TUCSON, Ariz. — No word from the University of Arizona where the outbreak started or was traced from at the Alpha Phi house.
Assistant Dean of Students, Marcos Guzman said organizations located off-campus were given multiple reminders how to keep from being a group that spreads the coronavirus.
"When August rolled around we set up expectations with the students and kind of gave them like: here's the expectation and if you don't meet that expectation, if there's any accountability measures, here's the possible consequences," Guzman said.
Of the 51 fraternities and sororities at UArizona, 25 have houses off-campus.
Guzman said they are not outside of the rules that apply to groups from the University.
"'Oh, I don't live in the fraternity house, I don't have to worry about it,' well you still do have to worry about it because if you decide to throw a party it could be considered an organizational event."
Fraternities and sororities, Guzman said, can still be held accountable by the u-of-a for anything that happens at their off-campus houses so long as the event can be traced back to a certain group.
"They use fraternity communication like fraternity group meetings or emails or any sort of thing to promote their party it could be considered an organizational event."
There are consequences for groups that violate rules.
"If it's egregious it could be loss of recognition, 'kicked off campus' for lack of a better term."
Guzman said the first action by the University is to educate groups what they did wrong and how to rectify it.
"It depends, there's no 'one size fits all' for every sort of code violation."
Alpha Phi International Fraternity's house recently had a COVID-19 outbreak.
Guzman said the University is working with the organization to trace the cause but will provide support in the meantime.
"As an office we're working to try to send them some pizza. It's like: hey, here's some pizza, we know you're quarantined."
