By MATT LINDSEY and CRAIG FREILICH

CANTON -- SUNY Canton students and the Gamma Sigma Zeta fraternity will face disciplinary action stemming from a large house party that police responded to early Sunday morning.

“Disciplinary actions will be taken against the students who live in the house as well as the organization,” said Gregory Kie, senior media relations manager at SUNY Canton.

At the request of the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Canton police went early Sunday to break up a large party outside the village limits at 1938 Old DeKalb Road, just behind Coakley’s Hardware, a house that Canton Police Chief Lori McDougal says has been the source of complaints “for at least three years.”

“I was personally unaware about the issue,” said Kie.

A neighbor, who does not wish to be identified out of fear of retaliation, said he has made calls to police authorities before about parties at this house, although he was not who complained about last weekend’s party.

It took Canton police officers, with help from two state troopers, SUNY Canton Police and St. Lawrence University Police, “over an hour to escort the crowd of primarily SUNY Canton students back to campus” after the sheriff’s office received a complaint about a party at the house, McDougal said.

Attempts by police to control the crowd were unsuccessful as the group continued to loiter on West Main Street while police drove down the street using their horns and told individuals to get off the street. Police were reportedly met by comments such as “suck my ass,” according to a police report.

No arrests were reported.

“Several fraternity members live there…but the house is not sanctioned by SUNY Canton,” Kie said.

Kie said he feels the college has a responsibility to address off-campus problems and said they are doing just that.

“The dean of students says she will use this as a learning opportunity for students and fraternities,” Kie said.

Kie said the Dean of Students Courtney Battista Bish wants to convey to students that as students at SUNY Canton they need to be good citizens and good neighbors.

“Despite the fact that no arrests were made we want students to understand that this behavior is not acceptable,” Kie said.