Cornell University SUSPENDS fraternity parties after student is sexually assaulted

Cornell University has temporarily banned fraternity parties after 'at least four' students had their drinks spiked with 'roofies' and another was sexually assaulted.

The four cases of 'drug laced drinks' happened in the last six weeks at off-campus parties hosted by the school's fraternities in Ithaca, New York.

In the early hours of Sunday morning a fifth report was made to university police that a student was sexually assaulted near the Alpha Epsilon Pi frat house.

It is currently unclear whether that sexual assault was related to the four reported uses of Rohypnol - the notorious date rape drug.

On Sunday evening Cornell's Interfraternity Council, which overseas fraternities, held an emergency meeting and 'temporarily suspended all fraternity parties and social events, effective immediately,' the school said in a statement.

Anonymous sources also told the Ithaca Voice that six women were 'recently' taken to hospital after being drugged but when exactly those incidents happened is not clear.

Cornell University has temporarily suspended all fraternity parties and events after a recent spate of reports that women were drugged at off-campus frat houses 

At 4.45am on Sunday somebody reported to Cornell University Police that they had been sexually assaulted on the 100 block of Thurston Avenue. The only fraternity house on the block is that of Alpha Epsilon Pi

Four cases of individuals being 'roofied' were also reported to police. Those incidents allegedly took place near 800 block of University Avenue. One of the two nearby frat houses is that of Theta Delta Chi 

According to Cornell daily crime logs 'students reported to have consumed little to no alcohol at an off-campus location but became incapacitated while attending parties.'

The four instances of 'drug laced' drinks happened between September 24 and November 3 - all at the 800 block of University Avenue. The only frat houses on that block are Chi Psi and Theta Delta Chi.

The sexual assault incident happened between 2.30am and 4.30am on November 6 in the 100 block of Thurston Avenue. Alpha Epsilon Pi frat house is the only fraternity on that block.

'At approximately 4.45am an individual reported to Cornell University Police that they were sexually assaulted,' a crime alert said.

Another frat house near to the 800 block of University Avenue where the four reports of drug laced drinks allegedly happened is Chi Psi

Cornell President Martha Pollack said in a statement on Monday that all fraternity parties and events would be suspended 

'IFC student leaders made this decision voluntarily Sunday evening after an emergency meeting with staff, and we fully support this necessary pause,' wrote Cornell president Martha E. Pollack in the statement. 

'Fraternity leaders will take this time to implement stronger health and safety plans. No IFC-affiliated social events will resume until student leaders and Cornell staff are confident activities can take place responsibly and safely.'

The decision to suspend fraternity parties came after an emergency meeting held by the school's Interfraternity Council, which overseas Cornell fraternities

In the crime report put out by Cornell Police students are advised to take measure to protect themselves, including watching how their drink is made and making sure to never leave it unattended.

Ithaca Police said on Monday that they are also aware of the drugging cases and well as Sunday's sexual assault case.

Cornell has a history of sexual assault taking place on its campus. A survey carried about by the university last November was completed by around 2,300 students and found that 44 percent had experienced some form of sexual harassment. 

Data collected by the NY State Department of Education between January and May 2018 found that Cornell had more reports of sexual assault than any other university or college in New York - almost twice as many as the second worst which was NYU with more than twice the number of students.

In 2017, a former fraternity president at the school was sentenced to six years probation after he admitted to forcibly touching a woman at a party at the Psi Upsilon fraternity house in the university's Ithaca campus.