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Last week, we brought you the story of ZBT at Cornell University, which was placed on temporary probation while the school investigates allegations of a “pig roast” in which “new members could accumulate ‘points’ by engaging in sexual intercourse with women.”
This week, according to the Ithacan, the fraternity was officially placed on probationary recognition for two years by the university’s Fraternity and Sorority Review Board for having a “pig roast” hazing competition in which pledges competed to see who could have sex with the heaviest women. The Ithacan reports that After receiving reports of misconduct in 2017, the university’s Fraternity and Sorority Review Board investigated the fraternity. The investigation culminated in January 2018, when the board concluded the fraternity had violated the university’s no-tolerance policy for hazing and the no-tolerance policy for sexually abusive behavior.
Zeta Beta Tau’s international organization released a statement saying they were investigating the situation and were debating expelling the students.
“Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity was deeply disappointed to learn of allegations that certain men in the Kappa Chapter at Cornell University engaged in activities that degrade women,” Zeta Beta Tau said in the release. “ZBT will conduct its own thorough investigation of this matter to get to the bottom of this situation, as we simply will not tolerate the objectification or degradation of any human being.”
Cornell’s vice president of Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi also released a statement regarding the fraternity’s actions:
“The behavior that Zeta Beta Tau fraternity was recently found responsible for is abhorrent to me and antithetical to our values as a community,” Lombardi said. “Behavior that degrades and dehumanizes women contributes to a climate and culture of tolerance for sexual violence.”
This is the latest fraternity suspension in the last year, as schools such as Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Texas State, Florida State, Ball State, Louisiana State and Penn State have all suspended fraternities.
