For example, Ohio State\u2019s oldest fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, has been sanctioned at least seven times since 2001, but six of the seven have been in the past three years, according to Lantern archives and university disciplinary documentation. SAE has been on disciplinary probation since December 2018.<\/p>\n

In 2001, SAE\u2019s charter was revoked, effective until December 2002, following violations of IFC \u2014 the student governing body of social fraternities \u2014 and Women\u2019s Panhellenic Association\u2019s alcohol policy, which included hosting a party during rush season with alcohol present. SAE was eligible to return to campus during a probationary period beginning Jan. 5, 2003, until Jan. 4, 2004.<\/p>\n

In 2014, SAE nationally dropped its nine-week pledge process \u2014 the time between receiving a bid to join and being initiated as a member of the fraternity \u2014 for the \u201cTrue Gentleman Experience,\u201d which condensed initiation into 96 hours, according to Lantern archives. A national spokesperson for SAE at the time said reports of deaths and hazing during the process were part of the decision. Months before, SAE had been called the \u201cdeadliest fraternity\u201d in a Dec. 30, 2013, Bloomberg article.<\/p>\n

In September 2017, SAE received a cease-and-desist order from Ohio State\u2019s Office of Student Life while it was being investigated for student conduct violations. By November, it was found in violation of endangering behavior, hazing and alcohol policies and was placed on disciplinary probation until December 2018, according to Sorority and Fraternity Life\u2019s Greek judicial information.<\/p>\n

While on probation, SAE was found in violation of endangering behavior, alcohol, failure to comply with university or civil authority, and disorderly or disruptive conduct provisions in the Code of Student Conduct, according to judicial information. Its disciplinary probation was extended to December 2019 and it was punished with a gradual return of social privileges.<\/p>\n

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Sigma Alpha Epsilon house. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Former Managing Editor for Design<\/p>\n

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In March 2019, SAE failed to comply with one or more sanctions imposed by the student conduct office, which extended the organization\u2019s disciplinary probation to May 3, 2020. While on probation, the frat had to hire a \u201ctrained and insured security service and third-party bartender for all events with alcohol,\u201d was prohibited from hosting social events with alcohol until August 2020, and was limited to 10 events with alcohol during the fall 2019 semster with compliance documents, according to judicial information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That June, SAE violated alcohol rules, and in November, it violated alcohol rules again while failing to comply with sanctions. SAE was put under membership review by the national office and its disciplinary probation was extended to May 2023. No events with alcohol are permitted, and the frat can only hold five social events with alcohol in the fall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SAE is not the only Greek organization to repeatedly face sanctions from the university.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2020\/02\/zetabetatau.jpg” title_text=”zetabetatau” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”77%” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Georgia||||||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Zeta Beta Tau house. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Former Managing Editor for Design<\/p>\n

Zeta Beta Tau was put on disciplinary probation in November 2017 through May 2019 for hazing, alcohol and endangering behavior.<\/p>\n

Soon after the probation was lifted, ZBT\u2019s status as a student organization was revoked in October 2019 until August 2023 for endangering behavior, alcohol and failure to comply with university or civil authority.<\/p>\n

Beta Theta Pi was placed on interim suspension in 2005 for hazing, according to Lantern archives. During interim suspension, the organization was not allowed to \u201cparticipate in any recognized student organization activities, including intramurals, chapter social events or social events with other student organizations.\u201d In 2012, Beta \u201cclosed\u201d and could not return to campus until 2014 following a hazing allegation, a lack of transparency during the subsequent investigation and an \u201con-again, off-again cycle of unacceptable behavior,\u201d according to Lantern archives.<\/p>\n

In October 2017, Beta was placed on disciplinary probation for about six months for hazing and alcohol violations, but in the following January, the fraternity was found in violation of endangering behavior and alcohol policies, extending its probation to December 2019.<\/p>\n

