This ban is related to a recent alcohol related incident which left a student in critical condition.

Uloop reports.

Duke University Bans 10 Sororities, Greek Life Under Close Examination

After an alcohol-related incident landed a Duke University student in the hospital this past Wednesday, the school responded by suspending all 10 of their Panhellenic sorority chapters.

Duke University’s Vice President of Student Affairs, Larry Moneta, released a statement on Twitter about the suspension, stating that “each [sorority] chapter will be asked to review its activities to ensure compliance with policies on social events, rush, and alcohol use. The health, well-being and safety of our students is the highest priority, and we look forward to working with the sorority leaders toward that end.”

The ban did not affect Duke’s eight other sororities, which fall under other national sorority organizations.

Wednesday night, the university’s administration and sorority leaders held a meeting to address the incident which resulted in a slight reconsideration of the repercussions; Duke University decided to partially lift the ban it had previously imposed.

Moneta released another Twitter notice announcing the update, stating that “a candid and productive discussion [between members of Duke’s administration, the Panhellenic chapter leaders and executive council] focused on steps that can be taken to undermine a social culture, not unique to Duke, that is excessively focused on alcohol use and abuse.”

Sororities and fraternities have typically been a prominent facet of college life for centuries, the first fraternity dating back to the 1800s. These days, students join sororities and fraternities in order to socialize, feel part of a larger community of “brothers” and “sisters,” and in some cases volunteer in the community or work on job skills for after graduation.