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The University of Kentucky has suspended the Sigma Chi fraternity for reportedly violating the university’s code of conduct policy. The chapter has been suspended for a year after a university investigation found that the chapter violated university policies.
The university did not specify what policies the fraternity violated.
According to a statement from University of Kentucky spokesperson Jay Blanton, “after an investigation that included cooperation from the international organization and the local chapter, the chapter accepted responsibility and the University of Kentucky’s Hearing Board has placed them on a one-year suspension effective immediately.”
This is just the latest Sigma Chi chapter to be suspended or banned in the last year, following similar incidents at the University of Pittsburgh, Radford University, Rutgers University, and more.
via Kentucky Kernel:
According to the UK Interfraternity Council’s recruitment booklet, Sigma Chi had 100 members this year. The fraternity’s house is listed at 447 Pennsylvania Avenue and sits on the corner of Pennsylvania and Columbia Avenue across the street from the William T. Young Library’s northside parking lots.
The chapter was previously put on disciplinary probation at the beginning of the spring 2016 semester until the fall 2017 semester for alcohol and hazing violations, UK’s Office of Student Conduct website shows. It is unclear if those violations are related.
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 Lambda 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, West Virginia University, and Penn State University have introduced new Greek Life rules to try and prevent these problems.