Beta is currently on disciplinary probation for violation of alcohol policies, \u201cdiscouraging an individual\u2019s proper participation in or use of a university conduct system,\u201d and failure to comply with university or civil authority through May 9, 2021.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2020\/02\/betathetapi.jpg” title_text=”betathetapi” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”77%” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Georgia||||||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Beta Theta Pi house. Credit: Jack Westerheide |\u00a0<\/span>Former Managing Editor for Design<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Operating Underground<\/h2>\n
Though suspensions are intended to curb dangerous and prohibited behavior, many chapters continue to operate underground.<\/p>\n
Drew Fitch, president of Ohio State\u2019s IFC and a third-year in finance, said this could be the reason some organizations don\u2019t comply with their sanctions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think a cause of why a lot of sanctions \u2014 or maybe not a lot, but at least some sanctions \u2014 aren\u2019t being followed is that organizations are seeing these groups that were previously fraternities here at Ohio State get removed from campus, and then continue to operate. Not as a fraternity because they lost their status, but just hosting these parties and then people from the community are still going to these events,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Fitch said he estimates that six of eight currently suspended organizations continue to recruit new members and host events.<\/p>\n
Once chapters are no longer recognized as a student organization, the university has no jurisdiction over the group as an organization \u2014 only individuals, Isaacs said.<\/p>\n
The same issue over jurisdiction applies to the IFC, which Fitch said is problematic. Those who join underground organizations are never placed on a roster that is sent to the university or national organization, so it can be hard to keep track of who is participating.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil something happens at that event, and there\u2019s some type of police report or conduct report, there\u2019s nothing we can really do because we don\u2019t know those people,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to react to things with those organizations, which is just not in the best interest of the health and safety of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kruger also said the danger of becoming more restrictive with Greek life is that organizations could completely disaffiliate from the university, creating more underground activity with no university influence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s also exposed, sometimes, the conflict between the campus and what the campus goals are, and sometimes, some of the national fraternities and sororities themselves who may be engaged in behaviors that maybe don\u2019t necessarily support the institution\u2019s mission and goals and some of the terms of behaviors. That\u2019s a bit of a tension point,\u201d Kruger said.<\/p>\n
There are several different players when it comes to fraternity discipline, each with varying levels of power \u2014 sometimes making for a murky process.<\/p>\n
The Office of Student Life, which houses Sorority and Fraternity Life and the student conduct office, makes most of the decisions about Greek life at the university and is the major player when it comes to issuing sanctions, Jake Severyn, former IFC president who held the position before Fitch, said.<\/p>\n
Severyn said the IFC and student conduct office share incident reports with each other, but the partnership stops there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want the IFC to find some way to hold the fraternity accountable, as well kind of as a partnership process,\u201d he said. \u201cSo you\u2019re getting sanctions from the university, but your peers are holding you accountable. That\u2019s what needs to happen in the future but doesn\u2019t really happen now.\u201d<\/p>\n
National organizations typically require chapters to be recognized as registered student organizations and will revoke a chapter\u2019s charter and close the chapter upon suspension by the university, Severyn said.<\/p>\n
But this isn\u2019t always the case. Some national organizations will allow their chapter to keep its charter and continue to operate.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.thelantern.com\/projects\/files\/2020\/02\/alphaepsilonpi.jpg” title_text=”alphaepsilonpi” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”77%” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.10.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Georgia||||||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
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Alpha Epsilon Pi house. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Former Managing Editor for Design<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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One such chapter at Ohio State is Alpha Epsilon Pi. AEPi was suspended in May 2018 for violations of hazing, alcohol, endangering behavior and failure to comply with one or more sanctions imposed under the code, but continues to operate under its national charter \u2014 its website refers to the organization as AEPi of Columbus.<\/p>\n
Chapters that keep their charters aren\u2019t the only ones to continue to operate despite suspension \u2014 Sorority and Fraternity Life\u2019s website openly acknowledges it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should know that even after being suspended, some of these organizations continue to operate despite the action taken by the university,\u201d the website states. \u201cWe encourage you to review an organization\u2019s status before becoming involved with it, especially because sometimes an organization\u2019s status is revoked due to serious concerns like hazing and other behavior that risks your health and safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Fitch said some students might not be aware of this when they join the organization, and some might even see a benefit in joining a suspended group.<\/p>\n
\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty much impossible for an organization that is following all IFC and university policy to sort of compete with that organization socially because that organization doesn\u2019t have to follow any policy, any laws about responsible drinking or consumption or distribution,\u201d Fitch said.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Returning to Campus<\/h2>\n
When a chapter\u2019s suspension is up and the chapter has the chance to come back to campus, or \u201crecolonize,\u201d the student conduct office, national organization and IFC all play a role.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we issue that sanction, there will be a series of steps that the organization must comply with in order to be eligible to return, and we work with them beginning before the end of that period so that they\u2019re in position to succeed,\u201d Isaacs said. \u201cBecause they are \u2014 fraternities and sororities \u2014 are part of national organizations, that\u2019s who we\u2019re working with to recolonize.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizations often must complete educational programming before returning, according to the judicial information.<\/p>\n
