Emory University bars fraternity from hanging Christmas wreath

Emory University fraternity and sorority members are barred from hanging their own outdoor Christmas decorations, a policy that several students found out the hard way when they were told their wreath was violating school policy.

Josh Gasme, the assistant director of sorority and fraternity life at the school, emailed members of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity about their exterior decor. "Since this is the second violation of the policy, an incident report will be submitted to the Office of Student Conduct," wrote Gasme, according to an email obtained by Campus Reform.

Emory's housing policy states, "Exterior holiday decorations must not be installed or removed by students. Violators of this policy will face disciplinary actions."

One member of the fraternity told the outlet that the housing policy is new, and that the university did not offer the fraternity sufficient notification of the rules change. 

The same fraternity member – Davis Van Inwegen – told Campus Reform that upon searching for information about the policy online, an apparently out-of-date version of the school's housing policy guidelines pops up. 

Van Inwegen told the outlet that the "second violation" likely includes the installation of inflatable polar bears placed upon the fraternity's balcony before Thanksgiving, when members were unaware that such items were in violation of the new policy.

Following a back-and-forth about the new set of rules, Van Inwegen told Gamse that the fraternity had followed policy "to a T given the available information."