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The Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at the University of Arkansas has been suspended for the upcoming year after being found guilty for violating conduct rules related to hazing. The fraternity members have been removed from the fraternity home for the 2018-19 school year.
According to a statement from University of Arkansas spokesman Scott Flanagan, “the organization has been suspended from campus and is eligible for reinstatement at the conclusion of Spring 2019 semester, pending successful completion of all requirements.”
In his statement, Flanagan said that the fraternity — which has 182 members — was found responsible in April for “specific conduct violations of hazing, violation of safety systems, disorderly conduct and conduct that endangers the health and safety of any person.”
The Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was just coming off sanctions that were imposed in 2017 that included a prohibition on alcohol at the fraternity house until May 13, 2018.
via Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:
The organization’s latest trouble comes after a UA investigation last year into a February 2017 party and a pending lawsuit filed by a woman at the party that states the fraternity should be held responsible for sexually explicit photographs taken without consent and distributed to a fraternity email network.
Asked about the most recent conduct, “I cannot speak to details of specific violations,” Flanagin said. Other sanctions require a meeting with UA’s dean of students, Melissa Harwood-Rom, Flanagin said.
The fraternity almost lost its house in 2017, when the UA investigation found the fraternity responsible for disorderly conduct, serving alcohol to those underage, failing to register a social function as required by school policy, and “conduct which encourages or enables illegal activity and/or a violation of the Code of Student Life,” according to records released at that time.
As part of that investigation, a finding of hazing was overturned on appeal after a review by Chancellor Joe Steinmetz and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charles Robinson, with an initial sanction of suspension also overturned.
This is the latest major fraternity or sorority investigation, suspension or closure 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 was 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.
