UPDATED: Thursday, March 8, at 4:45 p.m.

The national Phi Kappa Psi fraternity on Tuesday announced sweeping changes to its pledging and alcohol policies in the wake of hazing, alcohol abuse and sexual assault reports on college campuses across the country.

The organization’s decision comes as some universities nationwide move to shut down or tighten restrictions on Greek life.  

The Syracuse University chapter of Phi Psi is not on the list of Greek organizations disciplined for Student Code of Conduct Violations. Jack Johnson, who SU currently states is Phi Psi’s president, did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

Four fraternity pledges died in the United States last year, though, while participating in their respective new member processes, CNN reported. One of them was in Texas State University’s chapter of Phi Psi.

“Not one of these men figured that joining a fraternity could be deadly,” the Phi Psi fraternity said on its website. “Nor did the members of these groups, including Phi Kappa Psi, ever figure that the choices they would make — or did not make — would have profound impacts on their own lives and the reputations of themselves, the organizations they represent and the host institutions they attend.”

Hazing or alcohol is suspected to have been a factor in each pledge’s death in 2017, CNN reported.

Phi Psi, in the next six months, will ban hard alcohol over 15 percent alcohol by volume in chapter houses, according to the national organization’s website. Alcohol above 15 percent ABV can only be provided and served by a licensed, third-party vendor at an off-site location, per the new Phi Psi policy.

The fraternity will also cut its new member period, known as “pledging,” from six weeks to 10 days. Phi Psi on its website acknowledged that hazing has been a concern among Greek organizations.

“Although this change will not completely eliminate all forms of hazing, it will reduce the amount of time where new members are potentially subjected to illegal hazing practices, and will empower young men to take action,” the national organization said.

SU’s Anti-Hazing Policy prohibits hazing activities conducted by individuals, groups, teams or recognized student organizations.  

But two fraternities at SU, Delta Kappa Epsilon and Delta Tau Delta, have been disciplined for student conduct violations related to hazing during the 2017-18 academic year.

Delta Tau Delta was suspended from SU in fall 2017 on conduct violations related to hazing. Delta Kappa Epsilon was initially going to be suspended for hazing violations, its president said, but the university’s decision was appealed and the fraternity is now on extended disciplinary probation.

The SU chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu is currently under investigation for hazing, according to SU’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and Department of Public Safety crime logs.

“Phi Kappa Psi can no longer stand on the sidelines and watch as the old system continues to put members in peril,” the organization said.

SU confirmed in February that the Alpha Epsilon Pi was suspended from campus after the safety of a student was threatened during the new member process. The Code of Conduct violations that led to the fraternity’s suspension, though, were not related to hazing.

Instead of a six-week pledging period, Phi Psi will implement a longer continued education program. The continued education program will be introduced in fall 2018, according to the fraternity.

Phi Psi is also introducing an adviser certification program that will require volunteer fraternity advisers to receive online and in-person training on Title IX, ethics and codes of conduct, hazing, substances abuse and other topics. By August 2019, all advisers will be required to complete the certification program, according to its website.

The policy changes, which the fraternity said are being implemented to promote a safer environment for members, were finalized at a Phi Psi governing council meeting in February, according to its website. Conversations about the policy changes started in fall 2016, before the Texas State University Phi Psi pledge died.

After the death of a Florida State University pledge in November 2017 and the two unrelated arrests of fraternity members on drug trafficking charges, FSU temporarily suspended all fraternity and sorority activities while it worked to improve student safety.

Sanctions on Greek activities were also introduced at Texas State University, Indiana University-Bloomington and the University of Michigan, among others, USA Today reported.  

Published on March 7, 2018 at 10:32 pm

Contact Jordan: jmulle01@syr.edu | @jordanmuller18