In response to an unauthorized gathering in the Ezra Stiles College common room, Master Stuart Schwartz said in an e-mail to the Stiles community that he is asking the Yale Police to patrol the college on weekends.
A group of unauthorized students — including members of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity — had occupied the common room until they were asked to leave by University police early Saturday morning. Schwartz said in the e-mail that the party violated several residential college policies and that he hopes to prevent future disturbances.
“I am therefore asking the Yale Police to patrol the courtyard and entryways during weekends to insure that the policies of the college are enforced and the interests of the students are respected,” Schwartz said in the e-mail, “Students should not hesitate to ask for the Yale Police to enforce existing regulations.”
Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity president Ajamu Matthews ’05 said he heard from members of his fraternity that the gathering began when a small crowd of people decided to watch a movie in the Stiles common room after the conclusion of an off-campus party sponsored by Kappa Alpha Psi.
“We had a party at Alchemy, and the party ended at two,” Matthews said, “From what I understand a lot of people went over to Stiles afterwards.”
University Police Lt. Michael Patten said three University police officers were sent to clear out a group of at least 50 unauthorized students after they received a call to the scene at 3:03 a.m. Patten said police officers at the scene told him students were cooperative and “even cleaned up after themselves.”
“They threw away cups and put the furniture back in place,” Patten said, “It might have been a loud party, but when the officers got there it looks like they all left without any problems.”
Matthews said people at the party included members of Kappa Alpha Psi from other college’s chapters “ranging from Maine down to Delaware” but that it was not an event organized by his fraternity.
“It wasn’t anything we intended to do, but if our presence did cause a disturbance in Stiles, we apologize,” he said.
Schwartz said in the e-mail that residential college parties are supposed to follow certain regulations.
“Letting off steam during midterm period is understandable, and some of the celebrants did stop as they are supposed to at 1 [a.m.],” Schwartz said in the e-mail, “But we did have a group of unauthorized students from a fraternity who proceeded to appropriate our common room, partied and made lots of noise, brought in many people who are not members of the college [and] propped open the college gates.”
Patten said the use of the college common room requires consent from the college master.
Schwartz declined to comment further on the incident Sunday night.
Matthews said neither the main college entrances nor common room doors were propped open by members of his fraternity. He said he heard students e-mailed Schwartz to complain of the gathering under the impression that it had been an organized event.
“I think it was a big misunderstanding,” Matthews said.
Patten said loud party complaints are incidents the University police confront on a regular basis.
“We probably get a couple of [loud party complaints] every weekend,” Patten said.