While the board will consider a number of lesser sanctions at its meeting this morning, the possibility of revoking the fraternity's housing permit is not without precedent.

The board closed MIT's Phi Gamma Delta fraternity in September 1997 in the wake of the death of Scott Krueger, an 18-year-old first-year. Kreuger drank himself into a coma at a fraternity party.

While the board considers the Krueger incident to be far more serious, it may consider closing SAE given their failure to attend the meeting, Polaski said.

"When we had the Krueger incident, everyone showed up," he said. "These gentlemen don't have the courage and decency to admit they were involved. It shows a total lack of responsibility and character."

While SAE's attorney Carl King and an MIT official both attended the Tuesday hearing, student fraternity members are typically expected to attend such meetings as well, according to Pokaski.

SAE was placed on suspension by MIT on Sept. 22, effectively banning SAE members from participating in school events as a group.

The fraternity had already been placed on alcohol-free probation by MIT in response to a 1998 incident in which a prospective student was served alcohol during campus preview week. The university is currently holding separate proceedings that could lead to disciplinary action apart from any taken by the board.

SAE fraternity members could not be reached for comment yesterday.