Cornell’s fraternities “overwhelmingly” decided to suspend all registered social events scheduled for the upcoming weekend. The Wednesday evening decision — which was made by the executive board of the Interfraternity Council and the presidents of active fraternity chapters on Cornell’s campus — was prompted by last weekend’s tragedy, IFC President Cristian Gonzalez ’20 said.
The council made the decision after freshman Antonio Tsialas ’23 was found dead Saturday in Fall Creek Gorge. The vote passed with a supermajority, Gonzalez said.
The Cornell student had been missing since Thursday night, after last being seen at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity party. The Phi Kappa Psi president did not respond to The Sun’s requests for comment.
“We believe that it would be disrespectful and wrong to be celebrating this weekend given the passing of Antonio,” Gonzalez said in a message to The Sun.
Tsialas reportedly met with his mother for dinner on Thursday, and had planned to take his parents — who were in town during First-Year Family Weekend — on a tour of the campus over the next few days. His parents reported him missing when he failed to meet with them on Friday, state troopers said.
On Tuesday afternoon, a memorial service held in honor of Tsialas overflowed, as students packed the Anabel Taylor Hall chapel so fully that those who couldn’t fit inside stood in a circle outside of the building.
The University was not involved in the IFC decision, Gonzalez said.