Wild fraternity party causes $430,000 in damages

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A University of Michigan fraternity has been permanently disbanded after reportedly causing an estimated $430,000 in damages to a ski resort during a party weekend.

The Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and Sigma Delta Tau sorority organized a 48-hour weekend party at Treetops Resort that, according to the , resulted in smashed ceiling tiles, broken doors and exit signs. Various media reports also claim that the students "urinated on everything in sight, including the carpet."

"If you just look at our out-of-pocket expenses - things we've paid to contractors, third parties - it's around $230,000," resort general manager Barry Owens told the .

"It doesn't take into consideration management time or damage to the resort's reputation," he added. "Our accountants and attorneys are saying that this could be up to an additional $200,000. We're now talking a total of $430,000." Owens also claims that he has never seen damage to this extent in all of his 30 years working in resort management.

Leland Manders, national executive director of Sigma Alpha Mu, released a statement announcing that the chapter will be closed:

"It is regrettable that these vandals, as well as the officers of the chapter, decided that avoiding personal accountability and/or university sanctions took priority over the welfare of the entire chapter; their lack of cooperation led to the university's withdrawal of recognition of the entire chapter for a four-year period," Manders wrote. "Sigma Alpha Mu worked in cooperation with university officials and regretfully agreed with their request to close the chapter.

"When the incident first occurred, the fraternity's board took immediate and decisive action by suspending the chapter from all activities until a full investigation could be conducted," Manders wrote. "As a result of that process, a membership review was conducted and most of the senior members of the chapter refused to participate."

Manders also went on to add that some members of the society may receive individual disciplinary action from authorities as a result of the vandalism. No charges have been filed just yet, but authorities and Michigan State Police are still investigating the situation.

Michigan Live reports that a decision is expected to be made this week by the Otsego County prosecutor on whether to file charges against individuals for the various damages.