Syracuse University is home to more than 50 registered Greek organizations. They range from professional to social in nature, each belonging to one of six different councils.

Greek life has been a part of campus culture since the colonization of Delta Kappa Epsilon in the 1870s, and various chapters are subject to a series of guidelines consistent with the Code of Student Conduct. Any organization in which members are not promoting a safe and productive experience, or are operating in a way that shows a disregard for the university’s legacy, is considered a violation, according to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs website.

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Greek organizations can be placed under probation, suspension or have their charter entirely revoked at SU. Here’s a breakdown of the rules that Greek organizations must adhere to, what happens if they don’t and what led to the recent expulsion of the Theta Tau fraternity.

Which Greek organizations are currently operating with restrictions?

Of the active Greek organizations on campus, seven are currently under what SU calls a “university status.”

The status is meant to allow students in the organization to “reflect on their behavior” and the decisions they made that led to the disciplinary action, according to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs website.

Zeta Beta Tau and Psi Upsilon are both on disciplinary reprimand, which is a “formal admonition on behalf of the University community” and is intended to document in a student organization’s disciplinary file that its behavior has been deemed unacceptable, according to FASA.

Alpha Kappa Psi, Delta Kappa Epsilon and Sigma Chi are on disciplinary probation. When an organization is placed on disciplinary probation, it’s considered a change in status between good standing and suspension or expulsion.

The organization can remain enrolled at or retain recognition by SU under “stated conditions” that depend on both the nature of the violation and what the students involved can learn from the specific probationary measures, per the FASA website. Further violations may result in immediate suspension, indefinite suspension or expulsion.

DKE is also on social probation, which is a status applied after specific social regulations have been breached. Its primary effect, per the website, is to suspend a privilege related to the nature of the offense and/or restrict access to campus facilities or programs.

Sigma Iota Alpha and Pi Kappa Alpha are both under investigative status. Investigative status denotes that an organization is being investigated for a potential break in policy but hasn’t yet been found responsible for a breach, according to FASA.

For the duration of the investigative status, the chapter may not conduct any activities without prior approval from the director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. The chapter is notified once the case is either cleared of responsibility or recommended to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for review. If consequences are determined through the process, the chapter will move into their applicable sanctions.

How long does each probation last?

University statuses are applied for a minimum of one academic year, according to the Student Conduct System Handbook. They can be extended at the discretion of the formal hearing body administering the punishment.

FASA lists the end dates of each organization’s probationary period on their Chapter Status page. Psi Upilon’s disciplinary reprimand ends in October, and both DKE’s social probation and ZBT’s disciplinary reprimand end in December. The remaining three organizations’ probationary periods end in 2019, one in May and two in December.

Which Greek organizations can’t currently operate on campus?

A total of 10 Greek organizations cannot currently officially operate at SU, according to FASA. If students are found to be operating under the suspended or revoked chapters, the suspensions can be extended.

An organization with its recognition revoked can’t reapply for recognition for a minimum of four years, and if a chapter has been functioning underground, this period can be extended by a year for each underground violation.

Talia Trackim | Senior Design Editor

Organizations currently banned from operating at SU include:

• Alpha Epsilon Pi
• Chi Upsilon Sigma
• Delta Tau Delta
• Nu Alpha Phi
• Pi Beta Phi
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon
• Sigma Alpha Mu
• Tau Kappa Epsilon
• Zeta Phi Beta
• Theta Tau

What does the university consider grounds for action?

Recognition for a Greek organization can be suspended by the FASA director for a “pattern or incident that’s considered to be misconduct, criminal activity or fiscal default,” per the FASA website.

Talia Trackim | Senior Design Editor

First-degree hazing is defined in the handbook as when, during a student’s initiation into or affiliation with an organization, the organization “intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct that creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person and thereby causes injury.”

A student does not have to be injured to violate the university’s second-degree hazing policy, according to the handbook. Hazing is a misdemeanor in New York state.

In 2015, pledges of now-suspended Nu Alpha Phi were forced to perform exercises as punishment multiple times a day for weeks before a pledge nearly lost four fingers to frostbite after performing the exercises outside. Two Nu Alpha Phi members pleaded guilty to the charge of hazing in the second degree in connection to the incident.  

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Why was Theta Tau expelled?

In April 2018, videos surfaced of people in the Theta Tau engineering fraternity’s house using racial and ethnic slurs. The chapter, in a later statement, said the videos depicted a “satirical sketch.” The videos also showed the mimed sexual assault of a person with disabilities.  

In recordings obtained by The Daily Orange showing the videos, which were filmed in Theta Tau’s house, a person forces another person to his knees and asks him to repeat an “oath” including racial slurs.

“I solemnly swear to always have hatred in my heart for n*ggers, sp*cs and most importantly the f*ckin’ k*kes,” the person on his knees repeats.

Chancellor Kent Syverud called actions recorded in these videos “extremely racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist, and hostile to people with disabilities” in a campus-wide email in April.

Forcing anyone to commit or witness an act that’s seen as violating the Code of Student Conduct, human dignity or the law itself in order to be affiliated with a group is prohibited, according to the handbook.

“Express or implied consent of participants or reporting individuals will not be a defense,” per the handbook.

Published on August 28, 2018 at 1:17 am

Contact Colleen: cefergus@syr.edu | @ColleenEFergus2