Alpha’s national organization has placed its GW chapter on social probation because the fraternity did not register a party with the University or the fraternity’s national organization.

Patrick Ledesma, president of Lambda Chi Alpha at GW, said the chapter will remain on social probation until the end of the summer.

“It’s pretty harsh what we’re doing to ourselves,” Ledesma said. “We’ve learned a lot from this, and this is the first time we’ve ever been on probation with our national or any sort of trouble with the University.”

Newly installed Interfraternity Council President Seth Greenberg said the fraternity did not violate an IFC rule and thus is exempt from IFC sanctions.

Ledesma said GW has yielded to the sanctions Lambda Chi Alpha’s national organization is enforcing. A representative of Lambda Chi Alpha’s national organization was unavailable for comment.

“(The) University is following the same guidelines as the national has passed on to (us),” Ledesma said. “We don’t want this to suppress our relations with the University.”

Tracie Anzaldi, the University’s Greek Affairs coordinator, said she thinks Student Judicial Services has not decided how to react to the national organization’s disciplinary action.

Ledesma said Lambda Chi Alpha held a party Feb. 20 at the off-campus residence of a chapter member. He said the fraternity’s social coordinator did not register the function with the national organization or the University.

“It was the responsibility of all the brothers,” Ledesma said. “We knew we were violating policy. We’ve done this process so many times.”

He said enough Lambda Chi Alpha members were present at the party for it to qualify as a “fraternity event.” Around 40 percent of the fraternity, or 18 members, were at the party and non-fraternity members also attended, Ledesma said.

GW and the fraternity’s national organization set guidelines for chapters to follow when they host an event.

He said the fraternity still can have brotherhood events and social functions including mixers with sororities, date parties and a formal. But he said the fraternity cannot serve alcohol at any of its events.

“All our alcohol-free events still have to be approved by the executive committee and alumni board before being submitted to our national,” Ledesma said.

Ledesma said the fraternity has outlined an 11-point plan to regain its full status as a result of its probation. He said the fraternity will hold risk management sessions with Candace Miller, manager of GW’s Substance Abuse Prevention Center to discuss alcohol awareness.

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