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Alpha Sigma Alpha at Penn State University had its recognition suspended on May 2 due to alcohol violations.
According to a statement from Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers, the Alpha Sigma sorority will be suspended through 2022 as a result of a student conduct investigation into allegations of alcohol use, according to the release. The sorority’s national organization has also been notified.
The school’s Zeta Psi fraternity was also suspended this week. Penn State has been enforcing stricter rules on university greek life since the death of Beta Theta Pi pledge Timothy Piazza, who died on February 4, 2017 after a night of heavy drinking.
This is the latest major fraternity or sorority 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 in the wake of hazing and alcohol deaths.
These reports come amidst similar allegations that have been made against fraternities nationwide, including Sigma Alpha Epsilon at East Carolina University, who were shut down for hazing and the Lamda Chi Alpha chapter at the University of Arkansas which has been accused of taking sexually explicit photographs of women without their permission.
In response to incidents like these, fraternities such Phi Kappa Psi have made numerous changes to their code of conduct in an effort to address the issues that have arisen. In addition, schools such as Texas State have introduced new Greek Life rules to try and prevent these problems.
