Excerpt: from WNYT’s Anna Meillar
ALBANY – Campus wide, University at Albany students are mourning the death of Trevor Duffy, the 19-year-old sophomore who died after an underage drinking party on Hamilton Street.
“Everyone’s kind of shaken up. No one likes to see that,” said Henry Moers, a senior at the university.
His death is sparking a conversation on social media, with students sharing their thoughts on the anonymous social media app called Yik Yak.
“About frats and hazing and how dangerous they can be,” said freshman, Marissa Guttenberg.
Students say the incident likely happened within an underground fraternity- an organized social group similar to Greek life, but one that is not recognized by the university.
“There’s a lot of underground frats. You hear about it, but you’re told also by anybody in charge, like your R.A., not to join them because they get risky,” said Guttenberg.
One of those risks? Students say some underground fraternities turn what should be a social activity into a dangerous challenge.
“You have to drink, you have to take another shot, you have to do more and more to be accepted,” said Gerald Finn, a senior.
The Albany Student Press has a story indicating that this was part of a big/little brother night for an underground version of ZBT – http://www.albanystudentpress.net/big-brothers-at-underground-zbt/. It also looks like five people were hospitalized as a result of this party – http://www.albanystudentpress.net/ualbany-student-in-critical-condition-at-albany-medical-center/.
UAlbany appears to have a recognized chapter of Zeta Beta Tau, and I wonder how this might fit with them.
Unfortunately, I think this needs to go on the list.