Though IFC also must approve a chapter\u2019s recolonization, Severyn said there\u2019s a \u201cgentleman\u2019s agreement\u201d to let any fraternity back.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s say there\u2019s specific, additional things that the IFC on that campus wants them to do as part of coming back. They absolutely enforce that, but we basically have to let them come back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Isaacs said these sanctions are often issued to try to institute a shift in the types of people and practices in the fraternity.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things that, in some of these cases, needs to be addressed is a change in culture, and if we find that this was not an isolated decision, an isolated, inappropriate decision or a wrong choice, but that this is a more systemic issue, then it\u2019s important in order to change the culture that they lose their status as a registered organization for a long enough period to turn over memberships and start anew,\u201d Isaacs said.<\/p>\n
Fitch said that in the best-case scenario, newer organizations have an ingrained culture of wanting to be a \u201cmodel chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWith all of us being college students, there is a lot of turnover in these organizations and one culture that might have existed in a chapter can pretty much fade out in two to three years. So these, these are like constantly changing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
However, he said in more problematic organizations, the shift will need to be more intentional, with \u201ca lot of introspective thought.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n
\u201cIt\u2019s likely going to take a group of most likely younger guys that are joining that are able to see these issues and identify where the flaws are in our organization,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Although a chapter might be suspended with the hope of bringing in a new group of individuals, Kruger said fraternity alumni would still be around to influence the organizations, and he said suspension might not be enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there\u2019s not a real tangible penalty to engaging these behaviors that resulted in the suspension in the first place, what is the incentive for the national to really kind of get concerned about this if they think, \u2018Four more years, we\u2019ll come back again and recolonize with a new groups of students?\u2019\u201d Kruger said.<\/p>\n
The Future of Fraternities<\/h2>\n
Kruger said because these organizations are so deeply entrenched in society, the solutions to issues often seen with fraternities nationwide \u2014 such as hazing, alcohol abuse, academic performance and sexual assault \u2014 are not simple, and he said he is troubled by the idea of simply suspending chapters.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the solutions were easy, we would have come up with them 30 years ago,\u201d Kruger said. \u201cI mean, hazing, for example, has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years \u2014 it predates even college universities.\u201d<\/p>\n
But universities don\u2019t often disband organizations that keep getting in trouble, Kruger said, and it has never happened at Ohio State. It might come down to balancing interests, he said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of political pressure from the outside,\u201d Kruger said. \u201cMany state legislators are Greek themselves, alumni, donors, and so this is not \u2014 it\u2019s no simple thing just to say, \u2018You know what? Let\u2019s just not do Greek life anymore,\u2019 because you\u2019re gonna have a lot of pushback from critical stakeholders outside the institution.\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Kruger said if the same level of scrutiny is directed toward Greek life in the next 10 years, organizations could see less involvement or elimination all together.<\/p>\n
However, Kruger said that while he is not willing to overlook negative consequences involved with some fraternities, Greek life is valuable to campuses and students and contributes to the overall university community.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s a group that is really reinforcing academic performance, you can see that in those results from many of the groups,\u201d he said. \u201cThey engage in community service or service learning, giving back to the community, which I think is also a very positive experience for students to engage in. And then lastly, the connection to alumni. I think the alumni of fraternities or sororities who are employed, create really powerful linkages back to their students.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kruger\u2019s organization is working with colleges and universities nationwide to help better the presence of Greek life on campus, with goals such as creating more transparency and metrics around how the organizations are functioning for students and parents, deciding the role alumni will play and developing more effective training and education.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the solutions are gonna have to be about a partnership between campuses, the nationals and the students themselves and trying to get students to want to make this cultural change,\u201d Kruger said.<\/p>\n
Fitch said he hopes the IFC can move toward rewarding good behavior rather than simply punishing bad behavior and that people in the community can hold underground organizations accountable when the university and IFC cannot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf, as a community, people stop showing up to their events, then they would just not host them anymore, and they would pretty much die out within a semester or two because that\u2019s the only reason they\u2019re still operating is for that social aspect,\u201d he said. \u201cSo it\u2019s sort of on us as a community to actively discourage that by not attending their events.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fitch said it can be frustrating when the actions of certain groups overshadow the good work other organizations are doing and that he expects big changes for the better in the coming years as organizations \u201crewire\u201d how they think about behavior.<\/p>\n
Kruger said Greek life on campuses offers many positive aspects, but the conversation around the culture is evolving following high-profile incidents nationwide.<\/p>\n
\u201cCollege presidents are much less likely now to sort of give second- or third-choice chances to organizations who are engaged in these kinds of activities,\u201d Kruger said. \u201cThat story has changed. We have more public dialogue about: Is this worth it?\u201d<\/p>\n
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A Cycle of Sanctions<\/h1>\n